Looking for fantasy system game (platonic, M/M, or F/M)

[Lyron]

The Sitch

I'm looking to play a system-based game with a partner, either as a GM or as a player, or trading off between the two roles. In other words, I'm easy! If I'm GMing, the system will be D&D 5e or OVA 2e. As a player, I'm open to the GM's pick as long as it's affordable.

This ad will be split between published campaigns/custom ideas I'm willing to run and a few character concepts I've noodled with, all in an attempt to stoke your interest, dear lurker!

One thing I feel like I should disclaim upfront: I'm relatively inexperienced in the fantasy genre, having spent many of my roleplay years and media consumption in slice of life. I've been playing D&D for only two years - and no, not because of Critical Role, which I haven't watched beyond one or two episodes. With that in mind, my custom ideas are going to be pretty simplistic without the depth of material that most of y'all have consumed. Just adjust your expectations accordingly if you're looking for a GM.


Preferences & Expectations: The Quick n' Dirty

• A partner's sex, gender identity, or planet of origin do not matter to me, though I do prefer to write with fellow Earthlings, whom I am one of.
• I ain't no size queen. As long as the post provides insight into your character (if acting as a player, anyway), keeps us grounded in the scene, and helps to advance the happenings, I'm peachy. You can find samples of my writing by visiting my O/Os, where I have a list of stories I have been involved in. Or stalk me. Whichever!
• I try to post at least once every week, but it might take me up to two. Responses that require fewer details or less thought are faster than the opposite, naturally. I'm patient when it comes to waiting for a partner to post, though I might check in after a couple of weeks of silence.
• Threads for roleplaying. PMs for plot discussion and chit-chat, at least initially. I'm open to moving to Discord once we've started the game.
• As a player, I will collaborate and help drive the story. As a GM, I seek a similar approach in a player, and I want to see them bring their own wants and ideas.
• If I am GMing, especially for a published D&D game, I use Roll20 for encounter maps. You can roll dice or build a character sheet wherever you prefer, but please be willing to register for an account on Roll20. If someone else is GMing, then it's of course their choice on how they want to run the game.
• Also if I'm GMing, I prefer to build companions (and rivals and sometimes enemies) using the character creation rules instead of using stat blocks. The purpose is to balance combat better and provide proficiencies that the PC(s) lack, but, yes, also to indulge. They will always let the PC(s) take the lead, though their decisions can have consequences. I will always be the one to roleplay them, but players who want greater control can pick prepared spells, influence level-ups where choices are required, and choose their actions during combat.
• Characters can have their appearances described. Visual representations can be real, CGI, or illustrated - even a mix if a partner is equally as comfortable with it. I'm not as big on the anime style, but I'm open to it as long as a partner is okay with me using different art styles for characters.
• M/M or platonic, or M/F as a female character. The rest of the bullet points to follow pertain to character intimacy - feel free to skip them if that's not what you're after.
• Smut is great and it's fun to indulge occasionally, but I'm looking for story and character to be the focus of the game.
• For M/M, I like switching the most, but I'm willing to play the dominant or submissive, whether kinky or vanilla. For F/M, I have less of a preference.
• As a note, I prefer men with shorter hair styles, but in the case of fantasy, I'm fine playing against a guy with long hair.
• Men within the pairing need to be masculine - and I don't mean this as rigidly as it might sound; embracing sensitivity or having interests that are traditionally feminine are cool, to give examples, but I'm not attracted to guys who are outwardly feminine.
• No twinky boys, please! I'm not big on the archetype of a soft-featured boy, but any other young guy can be hot.
• Characters involved in intimate pairings should be predominantly human in appearance. Tritons, satyrs, qunari, and half-orcs can be hot, for example, but a centaur or a traditional, full-blooded orc are a no for me.
• That's the gist. More details in my O/Os. Check 'em out to ensure I suit your fancy.

Behind the Screen

Below are the games I'm willing to run using D&D 5e or OVA 2e. If you aren't familiar with OVA, I'm happy to share the PDF of the system for the sake of playing a game together, with the request that you consider supporting the publisher if you find OVA to your liking - it's under $20.

Also, as a point of clarity, even though OVA is written as an anime system, I'm okay with it not being the genre we play. The system is fun regardless, and in honesty, anime isn't my preferred genre anyway.

Some of them are published campaigns. Others are custom ideas that I haven't fleshed out beyond the premise, all of which await a partner's desires and creative spin.

Alternatively, or in addition to one of the premises below, if you have a character you want to bring to life, tell me about them! What are they like? What are their motivations? Maybe there's an adventure we can wrangle together for them.


Published 5e Campaigns
Below are the ones that I own and am willing to adapt for a 1x1. We can make it work for one character, but if you'd like, you can play two.

Odyssey of the Dragonlords

At the dawn of time, war between gods and titans left the landscape of Thylea forever changed. Thousands of years later, the first mortals arrived, carried by ship and dragon.

The Dragonlords were the champions who overthrew the Titans 500 years ago and forged the Oath of Peace. But the power of the Oath has waned, and now the Titans seek vengeance.

A hero (or heroes) has been called by prophecy to end the conflict once and for all.

More information for interested parties

If and when you might be ready, the player's guide can be found here. It's important for lore (about 15 pages with illustrations), especially if you choose to play a character who was born on Thylea, and it offers unique subclasses. I'll provide a brief summary of the lore below.

You can play one or two characters. The starting level will probably be 3, maybe 4.

Each character should use one of the special hooks, called Epic Paths, described farther below to tie them closer to the story.

The Lore, in Summary
The gentle Thylea and the war-mongering Kentimane hail from the time of the ancient gods. They were lovers. Disheartened by the violence of those times, Thylea isolated herself, becoming a demiplane that Kentimane swore to protect. They had children. Two of them are the Twin Titans - Sydon, the Lord of Storms, and the Lutheria, the Lady of Dreams. The children titans created creatures that could worship them and make their existence less lonely.

Eventually, mortal races - humans, elves, etc. - who sailed the farthest reaches of their realm gradually shipwrecked on Thylea as they were caught in the Maelstrom. With their numbers few, survival was rough, and they resorted to worshiping Sydon and Lutheria to gain protection from the natives.

Dragonlords - champions who rode atop dragons - led an expedition of ships to this new world. They turned the tides in favor of the settlers, who gained land and developed cities. Then the First War happened. Most of the Dragonlords and their dragons were wiped out, and the Five Gods appeared and championed the settlers. The war ended with the Oath of Peace sworn between the Five and the Twin Titans: for five hundred years, the Twins would not seek vengeance upon the settlers, so long as daily sacrifices would resume and their temples would continue to be maintained and honored.

All of the Five but Mytros, who ascended during the First War, continue to walk Thylea to this day, but the Oath is ending and they appear to be doing nothing, so their worship has waned. Some might even believe they aren't really the gods at all.

All metalwork is bronze.

Oaths are a huge deal on Thylea and should not be made lightly. Breaking one will result in a curse or being taken to the Nether Sea by the Furies.

Allowed Races
Whether your character was born on Thylea or is a newcomer who has washed ashore, these are your options:

Human, elf, half-elf, tiefling, half-orc, and if you aren't looking for character intimacy, halfling, gnome

If you want to play a race that is native to Thylea, then you can choose any of these from the player's guide:

Nymph, satyr, siren, minotaur

No centaur because I feel like they're an awkward fit with the trajectory of the game. I'm also saying no to medusa.

If you want to play a newcomer and you're okay with keeping things platonic, then dragonborn is an additional race available to you. I feel like any other race wouldn't have as much of a connection to Thylea, so I'm limiting the options to the PHB.

Also, Tasha's rules can be used for racial benefits.


Allowed Classes

OotD offers these subclasses:

Barbarian - Herculean Path
Bard - College of Epic Poetry
Cleric - Prophecy Domain
Druid - Circle of Sacrifice
Fighter - Hoplite Soldier
Monk - Way of the Shield
Paladin - Oath of the Dragonlord
Ranger - Amazonian Conclave
Rogue - The Odysean
Sorcerer - Demigod Origin
Warlock - Patron: The Fates
Wizard - Academy Philosopher

Additionally, here is an artificer subclass: fateweaver.

Those who are born on Thylea may choose any of the above, or they can choose an official class. Details on how they can fit in the world are below in the spoiler. Some subclasses are prohibited for lore reasons.

If your character is a newcomer, they can be any subclass except drakewarden, and except for those unique to OotD.

Official classes & the Thylean born

Artificers
Being a pupil of Volkan could be a good hook for an armorer or a battle smith.
An alchemist can also work.
An artillerist feels too advanced, so no.

Barbarians
Most humanoid barbarians come from the Cerulean Gulf. They might be an Amazon if female, or they might hail from the more egalitarian tribes. The barbarians of the Cerulean Gulf sided with the natives during the First War, so many of the Heartland humanoids distrust them.
Path of the Storm Herald must be a descendant of Sydon or a nereid.
Path of the Beast doesn't really work.

Bards
Your character might be a satyr minstrel, or they might have studied at the Academy in Mytros.
College of Spirits is available only to the Psychopomp epic path (more as an innate ability rather than something taught).
All other subclasses are fine.

Clerics
You must choose a canonical deity.
Sydon or Lutheria as a patron deity kinda contradicts the plot. For this reason, their domains (tempest, death, grave) aren’t allowed.
The life domain could be assigned to Thylea if someone wants to play a cleric of a native race (or a settler who’s more enamored to Thylea).
The domains not listed in the player’s guide on page 10 can go to these gods:
Twilight - Mytros or Thylea
Peace - Mytros or Thylea
Arcana - Vallus
Order - Vallus

Druids
Most druids come from the Oldwood, where they are in tune with the mother goddess herself. The circles may accept native and settler races alike as long as they are genuine.
Circle of Dreams could have ties to Lutheria.
Circle of Widlfire doesn't work.

Fighters
Arcane Archer, Echo Knight, Psi Warrior, and Rune Knight would probably be awkward from an immersion standpoint, but it could be that their respective arts were kept within your character's family.
Samurai - mechanically fine.

Monks
Way of the Astral Self, Way of the Long Death, and Way of the Sun Soul aren't allowed.
Your character is likely from Aresia, where the warrior style is learned, but it's possible a wandering mentor accepted them as a pupil.

Paladins
Swearing fealty to Sydon or Lutheria contradicts the plot. Choose a different god if you need it as part of your character's backdrop.
If your character breaks their oath, they will be imprisoned in the Nether Sea. The stakes are higher! For that reason, Oathbreaker won't be available.
Oath of the Watchers is not allowed.

Rangers
Gloom Stalker and Horizon Walker aren't allowed. Monster Slayer also doesn't really fit with the story, and Drakewarden doesn't mesh with the game's trajectory.
All other subclasses can work.

Rogues
Phantom is available only to the Psychopomp epic path.
Soulknife is the only subclass not allowed.

Sorcerers
Draconic bloodline can work alright for humanoids.
Wild magic can work for a nymph.
Storm sorcery is available for a descendant of Sydon or a nereid.
All others aren't allowed.

Warlocks
Available only if you take the Timeless One or Vanished One epic path. Your choices for either are archfey or celestial.

The pact involves an oath that must not be broken, or else your character will be imprisoned in the Nether Sea.

Wizards
Your character likely studied at the Academy in Mytros.

Epic Paths: General Overview
Epic paths are a unique feature to the module that provides personal motivation for the PC. From the player's guide, I'm selecting the ones that have actual relevance to the story, and I'm also including a few fan-made ones. I'm saying no to any of the others listed in the player's guide, except maybe for a second character.

Also, if you look at them in the player's guide, they do mention rewarded items and what is called a "divine blessing". The magic items can be negotiated and the blessing is a late-game reward. Prioritize the roleplaying experience over the mechanical benefits!


Epic Paths: Thylean Origins

The Demigod

You are a mortal child of Pythor, the god of battle. You’ve never met your father, but your mother was a woman famed for both her beauty and her skill as a harpist. She was carried away by a green dragon when you were very young. A family of soldiers adopted you, and then raised you to be a mighty champion for the city of Mytros. You are a favorite child of the city, and bards already sing of your great deeds, real and imagined, while travelling the Heartlands.

As a youth, the Oracle predicted a great destiny, one in which you might be able to join the pantheon alongside your divine father, who has recently fallen into despair and drunkenness. It is up to you to redeem your father and rescue your mother. Only then may your family become whole.

Restrictions: Must be any settler race.

The Gifted One

Ever since you were a child you’ve shown remarkable promise, effortlessly mastering every activity you’ve attempted. You have no explanation, but most people assume that you must have divine blood flowing through your veins. As you are from a common, or barbarian, family, you have been the target of seething envy from the children of the nobility and the wealthy who believe you do not deserve your gifts. You’ve therefore spent most of your life proving your worth. You want to achieve fame and fortune and have your name remembered down the ages. Mostly... you want to become a Dragonlord. If you could find a dragon egg and successfully hatch it, you could join the list of legendary heroes that are still remembered after five centuries. The call of the Oracle has given you an opportunity to prove your worth.

Notes: Any race is allowed.

The Vanished One

You are one of the Dragonlords, the legendary outside explorers who first discovered Thylea. You were present when the tiny settlement of Mytros was founded, but you’ve been missing for almost 500 years. During an expedition into the Cerulean Gulf, you fell victim to the irresistible charms of a nymph named Versi. You’ve spent the last five centuries in a waking dream, trapped in her cave with no knowledge of time passing or events on the mainland. When Versi, the Oracle, foresaw you were called by fate to save Thylea, she released her hold on you, but she made you swear an oath to return to her once your quest is completed.

Restrictions: Must be a settler race.
Notes: Versi is female canonically but can be made male.

The Psychopomp

An orphan, you lived a strange life - the spirits of the dead and dying have always called out to you, and you have long sought to either comfort them, or to escape their sepulchral cries. But even in your darkest hours, you had your true love by your side. Until the day they vanished, that is. They were later found dead, but with no discernable injuries. They came to you the next night, bearing an unholy green aura, begging you for help, for release. As quickly as they came, they were gone. Having lost the one light in your life, you are determined to save them by whatever means necessary, so when Oren informs you the Oracle knows how to help, you journey to the Sour Vintage as instructed.

Notes: Any race is allowed.

The Bastard

You grew up knowing little more than your mother’s love. Yours was a hard life, but you had each other, and you had the many stories your mother told you of your father - though she never revealed the identity of the man. Your mother bemoaned that you were both denied the lives you were owed by your birthright, as you were both kept from your father by his wife’s jealousy. You returned home one day to find your house ablaze. Forcing your way inside, you managed to pull your mother out of the fires. With her dying breaths, she revealed that your home was attacked by someone, and told you to find your father, giving you the last token of him that she still possessed: a single burnished coin.

When Oren informs you that the Oracle knows how to find your father and avenge your mother, you set off for the Sour Vintage.

Restrictions: Must be a human, half-elf, or half-orc.

The Timeless One

You are the child of Versi the First, the Titan of Prophecy. Having foreseen the downfall of her and her divine siblings at the hands of Sydon and Lutheria, she sent you to the Island of Time until you had the opportunity to defeat the traitorous twins. You spent untold centuries away from the world until five years ago, when you returned to Thylea’s mainland and grew to adulthood with an Oldwood tribe that still honors your mother. This new Thylea is strange, and many creatures not of the Titans now walk it. They build cities and honor new gods, but they are not your enemy. Sydon and Lutheria hate them fiercely, and you know the cruelty that the Twin Titans can inflict. Perhaps these settlers can even help you in your quest.

When Oren approached you, you learned of the Oracle who bears your mother's name, and that she can divine what happened to the forgotten titans.

Restrictions: Must be a siren, satyr, or nymph.

Epic Paths: Foreigner Origins

The Estranged Progeny

Your character is an ancestor of one of the Dragonlords. Lately, he has been plagued by strange dreams of a voice speaking to them - "help", "danger", "Thylea". Your character put together the pieces and have decided to answer the call, joining a crew of treasure hunters in hopes that they might reach Thylea. When they wash ashore at Mytros, they learn the Oracle foresaw their arrival and that they might help them find the answers they seek. You follow Oren's directions and travel to the Sour Vintage.

Restrictions: Must be a human, half-elf, or half-orc.
Notes: Choose one of these names for your ancestor: Xander Huorath, Adonis Neurdragon, Estor Arkelander.

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Your character is in need of work. He has learned of an urgent job, so to the Yawning Portal he has gone. There, Volothamp Geddarm shares the news of his missing friend. He wants help finding him.

Little does your character know that the city's factions are astir with a new fascination. The next Grand Game has begun, and your character will get to compete with, steal from, and--hopefully--triumph over some of Waterdeep's most prominent villains. Half a million gold is on the line.

More information for interested parties

You can play one or two characters.

Your character should have motivation for finding the gold. It could be for selfish reasons, or it could be from a desire to perform a service to the city. Other character goals are welcome and will be interwoven among the overall plot, but ideally, the scope should be contained within and around Waterdeep to keep the game cohesive.

Some ideas include...

• They or someone close to them has ties to the Zhentarim or the Xanathars. How do they feel about those ties?
• Maybe a loved one has been imprisoned or taken by one of the gangs, or will be.
• Your character could be a part of the City Watch, perhaps with dreams of joining Force Grey.
• Maybe your character is a part of a noble family, and they want to improve their house's standing within the city or redeem it after a scandal, perhaps one of their own making. Or similarly, maybe they are a part of the lower class and want to improve their lot in life.

The campaign will involve a number of heists. Your character doesn't have to be a rogue, but having proficiencies in stealth and thieves' tools can be helpful.

As written, starting level is 1, but we'll bump it to level 3 unless you crave a challenge.

Also, I don't have extensive knowledge of the Forgotten Realms or the important NPCs that will appear, nor do I care if a player does. Those who are more familiar with the lore should be okay with me taking creative liberties, particularly with the NPCs, but if there is lore that's especially important for your character, let me know about it and I'll perform due diligence.

There is information relevant to the campaign that I am being mum about it. I'll reveal more to you based on the character concept(s) you are thinking of.

The enchiridion can be a great tool for familiarizing one's self with Waterdeep.

War of the Burning Sky

While once news reached the free city-state of Gate Pass by weekly teleporting courier, that channel has gone silent, and now news travels by the old routes of rumor — travelers from the outside world. You might be one of those travelers, or a concerned native of the city, but you have heard the rumors.

Emperor Drakus Coaltongue, ruler of the mighty Ragesian Empire which lies to the west of Gate Pass, has been slain in a distant nation, or so the rumors say. Of course, the rumors once said that Coaltongue was immortal. However, no one doubts the tales of armies mustering in Ragesia, with orders to secure the borders of the empire at this time of weakness and uncertainty. And from Shahalesti, the elvish nation east of Gate Pass, the rumors say its ruler seeks to claim the vulnerable Ragesia for his people.

Gate Pass sits alone in its mountain pass, one of the few safe routes between these two nations — Ragesia and Shahalesti. For weeks people have been saying war would come to Gate Pass, and now the rumors are true...

In War of the Burning Sky, you will have the chance to fight in a war of mythic proportions, and determine the fate of many nations in its aftermath. Ever-escalating conflicts, powered by mighty magic and fervent faith, threaten your freedom and lives, and even the world itself.

Driven by the dogs of war, you will head for a distant safe haven, a magic academy named Lyceum, which has sent up a rallying cry for those who wish to resist the warmongers. You will have a chance to form alliances, to build an army, and to uncover the strange secrets that underlie the conflict. As the war reaches a climax, powerful magic will threaten to scorch nations, or sunder them into nothing but nightmares. It will be up to you to bring the war to an end before only embers and ruins remain.

More information for interested parties

The campaign will involve politics and moral choices. A player should be willing to engage in such play and also be comfortable with elements of racism.

The specific adventure hook is that your character has fallen into the resistance group in Gate Pass, where your character will be tasked with escorting an agent to Lyceum. Perhaps the best motivation is that your character is native to Gate Pass and desires to protect their home - the player's guide includes a number of backgrounds with ties to the various factions within the city, complete with features. Alternatively, they could be from a neighboring nation with a vested interest in keeping Ragesia and Shahalesti from going to war.

The player's guide offers more lore, but what follows will be a brief summary.

Setting in a Nutshell
Ragesia - Mighty empire formerly headed by the late Drakus Coaltongue. Orcs and half-orcs are the dominant race, and any others within its realm likely once belonged to conquered nations. The Inquisitors now rule with a goal to hunt mages that are seen as enemies of the nation.

Shahalesti - The eastern nation ruled by elves. Humans are the majority but possess little power. Orcs and half-orcs are scorned.

Dassen - A collection of human settlements and dwarven holdings. King Steppengard rules over the eight feudal lords and ladies, as well as dozens of minor dwarven nobles who govern their own small holdings in the mountains.

Sindaire - The national government of the Exarchate of Sindaire is officially run by a representative from Ragesia, but in practice the Exarch has limited power. The people of Sindaire — mostly humans with some caravans of nomadic gnomes — pay some taxes to Ragesia, but maintain their own armies and laws. Sindaire has a long-established druidic tradition, coming from a time when a group of refugees fleeing a catastrophe in what is now Shahalesti settled in Sindaire's warm forests, converting many of the locals through their generosity and their disciplined devotion to nobler ideals.

Ostalin - Island people who battled among themselves before a warlord conquered and united them, later leading his people to the mainland where they took land from Sindaire. The successor, Khagan Onamdammin, has put the nation in a violent state, due to his poor rule. Dragonborn live here, and tieflings have been offered sanctuary out of sympathy from Onamdammin.

Gate Pass - A city-state that lies in a rocky mountain pass that runs east to west between Ragesia and Shahalesti. Sheer cliffs mark its northern and southern borders, and fortifications built up over centuries have made the city highly defensible, allowing it to avoid being annexed by either of the nations that surround it. These same fortifications, unfortunately, make it difficult for anyone to sneak out of the city without going through any of the numerous gates that give the city its name. Gate Pass is run by a governor and council. Orcs and half-orcs benefit from good standing. Other races tend to live in ghettos, smaller walled areas within a few of the city's larger districts. Drakus once conquered the city, but resistance led a successful rebellion. Drakus gave up his control, and Ragesia and Shahalesti agreed that it would be neutral territory.

Also, a weird phenomenon has occurred, where any teleportation magic (such as misty step) will cause sever burns, possibly killing the person, especially weaker ones. It's thought to be related to Drakus' - and the Torch of the Burning Sky's - disappearance.


Allowed Races
All PHB races, though I won't play intimate pairings involving gnomes, halflings, or dragonborn.


Allowed Classes/Subclasses
The campaign mostly pertains to war with some politics. Character builds with that in mind will do best.

Monster Slayer, Inquisitive, Peace Domain, and Oath of Redemption are the least fitting. Horizon Walker won't fit that well from a roleplay perspective, but they work fine mechanically with the exception of Detect Portal. Oath of Watcher is a little more fitting.

In addition, the player's guide offers these subclasses:

Barbarian - Path of the Blitzer
Bard - College of Cirquelistes
Druid - Circle of Nature
Fighter - Commander
Monk - Way of the East Wind (sorcerer spellcasting)
Monk - Way of the West Wind (cleric spellcasting)
Paladin - Oath of Healing
Ranger - Nature's Guardian
Rogue - Shadowdancer
Sorcerer - Manifested Dream
Warlock - The Primordial

(The wizard and cleric subclasses will not be allowed.)

Custom Adventures

None of these are fully fleshed out. Come with your own wants and ideas! Let's build the world and the story together!


Heroes' Guild

With older siblings to tend to the estate, Gabriel Haven was a young nobleman largely left to his own devices, and albeit with some concern, they supported their son's dreams in becoming an adventurer. One of his early achievements involved clearing out a band of highwaymen who were disrupting trade between nations. With the deed finished, he fell in love with the area of their camp, and the swaths of untamed wilds surrounding it, so he and his comrades made it a home of their own. Over the years, as the party performed great services, Haven's Cross developed into a humble town of family, refugees, traveling merchants, and those who simply wanted a new life away from the larger nations.

As the heroes aged, they decided to mentor a new generation of adventurers. Through these efforts sprang the guild, and a generation or two has since passed.

Your character has joined the guild. Maybe they grew up in Haven's Cross or came from afar. They could want to follow in the footsteps one of the famed heroes, be seeking power, or have some other motive that involves the guild or its resources. Your character will grow and accomplish their goals, but not everything is calm beneath the surface. Leadership has changed and neighboring nations see value in claiming the town for their own.


Beyond the City

An apocalyptic event forced people behind giant walls. For centuries the citizens of Ashborne survived, clueless to what lied beyond.

Version 1: But now the city has become overpopulated and resources are thinning. Previous expeditions beyond the walls have ended with the parties never being heard from again. The government wants to address the situation before things become dire.

Perhaps your character is among the next company to be sent out to secure a way to grow the city/secure additional shelter. Or perhaps they are a criminal, or a volunteer, being exiled to reduce strain.

Version 2: Or at least the government claims an apocalyptic event caused the walls, but no one has been allowed outside to see it for themselves. Skeptical, or perhaps desperate to flee something, your character wants to escape.

General Notes: If D&D, technology will be fairly limited. If OVA, it's open to discussion. Either way, guns are in short supply or nonexistent.


Begin Anew

Escaping war, a bad life, a bounty, or a catastrophe, your character has come to a new city to start a new life, but with little money to their name, their only option is the camps on the city perimeter, or the slums. Not satisfied, or wanting to give themselves purpose, they will perform work and make connections in an attempt to carve out a niche for themselves.


At A GM's Mercy

I'm open to hearing a GM's ideas! I like Medieval fantasy, modern fantasy, dystopians, science fantasy, and apocalypses.

To feel like I'm contributing more than a list of genres, I'm putting a few characters below, some of which are new and haven't been refined. They aren't the only ones I will play and I'm down for adapting them to the needs of a story. At the least, they can provide an idea of my style if not also spark something.

All of them assume D&D 5e, but they can be adapted to a different system!

Name: Carl Flatroot
Age: 25-30
Height: 6'4"
Possible Classes: Fighter (battle master or champion) or Forge Cleric
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Personality: Carl enjoys the curiosities, vices, and sensations of life, from hugging a dear friend to the thrill of smashing an opponent's skull. He faces the world with a flippant attitude and a willingness to take risks, even when he knows it's a bad idea. Weird guy sitting in the back of the tavern? Well, let's see what he's about! A shady person inviting him back home? Why not! Iffy relic in the middle of the temple? Let's see what happens! His excuse is that he wants to live life to the fullest and have stories to tell, even if it means pushing his luck, but he's not oblivious to the looks he receives when he's transparent about the dumb stuff he does. It's the negative feedback loop of his life.
Possible Bio: He was found abandoned as an infant at a farm. The humble blacksmith couple chose to take him in as their own, despite the warnings from their neighbors, at first not believing the mischief the boy might create. Carl loved the trade of his parents, but he also developed a knack for getting into trouble, from throwing cow piles at Mr. Odenkirk's house to brawling with the human children. A guardsman tried to whip him into shape, thinking a big half-orc would be a great asset to the village's defenses. It ended in frustration, for Carl did learn combat, but he failed to grasp discipline.

It was the band of mercenaries that occasionally passed through their humble village that captured Carl's attention more than the rigid guardsman. Whenever they would stop long enough, he'd pester them about their adventures. One of them trained with him a couple of times. As an older teen/young adult, he made his dream a reality after he got the baron's son drunk, bare-assed him, and locked him in the stockade, partially spurred on by the "more fun" guardsmen. Pretty much chased out of town by that point, he ran after the mercenary company and pleaded to join.

The mercenaries followed an honor code, and encouraged by the mentor he looked up to, Carl did improve somewhat, but occasionally, he gave in to his worst impulses: bad nights of drinking or gambling, knocking up a woman or having affairs, angering the wrong people. Eventually they forced him to part ways, and now he's on his own.
Other Notes: He only speaks Common.
Possible Hooks: Cleaning up a mess of his own creation, running from a bounty on his head, starting a new mercenary company, becoming a renowned blacksmith, or a general sense of adventure. Carl can be fucked with, in all interpretations of the phrase.

Name: Crask
Age: 25-30
Height: 6'3"
Possible Classes: Fighter (champion), ranger (hunter), druid (land)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral or Good
Personality v1: Crask is a competitive and headstrong man who follows his heart, maybe not with compassion, having been raised predominantly by the harshness of his orcish clan, but sometimes with a fierce passion that clouds his judgment. He trusts his intuition more than logical thought. Some of his quirks include a love for crass language and a penchant for being dirty.
Personality v2: Level-headed, but still crass and uncaring about hygiene. (WIP)
Possible Bio v1: Atrok wasn't a real orc. The tribe respected how the human woman saved them from an illness with her herbalism, but Atrok wasn't strong and assertive like a real man. Only a human could form a relationship out of pity.

"I seek the opinions that matter," Atrok told Crask, but the young half-breed didn't understand. The chieftain and their elite warriors mattered, so their opinions mattered, but every time, his father would brush aside the taunts. Apparently, he was as much of a pushover as those-who-mattered said.

Crask decided then. He would earn the right respect, for himself, but also to make up for his father's shortcomings.

He adopted a skillset that fit his strengths. He felled ferocious creatures by himself. He assisted in the gnoll threat. He orchestrated a hunt that kept the tribe fed through a harsh winter. And when he found the mine shaft and helped commandeer it from bandits, he thought it would be the turning point. He saw the sparkle in their aging chieftain's eyes, he knew he did, but still the chieftain refused to acknowledge him. Others in the tribe did, even some of the elites, but the chieftain didn't, and that was who mattered most of all. Crask's last option was to become strong enough to best him in a duel and succeed him, before his son could.

From here, things could branch in a few different ways:

• He became overzealous during a hunt or battle, and it cost the life of a dear companion, his father, or the chieftain's son. Shamed by his own guilt, he left his clan, hoping to redeem his actions, even if indirectly.
• His clan was wiped out by mercenaries after they refused a business arrangement with a company that wanted the ore in their mines. Crask was one of a few survivors, and now he wants revenge.
• His clan has been hit by another plague and requires a special herb, or something else happened and Crask is on a fetch quest.

Possible Bio v2: His father was once part of a team escorting a caravan when bandits attacked them in the forest. They overwhelmed the team, and his father nearly would have lost his life if not for the orc woman who carried him to her hut and nursed him back to health. A romance bloomed, and with their firstborn, Crask's older sibling, on the way, his father convinced his mother to return with him to his home village. The humans might have been wary at first, but gradually they accepted the new family, partly encouraged by the mother's knowledge in herbalism.

Crask fell in love with the wilds at a young age. As he grew and matured, he spent more and more time outside of the village, and he followed in his mom's footsteps, becoming a druid, or in his father's, becoming a ranger. He helped the village as he was able, but as he gained more experience, he ventured to other settlements to do the same.
Possible Hooks: Crask did something that got someone killed or harmed his home, and now he wants to redeem himself, if indirectly; his clan was wiped out by mercenaries, and being one of the few survivors, Crask seeks vengeance; a fetch quest, such as to find a specific herb to assist in dealing with a plague; helping a settlement

Name: Tobias Hackett
Age: 30-40
Height: 6'4"
Possible Classes: Fighter (champion, battle master, cavalry, or eldritch knight), barbarian (zealot), or paladin (conquest, crown)
Alignment: Lawful Something - likely Neutral
Personality: Tobias is a brave man who does as he's told. It's the path of least resistance, but to an extent, he also believes it to be just. He's keen on observing manners and social customs, all in an attempt to separate himself from the part of his ancestry rejected by his society. (WIP)
Possible Bio: Raised in the city, Tobias doesn't know his parents. The speculation is that a human had an affair with someone they shouldn't have, and the truth got out, or he was tossed aside to hide their shame. That was usually how someone like him came about within their society, although usually they were green.

He survived as an indentured servant for many of his early years. As a young teen, when an assassin attempted to take the life of his master, he protected her. It caught the right attention from a man who was slightly more progressive, and a sword was stuck in his hand so that his natural gifts could be put to better use. There were hurdles, but he worked hard and climbed the ranks of the military, or became a special agent for the city.

Either he's still doing that, or he woke up and has involved himself with a resistance.
Other Notes: Does not speak orc. Files down his tusks.

Name: TBD based on race
Age: 28-38
Height: 6'1"
Possible Classes: Possible multi-class. First class would be either fighter (champion) or barbarian (berserker). Either he's still a fighter, or he switched paths: paladin (redemption), cleric (peace or light, or maybe order), or monk (open hand or mercy) - all of this for flavor, not mechanical benefits
Alignment: Lawful Good
Personality: He acts with modesty and a quiet care for his fellow man. There may be rashness or a deep-seated temper if he once depended on primal rage. (WIP)
Possible Bio v1: His father was a military man, and he followed in those footsteps to continue the honor, but the crown had been passed to a new king, one who sought the resources of another. He was sent to war and experienced its atrocities. Either he saw the commitment through, or he deserted. Now he walks the path of a pacifist and attempts to do good.
Possible Bio v2: His father was a soldier or a mercenary, and he followed in those footsteps. Like his father, he possessed a natural affinity for the primal rage, but it controlled him more than he controlled it, and it cost the life of a comrade. Racked with guilt, he deserted his obligations, eventually finding a mentor who put him on a new path. Now he's a pacifist and attempts to find redemption through good acts.
Possible Hooks: Helping someone or a settlement in need, tending to civilians in the aftermath of battle.

Name: TBD based on race
Age: 28-32
Height: 6"2"
Possible Classes: Fighter (champion) or paladin (devotion or homebrew protection)
Alignment: Lawful Good
Personality: He learned from an early age to stand up for those who are unable to protect themselves, and he embraces those duties with both arms. It comes from a genuine care for others, but maybe also from ego, having been encouraged into the role by his early success and the reception from his peers. Sometimes he may be overbearing in his care, not unlike a mother hen, and occasionally he might interfere in matters where he shouldn't, believing he's being helpful and doing it for a person's own good.
Possible Bio: One of his early memories involved stepping in when a boy was being harassed by a group of kids. He befriended the boy, and it became a pattern, eventually earning the notice of a wandering knight/paladin, who later took him under his wing when he became old enough. Now he follows in his mentor's footsteps.
Possible Hooks: Escort service, acting as a bodyguard, assisting with threats to settlements, trying to do what he thinks is right for someone but possibly making things worse.

Name: Dennis
Age: 16-23
Height: 5'10"-6'0"
Possible Classes: Fighter (champion) or rogue (scout), or perhaps sorcerer (draconic, divine, shadow, storm, wild) for extra flavor
Alignment: True Neutral or Neutral Good
Personality: A humble introvert with a quiet spirit who's outspoken when a situation infringes upon his principles. (WIP)
Possible Bio: He was found abandoned on the outskirts of a village, human or halfling, and the village accepted the infant with the same care as one of their own, with a married couple adding him to their already bustling home. He was a good lad who stuck to his duties, rarely getting into fights except when pushed by other children, or when a situation ignited his rarely witnessed passion. When he became a teen, one of the guardsmen mentored him, wanting to foster the next generation who would protect their home.
Possible Hooks: Who doesn't enjoy a good folk hero on occasion?! Anything that involves protecting his home.

Name: TBD
Age: 18-23
Height: 5'10"-6'3"
Possible Classes: Fighter (champion) or monk (open hand, kensei, four elements, or sun soul)
Alignment: True or Chaotic Neutral
Personality: A bright-eyed optimist with an adventurous wanderlust. (WIP)
Possible Bio: Growing up in his quiet town where nothing ever happened, he dreamed of a bigger life filled with excitement. People called him crazy, but he found someone who taught him how to defend himself, and when he decided he was ready, he set off for his own grand adventure.
Possible Hooks: Either light-hearted adventurers or something grittier, where, either way, he learns the realities of his dreams.

Name: TBD
Age: 16-22
Height: 5'9"-6'0"
Possible Classes: Rogue (thief) or monk (open hand)
Alignment: Some brand of Neutral or Chaotic
Personality: He's a man who follows his heart's desires, perhaps tempered by a disciplined mind, or not. He cares about those who are worse off in life and holds prejudices toward the upper class, despite coming from a comfortable origin himself. (WIP, in part depending on the path his bio takes)
Possible Bio: He was born to a middle- or upper-class home. His parents made enemies, and one night it led to a fire that burned them alive and left him on the streets, where he met a halfling who took him under his wing. The halfling was a kindly man who was respected by many of the other urchins, because he still believed in trying to perform good deeds with the limited resources he had. But there were the harassers and the guards, and sometimes the man turned to crime in order to survive. Occasionally he was caught and imprisoned or sentenced to hard labor, but after the fourth time, when a noble raised a particular stink, he lost fingers, too.

His history might veer in one of two ways:

• He respected the halfling, but his nature differed, and he could be tamed only so much. Often he found himself getting into scraps with others. At first the halfling tried to direct the anger and the muscle to good use - to protect him or others, for example. It worked to an extent, but sometimes the boy fought just because he wanted to, and when he once got rough with another urchin, a relatively feeble man, for looking at him funny, he lost a lot of respect, and the halfling struggled to keep him around. That didn't stop the boy from caring about the halfling less, and when he witnessed the horrible punishment the noble demanded, it infuriated him. With the halfling taken away yet again, he turned to the local thieves' guild, wanting to improve his skills with vengeance in mind. When he was ready, he slipped into the noble's estate during the night and beat him silly. A personal guard ended his vengeance prematurely. Either he left unidentified, free to remain in the city but severed from his "family", or he lost his mask during a scuffle, forcing him to flee. All the same, it gave him the taste of what he dreamed of. Now he wants to continue his sense of justice.
• Thanks to the grief, it was rough going at first, and the harshness of their living sometimes encouraged him to act with a mean spirit, but the halfling got through to him. He acted with the same kindness and became the halfling's right hand in keeping their family safe and taken care of. When the halfling was punished yet again for pickpocketing, it upset him, and he turned it to the thieves' guild, where he sought to improve his skills. It came with a price that he has to work off, but it allowed him to better protect and serve his family.

Possible Hooks: Thieves' guild stuff, a bad kind of Robin Hood, finding out the nature of his birth family's death, vengeance and cruelty!

Name: TBD
Age: 25-32
Height: 5'9"-6'0"
Possible Classes: Rogue (assassin or thief) or monk (open hand, kensei, shadow, or maybe mercy)
Alignment: Lawful or Neutral Evil, or Lawful Neutral
Personality: Cold and selfish but willing to work with others as a means to an end. He hates conceitedness, despite exhibiting degrees of it himself, and loathes those who spit upon the less fortunate, the only general group of people he shows some degree of kindheartedness to. (WIP in need of more nuance)
Possible Bio: He was born to a middle- or upper-class home. His parents made enemies, and one night it led to a fire that burned them alive and left him on the streets. Someone important within organized crime took him under their wing, having seen a knack for the way he handles himself. His fury was honed to a cold point capable of doing work for the organization. He carries out his jobs dutifully, and occasionally indulges in his own cruelties.
Possible Hooks: Assassin/thief for hire, vengeance and cruelty!, finding out the nature of his birth family's death

Name: TBD
Age: 25-32
Height: 5'9"-6'0"
Possible Classes: Rogue (assassin, inquisitive, or maybe soulknife) or monk (open hand, kensei, shadow, or maybe mercy)
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Personality: Dutiful, introverted. (WIP)
Possible Bio: He was abandoned at an orphanage as a baby. A family took him in and raised him to work as a spy for the city/kingdom, sometimes performing counterintelligence, and at other times performing wishes abroad.
Possible Hooks:

Name: Resh
Age: 27-32
Height: 6'4"
Possible Classes: Barbarian (berserker, totem warrior, or ancestral guardian), paladin (conquest or vengeance), cleric (war), or maybe sorcerer (divine)
Alignment: Neutral Evil, Lawful Evil, or Lawful Neutral
Personality: He's a headstrong but dutiful man with a temper. (WIP)
Possible Bio: His father was a chieftain who enslaved and raped a human woman. Early in Resh's childhood, an opportunity presented itself and she escaped. He doesn't have any memory of her.

Not much was expected of him, but he showed talent as a warrior as well as a knack for leadership. His father wanted Resh to succeed him when he would become strong enough to best him in a duel.

Either it happened, is close to happening, or the clan was attacked and largely wiped out before it could.
Possible Hooks: War with another tribe, pillaging, avenging his people

Name: TBD
Age: 18-30
Height: 6'1"
Possible Classes: Rogue (swashbuckler, scout, or thief), fighter (champion), sorcerer (draconic, storm), ranger (beast master, drakewarden), or monk (any but mercy, long death, shadow, and astral self)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral or Good
Personality: Rowdy and daring with a penchant for gambling. (WIP)
Possible Bio v1: Much to his parents' chagrin, he had a knack for trouble, and they lacked the proper spirit to tame his. Either he ran off as a teen and he joined a likeminded group, or trouble arose in his town/kingdom, either where he sided with the aggressors or joined the rebellion.
Possible Bio v2: His parents were pirates, or Robin Hood-esque thieves, or part of a rebellious movement. They made sure to pass on their skills to him, and he followed in their footsteps.
Possible Hooks: Revolts, stirring trouble, paying off a debt, finding treasure

Other cool character art not shown above