Numerous people across the planes own hot air balloons, but few have made ownership their entire personality. You, however, are the pilot – the aeronaut – the one they know as that ‘Enthusiastic Person With The Balloon’.
Since acquiring your sky vessel you’ve made it your mission to see as much of existence as you can in as little time as possible. Possibly you pledged to voyage around the world in 80 days; potentially you vowed to circumnavigate the Cosmic Wheel in 80 years. You may even have sworn to traverse the Astral Plane in… well, they don’t have time there, but you get the idea.
- Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
- Tool Proficiencies: Cartographer’s Tools, Navigator’s Tools, Air Vehicle (Hot Air Balloon)
- Languages: Two of Choice (Also Auran Is Optional: See Below For More Info)
- Equipment: A Tinderbox, A Compass, Cartographer’s Tools, Navigator’s Tools, 50 Feet Of Hempen Rope, A Small Bag Of Sand, An Explorer's Pack, and A Specialist Bag Of Holding For Packing The Balloon Into (Optional: See Below)
How You Came To Own The Balloon Will Vary. Decide For Yourself or Roll On The Table:
| d6 | Balloonist Beginnings |
|---|---|
| 1 | I Won It In A Game Of Cards! |
| 2 | I Bought It With Some Fabulous Wealth. |
| 3 | I Got It As Payment For My Heroic Act (Or Villainous Deed). |
| 4 | I Discovered It Mysteriously Abandoned In A Swamp With The Previous Owner Dead Inside. |
| 5 | I Stole It From Some Balloon Chump! |
| 6 | I Built It Myself! |
In case this wasn’t obvious, your character owns and operates their own hot air balloon. I’ve given you a choice of two vehicles here. The first is a standard Hot Air Balloon that allows you to move more quickly between locations (it also allows you to avoid random encounters – unless your DM decides the atmosphere is lousy with sky creeps).
The second option is the Elemental Air Balloon. This baby has a sealed cabin, increased storage/speed, and more hit points. On top of this its magical nature makes it capable of traversing the most inhospitable planes. How will you get to those planes, you ask?
Well – you’ll do so by magically sucking the balloon and cabin into the specialist bag of holding it comes with. Need more? The cabin also has shag carpet and a segregated toilet and washroom. That means no more pooping over the sides! Potentially you could start with the regular balloon and upgrade to the elemental option at a higher level. You could also mix and match the stats for something in between the two.
Speak to your DM about it. You can find the stats for each in the appendixes. If you choose the Elemental Air Balloon, Your character can speak the primordial Auran language.
Suggested Characteristics
You’re an explorer and an extravagant one at that. You may be driven by a burning desire to meet new people and discover new locales. Alternatively, your ambitions may be reputational – a desire for others to see you as the explorer extraordinaire. If none of that lifts your balloon, you could be engineer-minded and obsess over keeping your craft in good stead. You might also use it to measure atmospherics or map the land.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m Driven By Wanderlust |
| 2 | I want to discover a location that comes to bear my name. |
| 3 | I’m something of a balloon nerd and talk endlessly about the mechanics of my hobby. |
| 4 | My head is quite literally in the clouds. |
| 5 | I lost something or someone and the balloon is speeding up my search. |
| 6 | I consider myself more of a performer than anything else and the balloon is my stage. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Joy. In the air I feel pure happiness. That is all I seek, and sharing it with others is my pleasure. (Good) |
| 2 | Tradition. I belong to the Explorers’ Club and follow their rules religiously. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Freedom. Ballooning is freedom, and I will be free. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Pleasure. What better way to get away with a life of unspeakable pleasures than with the ability to put several leagues between yourself and the guards? (Evil) |
| 5 | Fame. I want to be the most famous (or notorious) explorer to have ever lived. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Function. I obsess over keeping my balloon in working order. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My only bond is with the balloon in which I sleep like a baby kangaroo in its mother’s pocket. |
| 2 | I’m looking for someone, and I think only of them. |
| 3 | The chump I stole the balloon from is hunting me down. Good luck catching me on foot, land dolt. |
| 4 | My parents said I’d rise to the top one day, and I aim to prove them right. |
| 5 | 5 People in my village said I’d never amount to anything. Everything now is about proving them wrong. |
| 6 | I have a rival at the Explorers’ Club and I WILL DISCOVER THE LOST ISLAND OF PHOO FIRST, CEDRIC! |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | Some people say I’m a bit much. To them I say, ‘YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET, BABY!’ |
| 2 | In pursuit of my goals I’ll drop friends like ballast. |
| 3 | I grow bored of others quickly and move on. |
| 4 | If you don’t know anything about my specialist interest, I’m either going to ignore you or explain it to you in excruciating detail. |
| 5 | I become incredibly flatulent at a height which is unfortunately the optimal cruising level for my balloon. |
| 6 | I invite strangers on to my balloon and then throw them off for kicks (and splats). |
Previous Versions
| Name | Date Modified | Views | Adds | Version | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8/6/2022 11:24:27 PM
|
3
|
0
|
1.1
|
Coming Soon
|
Comments