Chult. The word evokes certain ideas. Jungles. Ancient ruins. Prehistoric monsters. Hordes of undead. Mystery. But most of all, Chult represents opportunity. This subcontinent of rainforests and volcanoes is home to some of the most unique materials, plant and animal life known to scholars, and the merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru have grown fabulously wealthy exporting it to the world. But among the trade of rare herbs, minerals and exotic beasts, a new source of wealth has come to Chult – adventurers.
The ‘Death Curse’, some call it. From Waterdeep to Tethyr, from Neverwinter to Thay, resurrection magics are failing. Clerics can no longer call upon their gods to restore life to the dead, and it’s said that even contact with the spirits of the deceased is impossible. Even more terrifying, those who have in the past been graced with a second chance at life are now succumbing to a gruesome disease, their life force slipping slowly away. As if the magics that restored them are being undone.
None know the true cause, but powerful seers and mystics have determined one critical clue – whatever is causing this; whatever is preventing and undoing the miracle of resurrection, it lies somewhere deep within the steaming, dinosaur-infested jungles of Chult.
Word has spread to all corners of the Realms and for weeks now, Port Nyanzaru has been awash in travelers, adventurers and profiteers. Some are clerics and paladins of the various faiths of Faerun, sent by their churches to put an end to this curse. Others are mercenaries, hired by wealthy benefactors desperate to stave off their own curse, or that of a beloved spouse or child. Still more have come for their own reasons: for thrills; for fortune; for fame; for curiosity. Whatever their motivation, week by week many and more pour off of ships, provision themselves, and disappear into the jungle. A few return, sick, scarred, terrified. Most never return at all.
Do you have what it takes to survive the green hell of Chult and become a legend?
Greetings. Perhaps this isn't the best time to start a Chult campaign as it looks like there are four or five others running already, but what can you do? I am planning to run a modified campaign based on ToA and am looking for 4-5 players. It will be PbP here on DNDB. This game is going to embrace the exploration, mystery and hazards of Chult. I will be pulling from 5e, from older edition material, from some neat homebrew I've stolen borrowed from other sources as well as some original plots of my own. Things like navigation, foraging, setting up safe places to camp, dealing with exhaustion and disease, these things will be paramount. There may be long stretches without an opportunity for roleplay with NPC's, but a commitment to role-playing, banter, strategy and conversations with the other PC's in the party is expected. This campaign will be dark, it will be grueling, and it will be deadly. But… it will also have dinosaurs. If any of this sounds appealing, please post an application.
I’m not setting a deadline for applications. I will close it when I have the right players and characters. I do not expect to start the campaign until the end of this month or early January.
Applications.
Players start at level 1. No Critical Role or Eberron material. Homebrew has almost zero chance of being approved but you are free to submit it if you want to take a flyer on it. Attributes will be Standard Array or Point Buy, player's choice. Multi-classing will be allowed but it has to be roleplayed. If you're a mage and want to take a level in fighter, then you had better plan on engaging in a few fights with armor on (that you're not proficient with yet) as you work out your wizard-tank fantasies. If you're a rogue and want to take a level in bard, you should plan on practicing that instrument at camp each night and telling stories over the campfire. I reserve the right to reject any material that I am forgetting to outlaw in this initial post.
Please complete the following.
Name:
Race:
Class + Planned Subclass:
Background:
(In lieu of a vague alignment, tell me this character's ideals, their greatest bond and their greatest flaw.) Personality...
Ideals:
Bond:
Flaw:
Short Backstory:
(In addition to investigating the Death Curse, each character should have another, personal reason for coming to Chult. Perhaps they are an archaeologist eager to investigate some legend of the past. Perhaps an uncle vanished here years ago, and they seek the truth of what happened to him. Perhaps they work for one of the factions of the Realms and have been tasked with reporting back on what is happening in the jungle. Maybe they just really, really, really want to ride a dinosaur. If you struggle for ideas I can throw out some hooks from the campaign, but would prefer if this is organic to your vision of the character. I will allow a lot of freedom with this one. This can be something for either plot hook potential or just pure role-playing flavor.) Why did you really come to Chult?:
(Optional: One of the PCs may themselves be subject to the death curse. If you’re interested in role-playing that, submit some backstory on how your character died and why someone saw fit to go to the trouble of resurrecting them? FYI there will not be a mechanical penalty and there is – at present – no plan to kill this character with the death curse. No one will be forced to do this and if none of the applicants are interested, I can work around it.) How/why were you brought back to life?:
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
This sounds great, I have been trying to get to Chult in a few games now, and it sounds like you have an interesting spin on it.
Name: Mica
Race: Earth Genasi
Class - Ranger - planned Hunter subclass (looking at a strength based melee build)
Background - Outlander
Ideals - Life is like the seasons, in constant change, and we must change with it.
Bond - I feel that I must protect others from the dark dangers that lurk in the wild.
Flaw - Violence is my answer to almost any challenge
Backstory - Mica was born and raised in the tough lands of the Savage Frontier in Faerun. The youngest son of a large Illuskan logging family, he felt drawn to the wilds at a young age. As he grew older, his cruel Dao heritage began to manifest itself through changes in his appearance and a strange, subtle magical connection. The genie bloodline is viewed as a gift by some and a curse by many, but no one knew from whence it came in Mica’s case. His parents, who did not have the Dao blood, shunned him as a reminder of some embarrassing or horrifying deed in the family's past. Others viewed him as different or strange and he had few companions growing up, which suited him as he always felt more comfortable in the wilds. Unwelcome by family and friends, and drawn by a sense of wanderlust, he left his family and wandered the wilderness. Tapping into his connection to the earth his bloodline provides, he taught himself the ways of a ranger and wandered the Savage Frontier, protecting those that cast him out from the threats of the wild. He usually avoided the main cities, but while in Yartar trading supplies, he encountered a merchant with strange bones and skins, spreading the legends of Chult.
Reason for traveling to Chult - Mica has heard the tales of great beasts lurking in the jungles of Chult, and has seen some of the skulls and exotic skins others have sent back in his travels. He also heard tales of the lost city of Mezro and the followers of Ubtao. Curious, he set sail for the distant shores to find, and hunt, some of these monsters himself as well as to connect more with his elemental heritage and find his path in life.
Class - Fighter - planned Battle Master subclass but depending on how the campaign developed, that could end up going down a few other paths if the party needed the flexibility
Background - Urban Bounty Hunter
Ideals - Ran is loyal to family and friends and ideals, the law and anything else in the way can piss off.
Bond - Family is everything to Ran and his is in trouble and he'll do what ever he can to save it.
Flaw - Plans are meant to be forgotten and broken - if there is one he'll forget it and if the doesn't he'll ignore it
Backstory - Ran was born into a family of bounty hunters, hired swords and thieves. His father, Mute, is a renowned bounty hunter in Waterdeep and his mother, Haze, is one of the best unknown thieves in the city. Together they operated a team of bounty hunters and mercenaries. Ran, and his twin sister, Shepard, were raised in the family business. While his parents were loving, they were always practical and even play time as toddlers was all about learning to trail targets, set traps, and use weapons. Where Shepard had a knack for stealth, Ran took to swords as soon as he could stand. Ran and his sister often assisted in the family jobs, always being trained to take over someday. Ran's first solo job was to retrieve the wayward son of a noble. The son was dabbling in dark magic and the noble didn't want anyone to know about it. Ran did get a hold of the kid but as he was bringing him in, he was ambushed and the boy was taken. The noble now blames Ran and his family for the loss and is doing everything in his power to ruin their business and get them all locked up. They've kept Ran hidden in order to avoid the noble.
Reason for traveling to Chult - Ran's sister, Shephard, discovered a lead and found information that the boy was taken to Chult. She followed but it has been weeks now with no word from her. Ran has followed now in search of both his sister and the boy.
Personality: Noone is, upon first meetings, a bit reticent, he doesn't volunteer any information about himself but, he constantly watches everything with eyes behind which burn a disturbing fury. In company with those he has given his word to he is fiercely loyal or fiercely antagonistic, depending upon whether they have rouse his ire or not; a necromancer...? Well, he hates them without reservation. He loves grog, but rarely drinks it as he is much to 'fond' of the stuff and always seems to get into trouble when he does indulge, much to the detriment of the tavern or inn he happens to be in.
Once, when a stranger saw his medallion, he was told a story of a creature similar to the one it depicted, which could be found in the depths of Chult's jungle, and he became obsessed with going there and finding it.
Background:
Noone is an abomination, there is no other word for it. It seems a rather insane Necromancer was experimenting with mashing together different corpses and body parts. In one experiment, his last, unfortunately for him (or maybe not), he was working with the corpse of an halfling and a corpse of an ogre (one of which might have been the original Noone, who ever that was, but that would be really stretching it.) Needless to say he was working 'discretely,' for fear of persecution you see, out in the middle of nowhere in a very secluded wood. As it happened a thunder and lightening storm sprang up out of nowhere, putting him into a pretty foul mood; but the upshot was dramatic to say the least. Just as he cast the final parts of the spell he was struck by one fork of a bolt of lightening, the other one struck the halfling/ogre mess he was working on. It appears to have killed the necromancer but at the same time transferred his life force into the mess he was ensorcelling, causing it to animate into the being that calls itself Noone. By-the-by, for some reason unknown to himself, Noone HATES necromancers. He has no memory of what happened, just remembers coming to in a storm next to a rather crispy corpse and the brutal struggle to find a place in the world that followed. Noone has a rather strange affinity for dead things, not anything really corrupt or depraved, but he thinks that they talk to him and that he can sometimes talk to them. He has no fear in that regard. I class Noone as a half-orc, but he is not really, as stated he is a monstrosity, with a rather intense charisma for such a creature. He thinks that lightening gives him powers, just what kind, well it could be that he is just delusional, but who knows, there are stranger things running around. When he became aware of his surroundings the first time he was very confused, no thoughts entered his head as to what had happened or what was going on. Stumbling around in the woods he came upon the necromancer's abode wherein he found supplies and, most fortuitously for him, cuirass that fit reasonably welland a mottled cloak that helped hide what he was from unsympathetic folk who would rather burn him to a crisp - the Frankenstein Syndrome one might say. He also found the iron bar that he uses as a weapon of choice at the present time, and that strange medallion. Secretly, in his heart of hearts, Noone thinks that the creature depicted in the medallion created him. For quite some time, Noone wandered the edges of civilized spaces trying to figure out how to fit in; he soon came to realize that he could make room for himself using the iron bar and his ferocious strength to make himself fit. People now rarely give him much grief and, surprisingly, seem to be rather polite around him.
Noone would be affected by the 'Death Curse' but, I sort of think he is not really aware of this, at least just yet. Also, I have some other ideas in regards to his lightening affinities which I will have you consider if Noone is chosen.
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Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
Ideals: Community. It is the duty of all civilized people to strengthen the bonds of community and the security of civilization. (Lawful)
Bond: The monastery where I learned my trade is the most important place in the world to me.
Flaw: I’ll do anything to get my hands on something rare or priceless (refers specifically to potential ingredients as pointed out in the backstory).
Short Backstory:
Ban's parents had immigrated to Faerun just before he was born. After only few decades it became clear to them that they did not agree well with the fast rhythm in Calimport and they didn't wish to venture out into the world. Ban on the other hand, made friends during his childhood and didn't feel out of place. He was more worried about returning to their home plane which he felt sounded far too boring. His parents left the choice to him and he decided to remain on Toril.
One of Ban's best friends was an old dwarfen brewmaster named Beryll Palestout, who also took him in as an apprentice when his parents left. A fair number of good years later (some 80), Beryll's demise changed Ban's life dramatically. He had promised to return Beryll's remains to his hometown in the East Rift: Eartheart, which proved to be a really long, costly and dangerous journey. He had to sell their business and leave Calimport for good in order to afford the expedition, which fortunately went well. It turned out that Beryll has been a priest in a monastery of the Drunken Master and that the exercises he taught Ban were training routines not only to keep in shape but to prepare him well for receiving further monastery training! Not knowing any better place to be Ban remained at the Drunken Master monastery. In his monastic training he fleshed out his martial arts training, studied the history of brewing and the extent of natural ingredients, learned a wealth of new recipes and even tried a few times to create his own.
When the monastery learned that the Death Curse that plagued the world would have its origin in Chult (some 110 years after Ban's arrival), it was decided that someone of the community should participate in the efforts to rid Toril of it, not only to aid the world at large, but also to use the opportunity to explore the jungles of Chult for extremely rare ingredients. Most prominently, Raptor Horn salt could potentially be used as an agent to ferment more efficiently, not to mention which other benefits it might provide to the taste. And there are numerous other natural essences that have been lost or inaccessible for far too long. Not to mention those that still have to be found! Someone needed to go. It was an easy choice that this should be Ban. After all Chult is just a little bit East of his home town of Calimport, and he already journeyed that way once, so he probably knows the way best anyway. Ban wasn't so sure but he didn't know how to argue against it. And, perhaps, he really was the best option they had. Certainly, he would be able to learn a lot and he could try new food, after all those years the unimaginative monastery cuisine started to rub him all the wrong ways. One would think that the most creative brewers would know how to cook, but he shouldn't get into that. Not before he returns anyway.
Alignment: Neutral Good Ideals: Knowledge and Self Improvement. Bond: I've been searching my whole life for an answer to a certain question. Flaws: I am easily distracted by the promise of information.
Backstory: Ruie is a monk who has focused on the history of Chult. He was abandoned as a child and found by a traveling kenku monk named Jeramiah, who took him in and raised him as his own. He was taught in the way of the monk, and learned very much about the history of chult and its artifacts. His only memory of his parents is of his father leaving him in the woods and running, as men shouted behind him. In the distance there was a river with an ancient temple at the foot, which Ruie struggles to identify to the present day. Being a Aarakockra even though he is still quite young by human standards, he is a fully matured aarakocra.
Class + Planned Subclass: Druid (Circle of Stars) and Cleric (Life Domain worshipper of Selûne)
Background: Sailor
Personality:
Ideals: Freedom. The sea is freedom — the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. Respect. The thing that keeps a ship together is mutual respect between captain and crew. Aspiration. Someday I’ll own my own ship and chart my own destiny. Crew. If everyone on deck pitches in, we’ll never sink. Hope. The horizon at sea holds the greatest promise.
Bond: I’ll always remember my first ship and crew. I must visit all the oceans of the world and behold the ships that sail there. Strong attachment to the one crew member of her original crew still alive, Xallin Rackledackle.
Flaw: Once I start drinking, it’s hard for me to stop. Sometimes I look more to the stars for answers than my own head or heart.
Short Backstory:
Danica Amastacia was born and raised in Wealdath, also known as the forest of Tethir, to a pair of wood elf druids (circle of forest and coast respectively), Sylphine and Naetoris. She grew up with a healthy respect for both land and sea growing in and near both but was constantly cautioned against truly exploring outside just the coast and the edges of the forest due to the “savagery of humans and other lesser races”. And for the first century of her life she listened.
But growing up her eyes were always and ever drawn upward, to the stars and moons of Faerun. At first she thought it was passing fancy but she grew more and more enthralled with the stars and constellations as she continued to observe them night after night, month after month and year after year, noting every slight change as it occurred. With the records she kept she was also able to correlate the stars effect on the land they shone down on.
At first she simply began mapping them on parchment as one might any map, but she found it to be frustratingly limited, as well as the fact that she couldn’t add or edit discoveries or new findings very easily. Even more frustrating was that she knew based on her observations that there was more to the stars than what she could see remaining in Wealdath. Even travelling as far west or east as the forest and her family would allow, she was able to determine that there was still so much more to be seen, just out of reach due to her stationary perspective.
Being an adult, she simply informed her parents and the rest of her clan of her plan to set out to map the stars but it was met with disagreement and snubbed feelings on all sides. She left on not the best of terms but left she did, setting out north along the coast before finding herself at Murann.
There she was eventually taken in by a kindly sailorwoman named Franzi Caskward. The human woman seemed rather eccentric to her but not savage. After a couple of days running into her on the outskirts of the coast where she did her fishing to avoid the other humans, Fran befriended her, coming by to sit and talk while she worked, Danica fishing and cleaning while Fran sewed some old clothing and braided grass and seaweed into bags to sell. She discovered that Fran followed Selûne and was usually not at port but on the sea aboard a ship named, "The Swift Sorcerer". It was docked for repairs after some bad weather which was why Fran was able to come by so many days in a row but here shortly they would be setting sail for a long journey.
Taking a chance, Danica asked if they were accepting any new crew members. “Ya got any experience sailing?” Fran asked in her usual nasally tone. To which Danica simply let out a laugh and shook her head. The human said that she’d talk to the captain and to meet her at a specific tavern in town tomorrow evening. After making sure she wasn’t running from the law and inquiring her skills, Danica earned a spot on the crew of the Swift Sorcerer.
She was hazed of course, teased about her lack of knowledge of life on a ship, but surprised them in her knowledge of other things, such as where north was without using a compass, what time it was relative to sunrise and sunset and other anecdotal things they were surprised she remembered.
The first year or two of living on the ship was rather rocky and it seemed like the Quartermaster was always waiting for her to give up, but Danica never shied away from even the most menial of tasks, eventually seeing that everything had a reason behind it. The quartermaster, a rather inscrutable gnomish man by the name of Xallin Rackledackle, made less and less sarcastic comments towards her as she progressed which was a pleasant turn.
Watching everything she was taught carefully, Danica eventually acclimated to the life of a sailor. She also caught on that the captain’s dealings were…slightly less than legal in the eyes of most. Most of it was simple harmless smuggling but there would be a few occasions that were hairier than others. Captain Oswald Eagletide (whom Danica would’ve bet the ship wasn’t his real name), insisted that they stay away from true piracy however, if only to not incur the wrath of the real pirates. But by playing smuggler, they were able to stay on the relative good side of both the law and the pirates.
Upon noticing her constantly volunteering for night watch and with her neck craned up to look at the stars, the ship’s navigator offered to teach her what he had picked up, knowing he was getting old and about the age to retire. She eagerly soaked up more knowledge of the stars as well as the sea now and after a few years when he inevitably ended up retiring, she became the navigator for the Swift Sorcerer.
The navigator wasn’t the only one she learned from however, also picking up a lot from the “ship mother”, Fran, whom she discovered was a devout cleric of Selûne as well as ship healer. Stitching up people as much as she did their clothes when mending or healing spells didn’t cut it. Though after teaching Danica some basic medical knowledge, the load became a bit easier.
It wasn’t until they made a stop by an island that didn’t have any healers of their own and had recently been hit hard by a hurricane with many dead, injured or now sick due to worsening living conditions that Danica truly got to see Fran in her element and how skilled she truly was. She didn’t even ask for anything in return, knowing that the people were barely scraping by.
Later that night when asked why she did it, the human woman with wild black hair that was greying with age whipping in her face simply smiled and looked up at the waxing moon and said, “It ain’t about all that. Gold’s good n well to get what you need to get by. But life is it’s own reward if you’re livin’ it right. And I like giving back what Our Lady of Silver gifts us. ‘Let all on whom my light falls be welcome if they desire to be so. As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does all life. Trust in my radiance, and know that all love alive under my light shall know my blessing. Turn to the moon, and I will be your true guide.’ “
Something hit home in the elf with the cleric’s words, feeling younger than ever even though the human wasn’t even half her age. After that she began asking more and more about Selûne and her principles, only knowing what little superstitions most other sailors believed about the Goddess. Eventually joining Fran in her nightly prayers, Danica chose to devote herself to the Moonmaiden, feeling particularly connected through her guidance for navigators and domain over not just life but the moon and stars. But as much of a connection as she felt with Selûne, she knew that her soul called to the stars.
After a good decade spent at sea, Danica had learned enough and saved enough to commission an artificer to craft a hand held device to hold her star map. Outwardly it looked like a pocketwatch but when opened would project above it a small illusion of the night sky, able to be edited or moved via her own magical input. She even made sure to pay extra to obtain the schematics and construction of it should something happen to this one. Her star map had certainly expanded since she had left home but still was far from complete.
Every opportunity to explore further in the world, Danica took. Though her duties as part of the crew didn’t allow her to simply stay in the crow’s nest. There was a problem with the ship’s anchor being stuck when they were stopped for the night but suddenly needed to leave.
With her darkvision and being the only crewmember who wasn’t currently exhausted due to her need for less rest, Danica volunteered to dive down and help. It also didn’t hurt that she was one of the ten that a coastal druid had cast Water Breathing on the dawn prior. The spell would be running out soon but she was confident that she would be able to get them free before then.
It was a full moon out, allowing her some light after she broke under the ocean’s surface. The deeper she got though, the darker it became. She found the anchor’s chain leading down into a deep trench, so black it sent shivers down her spine. Pushing down her discomfort, Danica swam deeper down, using the chain as a guide down to the anchor. Upon finding it, she discovered that it was caught on the lip of an underwater cave.
Unable to cast the Light cantrip, she began the arduous task of trying to kick and push the anchor free in the dark, relying on her superior vision. Every now and then, she would have sworn to Selune that she heard something. A deep vibration in the water that she couldn’t pinpoint. But every time she turned to look around, she would see nothing but black abyss.
Looking out at it she couldn’t see if anything was there and looking back but she still had the eerie feeling that something was. She felt chilled to the bone. Not just due to the deep frigid waters but in a way that even if she was lying on the deck under a full hot sun she knew that she’d still be cold.
After nearly an hour of working at it, Danica was finally able to kick the anchor free, giving the chain a large tug to try and signal to the ship that it was clear. It began it’s slow ascent as she tried to swim up to hold on as it did, but just before she could reach, something grabbed hold of her leg and began pulling her further down into the deep of the ocean. The faint light from the water’s surface fading as she was dragged deeper.
Panicking, the elf tried to grab at whatever it was, only feeling slippery smoothness and unable to get any sort of hold on whatever it was. Remembering her whale bone dagger, Danica stabbed blindly at what was holding her, nicking herself in the process but gaining her freedom. Swimming as strongly and swiftly but leaving a trail of blood in the water as she began to realize that she could no longer see any light. Just black calm waters stretching out and yet encompassing her at the same time. There was no up nor down. Only water.
Danica was paralyzed with indecisiveness. Without air in her lungs there wasn’t a way for her to let out air to make bubbles to orient herself. She began swimming to what she thought was ‘up’. And that decision was one made in grave error. Nearly her own grave. With her darkvision she was just able to make out a massive maw filled with teeth. The sight of which caused her eyes to go as wide as full moons.
That was when she truly felt the water in her lungs that she had been able to breathe fine just a moment before. The spell had run out. Thrashing frantically in the opposite direction of the monstrosity, the elf swam as best as she could as panicked as she was. But it was too much. Just as she was able to see the faint light of the moon on the surface of the water, she couldn’t last, the water in her lungs overtaking her and she saw nothing but that black abyss again.
The next time she opened her eyes she was coughing up what felt like the contents of the ocean on the deck of the Swift Sorcerer, surrounded by her concerned crew. Fran had dove down to save her. Drenched and healing her as best she could.
The cleric certainly warmed, dried and healed her to full health. But alone at night in her hammock, Danica could not forget what she saw in the depths.
When Franzi’s once wild and curly black hair turned as white as the moon itself and passed on a mere thirty years after meeting her, Danica briefly considered leaving the Swift Sorcerer. But Xallin talked her out of it, convincing her with the persuasive argument that they still needed a navigator and now a healer and she was now uniquely suited to take on both positions. So she stayed on, not able to leave the ship and remaining crew that she had become accustomed to.
For the next twenty seven years she and Xallin watched Captains, first mates and other crew members change. But after the Swift Sorcerer ran afoul of the law after so long of skirting the line of neutrality. Not for anything heinously illegal, but simply for the fact that they didn’t curtail to the absolute letter of the law.
They ‘consorted’ with known pirates by selling them food and fresh water at sea. Nothing contraband and nothing that was illegally obtained. But because they were ‘trading’ with criminals, the navy ship came across the pair of ships lumped them together and began firing. The Swift Sorcerer took the brunt of the damage and when the naval soldiers boarded, Danica ripped off the ship’s wheel to use as a shield to protect herself and Xallin from the attackers while retreating onto the pirate ship they had been trading with. The pirates were kind enough to protect them and take on any survivors while beating back the navy and making a hasty retreat. The flaming wreckage of the Swift Sorcerer left behind sinking below the waves.
Once docked at a safe port, she and Xallin parted ways. He said that he needed some time for himself, she was sure to mourn the ship he had devoted many more years to than she had. With her knowledge of navigation and healing, Danica was offered a spot on the crew of the pirate ship that had saved them, Marid’s Fortune by Captain Trench, a water genasi. Danica thanked him for the offer but politely declined, stating that she needed a break from being at sea for a bit, but still agreeing to work with him at port. Through his connections and her own expertise, she helped him in smuggling people in and out of ports. When the Death Curse hit, Captain Trench was quick to be effected and also quick to offer her her own ship if she could cure him. She was hesitant to agree, instead saying that she would consider it. But seeing the same stars as she did every night at this port, she felt her heart being pulled to Chult. Who could say that they had mapped the stars of such a far off place? And Fran had always said that Selûne taught them, 'Turn to the moon, and I will be your true guide.' So when Danica looked to the moon and could only see the back of her mentor's head, she knew that she had to make this right. There were so many that Fran had helped over the years, that she had saved the life of. How dare this curse undo all of her holy work? And so Danica took the job offer and set off for Chult.
Short Backstory: (TL;DR) Born to two druids, Danica grew up in the south forests of Faerun and experienced wanderlust as she grew into the adulthood of her first century. She left and joined a merchant ship (the Swift Sorcerer) and eventually learned how to navigate. She was taken under the wing of a human woman named Fran who was a Cleric of Selûne and taught Danica the Moonmaiden's teachings. Even though the human woman was much younger than her, Danica considered her a mother or aunt like figure. After getting caught trading with pirates, their ship was attacked and so Danica stayed at port for a while, working part time as a smuggler before catching word of the 'Death Curse'. She is being contracted by the pirate, Captain Trench, to find a cure for his disease, though she was drawn to do this because of her own wanderlust as well as wanting to do right by her mentor who healed many people and brought quite a few back to life even.
Optional: Danica herself doesn't know if she actually died when she went diving that night. But it is entirely possible and it is also entirely plausible that her Life Cleric mentor could have brought her back to life. I like to be left in the dark for the suspense so I will leave it entirely up to the DM's discretion.
Flaw: I too often hear veiled insults and threats in every word addressed to me, and I’m quick to anger.
Short Backstory:
Terwan is the descendant of a celestial belonging to the tempest domain born into a noble family. He was raised alongside his brother, Lutik, as the most treasured son of the noble family. As a child, Lutik was his best friend despite their sibling rivalry.
When older, Terwan began his training as a warrior and to be the future king of the land. A part of Terwan's teachings was to learn prayers and rites that were carried down by his family in order to worship their chosen deity.As a result of these teaching, Terwan learnt to believe that strength, courage and loyalty were the most important values. These values he believed his father represented and had desires to be just like his father.
Eventually, Terwan was placed as the leader of a group of warriors, which included his brother, all chosen for their skill and experience. Terwan would lead this group of warriors into battle to defend the land of his people. In this group was a half-elf by the name of Sylnys. Whilst fighting alongside Sylnys, Terwan grew an affection for this comrade in arms. These feelings were reciprocated.
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“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Ideals: I have no qualms about stealing from the dead. Fame is more important to me than money.
Bond: Once I start looking for something, I never give up. I have a dozen items I'm still working on at any time.
Flaw: The praise I received from everyone in my home village for finding the long lost shrine statue through research and exploration of an old tomb of the local clergy. It became an addiction. Now I must find those things no one else can.
Short Backstory:
Armir became addicted to the fame and praise of recovering the unrecoverable when he was a child. His home village suffered from a famine that could only be stopped by returning the ancient shrine statue back to it's rightful place. Once Armir uncovered its resting place with a buried priest of the shrine and returned the statue from the tomb, he was hailed as a savior as the rains fell and the crops grew. It became an obsession.
Soon the need to find other objects for that same praise drew Armir from his village into the wider world. He studied with researchers, archaeologists, thieves, and smugglers. Their reasons for finding or getting relics never quite matched Armir's. For him there is no right or wrong in acquiring an item there is only the fame of success. In a short number of years Armor had garnered a reputation as a person who could find what others could not ( and a few warrants for arrest).
While looking for some leads into a dozen or so unfounded items and getting no where, Armir was contacted by a mysterious benefactor interested in the source of the "Death Curse". The benefactor was willing to fund a search for the source, and pay handsomely for it. Hunting down the source of a curse was not Armir's normal acquisition, but the benefactor was insistent that the source was either an item or a person. If an item Armir would acquire it, if a person Armor was to acquire all material on the curse spellbooks, research notes, holy texts, etc.. Needing a lead to follow Armir accepted.
Ideals: I will be great, the strongest of my kind and I shall lead my people to greatness.
Bond: Greatness can not be achieved alone. I am fiercely determined to bring out the best in my companions.
Flaw: My drive and determination can be overbearing to others. I am quick to be annoyed by perceived laziness or those who do not seek physical perfection or glory. I can also be shortsighted favoring quick returns in fame rather planning for the future or playing the long game.
Backstory:
Teotath was born into a proud, noble clan. While there was no official head, his father was widely consider to be elder and leader due to both his prowess in combat but also wisdom and fairness. There was much rejoicing when Teotath was born and throughout his early life his renown grew quickly. He was larger, stronger than the others but also unusually charismatic, a natural leader. The clan seemed destined for great things and Teotath was sure to be the one who drove them to the pinnacle of dragonborn society.
Late one fall, rumors of a young dragon taking up residence in the peaks high above the clan's home reached Teotath. He brought this information to his father and others in the clan. Enraged by the dragon's presence Teotath swore to destroy the beast or at the very least drive it from their home, his clan would never live under the shadow of a dragon. He gathered the strongest warriors and they set out.
It was a long difficult journey but eventually they tracked the beast to it's lair. The battle was fierce and the dragonborn seemed to be losing as the dragon rained fire down on them. Teotath saw his friends and clansman falling around him. This was not how his story was supposed to go. Seeing a desperate opening he recklessly charged the beast. Dodging it's attacks he heroically drove his flail across the face of the beast catching both eyes and blinding it. The creature reeled in agony and blood poured from it's useless eyes. Unexpectedly and wildly the giant claws struck out, catching Teotath crushing him against the wall of the cave. As he spit blood and the life seeped from massive wounds along his chest he saw his remaining friends easily kill the blinded beast. As Teotath died on the floor of that cave he smiled, he saved his people his glory would live forever.
What was left of his broken and battered body was carried down back to the clan. When his story was told the clan could not allow for the greatest among them to die before his destiny was filled. They took all their gold and belongings and raced to the nearest healer. It cost the clan dearly but Teotath was resurrected brought back to fulfill the destiny he had only just begun.
He did everything he could to prove his worth, to prove his clan had chosen correctly to give all they had to return his life. Unsurprisingly, he was wildly successful earning back all that was paid and his clan's prominence was rapidly rising. That was until he his injuries started to return, his lifeforce being drained. Still too young and vigorous to suffer from old age the clan was at a loss to the cause of his decline. That was until word of the Death Curse reached their village. Undaunted, Teotath knew the next step in his legend and search for glory. He would defeat death a second time. He would travel to Chult, he would end this curse and will fulfill his destiny.
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DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
might I ask some questions about race and class selection? :)
Are you doing old school racial stat bumps being “fixed”, or new school Tasha’s style “floating” stats? I am considering a race for wizard or sorcerer that doesn’t currently have an Int or Cha bump if possible :)
appreciate any information that would guide the development of an interesting character!
Note: I can also be reached on Discord at- J.F. Capps#7996. Additionally, sorry for the length of this application. The longer I thought about this and worked on the app the more I realized that Dabbert was a good fit if chosen for this campaign and that a lot of his existing back story worked really well for what I think you're looking for. Also additionally, yes, I know some of the backstory needs to be adjusted to fit the setting. If selected I'll clean it up and add it to my character sheet with further details.
Name: Dabbert Hahft
Race: Human (Variant)
Class + Planned Subclass: Fighter (Battle Master)
Background: Soldier
Appearance: 6' 3", 215 lbs. Dabbert is athletic, a bit toned, and built for his profession as a soldier. His skin is tanned and his dark eyes match his hair, though his hair is starting to gray a bit prematurely. He wears half plate armor that is dingy, a bit rusty in spots, and purposefully darkened with shades of green and brown to camouflage it. A red skull with a split down the middle is shoddily painted on the front of his armor, and a strip of red cloth, once part of a Skullsplitter battle standard, is tied around his upper left bicep. The words 'born again' are etched around a hole in his armor above his heart.
Personality:
Ideals: Dabbert believes that freedom is paramount for all people regardless of who or what they are, and while he firmly believes in the rule of just laws, he also believes that the 'powers that be' are sometimes powerful, but not always wise. The law, in his philosophy, is something to be looked at with scrutinizing eyes and is never to be allowed to infringe upon the rights of those beneath it. Furthermore, one has a right to their own lands and belongings and interests, and never should that be infringed upon by the governing body or any foe without just cause. He refuses to fight and kill over disagreements in ideologies, religion, races, or whatever; if he's going to take up arms, it'll be for a cause that poses a true threat to those who are unable to stop it themselves.
Bond: Dabbert's bond is steel and understanding. He has formed many relationships with those who have fought by his side, and even harbors a sort of cautious respect for any warrior who would stand for what they believe in, be it right or wrong in his own philosophy. He tries to show respect for everyone he meets and likes to understand who they are and what is important to them. He forms many friendships in these endeavors, including the one he shares with his Goblin friend Rech. Mutual respect goes a long way with Dabbert, and anyone who will sup with him and try to teach him something will always be welcome by his side, steel or otherwise.
Flaws: Dabbert holds on to the remnants of his past with fierceness. Ideals, bonds, habits, and skills he learned as a Skullsplitter define much of his life. While Dabbert always favored himself as more of an intellectual than a soldier (which is probably how he became an officer once...), he can't seem to shed the cloak that life in the military draped over him. He keeps returning told old ways, fighting as a mercenary, taking up employment fixing arms and armor, and is also prone to resort to violence fast when negotiations begin to wane in unfavorable directions. Still, he tries to reason before battle, and this sometimes allows enemies to get the drop on him. Currently, his judgment is clouded by his obsession to find Ecks after his friend disappeared in Chult. This obsession sometimes causes him to lose focus on his immediate objective.
Short Backstory: (This backstory was already written and will be adjusted so that the specific details match the world if Dabbert is selected for this campaign.)
One of Dabbert Hahft’s earliest memories is taking his father’s sword down from the hearth and swinging it around in the little hovel they called home. He did…fairly well…but his father caught him playing with the weapon and took it from him before beating the living shit out of him. Then he put the sword back up on the hearth while berating his young son, telling him all this and that about how swords kill, and how dangerous they are, and that no son of his was going to grow up to be some mindless muscle behind a weapon.
Dabbert was born to Hansferd and Ilene Hahft. His mother was a seamstress, and his father was a soldier for a brief period before Dab was born, serving in the Veil Infantry. He came home at the end of his tour of duty and took up farming, married Ilene, and started a family. They survived in serfdom for many years. Dabbert himself followed in his father’s footsteps after reaching manhood (much to Hansferd’s protests), but the world, by that time, was a different place; when he wasn’t marching with an army or host he was skirmishing with various monsters and insurrectionist factions with the Veil Infantry, 10th Mountain Border Regiment, 1st Platoon, also known as the Skullsplitters.
It was while in the Skullsplitters that he met and befriended the Goliath named Ecks. They became inseparable, the two of them rising through the ranks together until Dabbert was a Lieutenant in charge of the platoon and Ecks his top Sergeant. They served two tours that largely focused on the defense of the Veil border on the farthest side of the Voltus Mountain range, where their platoon frequently skirmished with Goblin, Kobold, and Gnoll packs operating in the region. They saw their fair share of Crypt Slimes, Orcs, Trolls, Mimics, and once someone in the platoon swore that they’d encountered an Owlbear in the forest (although everyone knows Owlbears are just a myth). Once he even saw one of the Privates in his platoon dissolved by a Gelatinous Cube. They even patrolled past a hole once that everyone claimed a Tarrasque lived in, but Dab believed that about as much as he had believed the story of the Owlbear. There were bandits and insurrectionists to put down, sorcerers dabbling in black magic and calling upon dangerous old things from beyond the physical limits of the world, and a girl named Betty that nearly killed the whole platoon with something called ‘syphilis’. All in all they saw some pretty bad shit and lived to tell their tale.
Dabbert tried to return to normal life in Larkdusk after the end of his second tour. His mother and father, both having succumbed to illness years prior, had left nothing in their wake for him to inherit. Even his father’s sword, Keeper, was gone, something that he intends to remedy in time. He tried working on a farm, but his old life had nothing left for him, and even fell in love with Rebecca, a farmer’s daughter, on the northern skirts of Larkdusk before she was killed, of all things, by a rabid Flumph that had escaped a monster wrangler’s traveling sideshow. This did little to stimmy his alcoholism. He began taking up small contract jobs to supplement his income and found temporary lodging in the Wide Gate neighborhood.
He spends most of his free time at the Sick Rat with his friend Rech or at the Broken Keg giving Molly a hard time...
Dabbert's Death: The hole in his half plate is testament to the day he died. Once, while leading the charge up the Incisor to crush Clodius Ucbarg's insurrectionist forces, Dabbert caught a javelin to the chest. It pierced his armor, creating a permanent hole in the breast plate, and punctured his chest, driving him to the ground. He bled out within seconds. It was only by the intervention of his friend Dabbsin 'Dabbs' Yardley, who was the Skullsplitter's resident War Cleric, and some form of divine intervention that he still doesn't understand, that Dab was pulled from the gaping maw of the underworld and returned to the lands of the living. Dabbsin, one of his closest friends, thought at the time that she was simply doing her duty, but has since attested that something drove her once she'd placed her hands on Dabbert and began opening his armor.
Dabbert's Interest in Chult: After his departure from the military, Dabbert continued to do mercenary jobs and similar work for income. HIs friend Ecks, having also departed the Skullsplitters, mentioned an interest in some sort of research work in Chult, and talked to Dabbert about wanting to pursue some trade other than warfare. Word has circulated back around to Dabbert that Ecks has gone missing in Chult, and he is keen to go find his friend immediately.
might I ask some questions about race and class selection? :)
Are you doing old school racial stat bumps being “fixed”, or new school Tasha’s style “floating” stats? I am considering a race for wizard or sorcerer that doesn’t currently have an Int or Cha bump if possible :)
appreciate any information that would guide the development of an interesting character!
cheers, RJ
Since I didn't clarify this initially and there are a bunch of applications already, I will say its dealer's player's choice on whether to use classic or Tasha's rules for stat bumps.
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Thanks for getting back to be about the racial stats so quickly!
Hope you enjoy this idea, it certainly is more survivable early levels if I can move that + to str towards dex or con
Name: X’a’pac
Race: Githyanki
Class + Planned Subclass: Wizard / War Magic
Background: Far Traveller (Planar Exile)
Personality...
Ideals: -become skillful and cunning enough to find a way home and reclaim his rightful place in the Githyanki War Machine. -truth over comfort. -challenge and glory are to be taken from the drips of death. -danger is not to be avoided.
Bond: -an earring pierced by his brood lover Jayathar in his youth, reminder of a dedication to become the best Githyanki Warrior; to one day ride a great red dragon; to serve a higher cause than self thru self.
Flaw: -X’a’pac hadn’t been cold blooded enough to kill his training compatriots in the final test to complete training (The occasional Weakness of compassion). -obsessed/distracted with attempting to return to his people.
Short Backstory:
On the day of the final test to move from training to a member of the Girhyanki war machine, X’a’pac thought he was ready. He had been selected for his Psionic & magical prowess over his physical abilities, and that had made him confident, but he hadn’t been preparing himself for the emotional training of cruelty required for war.
He sliced through other cadets on his way to victory when what stood before him was his Jayathar. The two of them refused to fight to the death, and they both were dishonored that day, taken to a planar portal and exiled to opposite sides of this realm X’a’pac now found himself in.
He knew he could only ever go back if 1) he found or learned a way to open a portal home, and 2) if he trained himself against the biggest and baddest this realm had to offer, since the second he returned he would be put to an unimaginable test, if not executed on the spot.
And that’s how he found his way toward Chult: whispers of the dangers and monsters that roamed the land had found him in his travels, and since he had no specific place to be except those places where the veil between life and death met and was thinnest, Chult sounded as good a place (if not the best) as any to truly test one’s physical and magical metal!
Equipment:
-a short sword, -scale mail, -an explorer’s pack, -a spell book, -a component pouch, -1000 ball bearings, -bullseye lantern
Class + Planned Subclass: Barbarian - Path of the Storm
Background: Hermit
Ideals: Greater Good. My gifts are meant to be shared with all, not used for my own benefit. (Good)
Bond: My isolation gave me great insight into a great evil that only I can destroy.
Flaw: I hide a truly scandalous secret that could ruin my family forever.
Short Backstory:
Drift is a Genasi who lives at the edge of the world in a monastery. He lived there amongst the others. Some were looking for enlightenment, some vision beyond this plane, some simply running from their past. A few were looking to draw magic through their own bodies in a struggle against the elements. Drift partook of all of it, looking for some greatness within himself… a feeling of inferiority that ached. Drift finds magic, but it’s in the cold. The frigid wind. The dark ice.
The darkest ice. So it was that in contemplation with those wise monks, he had a moment of clarity. He saw the Soul Monger’s force working in the world. He felt a terrible passion moving through him, and murdered the monks with him, suddenly afraid.
He ran. Fled from the monastery. But as he fled, he had time to contemplate. Now, Drift is not the brightest, but he figured: a door might swing both ways. If the Soul Monger can end healing resurrection, maybe it can be used to bring someone back through… like the kindly monks. Then he’d never doubt his worth again.
Class + Planned Subclass: Wizard, School of Divination
Background: Outlander
Ideals: Sincerity. She doesn't see the good in pretending to be something you're not.
Bond: Amara will do anything to find her lost village.
Flaw: She'll do anything. She'll burn the world to save her loved ones if it comes to that. And she can be really stubborn sometimes.
Short Backstory:
Born and raised in a Chultan village, Amara showed an aptitude for magic even in her youth. Though her people generally don't trust arcane magic, every village has a spellcaster, and this one trained her. When he passed, she took up the role fully. She was happy for a time, even marrying another member of the tribe--until she awoke one day to find the village empty. There was no sign of a struggle, no blood, no bodies; it was simply as if there had never been anyone else there.
After that, Amara left Chult for the rest of the world, searching for an answer as to what happened to her village. Now she's returning to her homeland, because she can't find leads anywhere else she's looked--perhaps the answer lies here, in the same land where it happened. Perhaps even with the same thing that's causing the death curse.
Why did you really come to Chult?: Amara's running out of faith that she'll ever be able to find her village. She's returned to her homeland in the hopes that maybe the answer was never as far away as she thought.
Since Artificer appeared in Tasha's I am assuming it isn't considered Eberron content anymore? If that is an incorrect assumption please let me know and I will create a different character.
Name: Metrin Granitegear
Race: Gnome
Class & Planned Subclass: Artificer (Artillerist)
Background: Sage
Ideal: Logic. Emotions must not cloud our logical thinking. Bonds: My life's work is a series of tomes related to a specific field of lore. I will title the work Encyclopedium on the Mechanics of Magic Flaws: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.
Brief Backstory: Metrin recently graduated from the Rockvale Institute of Technology (RIT) with a graduate's degree in Magical Engineering. Many believe the degree to be spurious, on the one hand there are mages and sorcerers that bend the cosmos to their will and on the other there are Physicians and Polymaths that observe the laws of nature and make predictions about outcomes. These two very rarely meet. Those that respect the rules and laws should not dally with those that think of time and space and gravity as their playthings.
Metrin on the other hand believes that there is an inherent logic, a set of fundamental rules that bind everything together, even the chaotic seeming nature of some magics. And if that logic can be unlocked, who knows what new forms of technological marvels could be created through the joining of magic and technology.
News of the failing of some rejuvinatory magics has reached the Alumni organizations of RIT, and Metrin knows that the failing of such magics provides an excellent opportunity to make observations about their foundations. Perhaps if the nature of this curse is discovered it will result into further understanding of how such magic works. He is eager to see what he can find.
Armed with a journal and inks for taking notes, he sets off out of the world of Accademia to use what he has learned in his studies and in hope of learning more.
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Founding Member of the High Roller Society.(Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)
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Chult. The word evokes certain ideas. Jungles. Ancient ruins. Prehistoric monsters. Hordes of undead. Mystery. But most of all, Chult represents opportunity. This subcontinent of rainforests and volcanoes is home to some of the most unique materials, plant and animal life known to scholars, and the merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru have grown fabulously wealthy exporting it to the world. But among the trade of rare herbs, minerals and exotic beasts, a new source of wealth has come to Chult – adventurers.
The ‘Death Curse’, some call it. From Waterdeep to Tethyr, from Neverwinter to Thay, resurrection magics are failing. Clerics can no longer call upon their gods to restore life to the dead, and it’s said that even contact with the spirits of the deceased is impossible. Even more terrifying, those who have in the past been graced with a second chance at life are now succumbing to a gruesome disease, their life force slipping slowly away. As if the magics that restored them are being undone.
None know the true cause, but powerful seers and mystics have determined one critical clue – whatever is causing this; whatever is preventing and undoing the miracle of resurrection, it lies somewhere deep within the steaming, dinosaur-infested jungles of Chult.
Word has spread to all corners of the Realms and for weeks now, Port Nyanzaru has been awash in travelers, adventurers and profiteers. Some are clerics and paladins of the various faiths of Faerun, sent by their churches to put an end to this curse. Others are mercenaries, hired by wealthy benefactors desperate to stave off their own curse, or that of a beloved spouse or child. Still more have come for their own reasons: for thrills; for fortune; for fame; for curiosity. Whatever their motivation, week by week many and more pour off of ships, provision themselves, and disappear into the jungle. A few return, sick, scarred, terrified. Most never return at all.
Do you have what it takes to survive the green hell of Chult and become a legend?
Greetings. Perhaps this isn't the best time to start a Chult campaign as it looks like there are four or five others running already, but what can you do? I am planning to run a modified campaign based on ToA and am looking for 4-5 players. It will be PbP here on DNDB. This game is going to embrace the exploration, mystery and hazards of Chult. I will be pulling from 5e, from older edition material, from some neat homebrew I've
stolenborrowed from other sources as well as some original plots of my own. Things like navigation, foraging, setting up safe places to camp, dealing with exhaustion and disease, these things will be paramount. There may be long stretches without an opportunity for roleplay with NPC's, but a commitment to role-playing, banter, strategy and conversations with the other PC's in the party is expected. This campaign will be dark, it will be grueling, and it will be deadly. But… it will also have dinosaurs. If any of this sounds appealing, please post an application.I’m not setting a deadline for applications. I will close it when I have the right players and characters. I do not expect to start the campaign until the end of this month or early January.
Applications.
Players start at level 1. No Critical Role or Eberron material. Homebrew has almost zero chance of being approved but you are free to submit it if you want to take a flyer on it. Attributes will be Standard Array or Point Buy, player's choice. Multi-classing will be allowed but it has to be roleplayed. If you're a mage and want to take a level in fighter, then you had better plan on engaging in a few fights with armor on (that you're not proficient with yet) as you work out your wizard-tank fantasies. If you're a rogue and want to take a level in bard, you should plan on practicing that instrument at camp each night and telling stories over the campfire. I reserve the right to reject any material that I am forgetting to outlaw in this initial post.
Please complete the following.
Name:
Race:
Class + Planned Subclass:
Background:
(In lieu of a vague alignment, tell me this character's ideals, their greatest bond and their greatest flaw.) Personality...
Short Backstory:
(In addition to investigating the Death Curse, each character should have another, personal reason for coming to Chult. Perhaps they are an archaeologist eager to investigate some legend of the past. Perhaps an uncle vanished here years ago, and they seek the truth of what happened to him. Perhaps they work for one of the factions of the Realms and have been tasked with reporting back on what is happening in the jungle. Maybe they just really, really, really want to ride a dinosaur. If you struggle for ideas I can throw out some hooks from the campaign, but would prefer if this is organic to your vision of the character. I will allow a lot of freedom with this one. This can be something for either plot hook potential or just pure role-playing flavor.) Why did you really come to Chult?:
(Optional: One of the PCs may themselves be subject to the death curse. If you’re interested in role-playing that, submit some backstory on how your character died and why someone saw fit to go to the trouble of resurrecting them? FYI there will not be a mechanical penalty and there is – at present – no plan to kill this character with the death curse. No one will be forced to do this and if none of the applicants are interested, I can work around it.) How/why were you brought back to life?:
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
This sounds great, I have been trying to get to Chult in a few games now, and it sounds like you have an interesting spin on it.
Name: Mica
Race: Earth Genasi
Class - Ranger - planned Hunter subclass (looking at a strength based melee build)
Background - Outlander
Ideals - Life is like the seasons, in constant change, and we must change with it.
Bond - I feel that I must protect others from the dark dangers that lurk in the wild.
Flaw - Violence is my answer to almost any challenge
Backstory - Mica was born and raised in the tough lands of the Savage Frontier in Faerun. The youngest son of a large Illuskan logging family, he felt drawn to the wilds at a young age. As he grew older, his cruel Dao heritage began to manifest itself through changes in his appearance and a strange, subtle magical connection. The genie bloodline is viewed as a gift by some and a curse by many, but no one knew from whence it came in Mica’s case. His parents, who did not have the Dao blood, shunned him as a reminder of some embarrassing or horrifying deed in the family's past. Others viewed him as different or strange and he had few companions growing up, which suited him as he always felt more comfortable in the wilds. Unwelcome by family and friends, and drawn by a sense of wanderlust, he left his family and wandered the wilderness. Tapping into his connection to the earth his bloodline provides, he taught himself the ways of a ranger and wandered the Savage Frontier, protecting those that cast him out from the threats of the wild. He usually avoided the main cities, but while in Yartar trading supplies, he encountered a merchant with strange bones and skins, spreading the legends of Chult.
Reason for traveling to Chult - Mica has heard the tales of great beasts lurking in the jungles of Chult, and has seen some of the skulls and exotic skins others have sent back in his travels. He also heard tales of the lost city of Mezro and the followers of Ubtao. Curious, he set sail for the distant shores to find, and hunt, some of these monsters himself as well as to connect more with his elemental heritage and find his path in life.
Character Creation
Name: Ermasnietsz
Race: Custom Lineage
Class + Planned Subclass: Sorcerer (Clockwork Soul)
Background: Criminal/Spy (Enforcer)
Short Backstory:
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Withdrawn
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Adewild: Shadows and Light 2
Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
Name: Ran Deadgleam
Race: Human - Variant (w/ Dual Wielder Feat)
Class - Fighter - planned Battle Master subclass but depending on how the campaign developed, that could end up going down a few other paths if the party needed the flexibility
Background - Urban Bounty Hunter
Ideals - Ran is loyal to family and friends and ideals, the law and anything else in the way can piss off.
Bond - Family is everything to Ran and his is in trouble and he'll do what ever he can to save it.
Flaw - Plans are meant to be forgotten and broken - if there is one he'll forget it and if the doesn't he'll ignore it
Backstory - Ran was born into a family of bounty hunters, hired swords and thieves. His father, Mute, is a renowned bounty hunter in Waterdeep and his mother, Haze, is one of the best unknown thieves in the city. Together they operated a team of bounty hunters and mercenaries. Ran, and his twin sister, Shepard, were raised in the family business. While his parents were loving, they were always practical and even play time as toddlers was all about learning to trail targets, set traps, and use weapons. Where Shepard had a knack for stealth, Ran took to swords as soon as he could stand. Ran and his sister often assisted in the family jobs, always being trained to take over someday. Ran's first solo job was to retrieve the wayward son of a noble. The son was dabbling in dark magic and the noble didn't want anyone to know about it. Ran did get a hold of the kid but as he was bringing him in, he was ambushed and the boy was taken. The noble now blames Ran and his family for the loss and is doing everything in his power to ruin their business and get them all locked up. They've kept Ran hidden in order to avoid the noble.
Reason for traveling to Chult - Ran's sister, Shephard, discovered a lead and found information that the boy was taken to Chult. She followed but it has been weeks now with no word from her. Ran has followed now in search of both his sister and the boy.
Name: Noone
Race: 'Hybrid' (see background)
Class: Fighter/Magekiller(Necromancers)
Personality: Noone is, upon first meetings, a bit reticent, he doesn't volunteer any information about himself but, he constantly watches everything with eyes behind which burn a disturbing fury. In company with those he has given his word to he is fiercely loyal or fiercely antagonistic, depending upon whether they have rouse his ire or not; a necromancer...? Well, he hates them without reservation. He loves grog, but rarely drinks it as he is much to 'fond' of the stuff and always seems to get into trouble when he does indulge, much to the detriment of the tavern or inn he happens to be in.
Once, when a stranger saw his medallion, he was told a story of a creature similar to the one it depicted, which could be found in the depths of Chult's jungle, and he became obsessed with going there and finding it.
Background:
Noone is an abomination, there is no other word for it. It seems a rather insane Necromancer was experimenting with mashing together different corpses and body parts. In one experiment, his last, unfortunately for him (or maybe not), he was working with the corpse of an halfling and a corpse of an ogre (one of which might have been the original Noone, who ever that was, but that would be really stretching it.) Needless to say he was working 'discretely,' for fear of persecution you see, out in the middle of nowhere in a very secluded wood. As it happened a thunder and lightening storm sprang up out of nowhere, putting him into a pretty foul mood; but the upshot was dramatic to say the least. Just as he cast the final parts of the spell he was struck by one fork of a bolt of lightening, the other one struck the halfling/ogre mess he was working on. It appears to have killed the necromancer but at the same time transferred his life force into the mess he was ensorcelling, causing it to animate into the being that calls itself Noone. By-the-by, for some reason unknown to himself, Noone HATES necromancers. He has no memory of what happened, just remembers coming to in a storm next to a rather crispy corpse and the brutal struggle to find a place in the world that followed. Noone has a rather strange affinity for dead things, not anything really corrupt or depraved, but he thinks that they talk to him and that he can sometimes talk to them. He has no fear in that regard. I class Noone as a half-orc, but he is not really, as stated he is a monstrosity, with a rather intense charisma for such a creature. He thinks that lightening gives him powers, just what kind, well it could be that he is just delusional, but who knows, there are stranger things running around. When he became aware of his surroundings the first time he was very confused, no thoughts entered his head as to what had happened or what was going on. Stumbling around in the woods he came upon the necromancer's abode wherein he found supplies and, most fortuitously for him, cuirass that fit reasonably welland a mottled cloak that helped hide what he was from unsympathetic folk who would rather burn him to a crisp - the Frankenstein Syndrome one might say. He also found the iron bar that he uses as a weapon of choice at the present time, and that strange medallion. Secretly, in his heart of hearts, Noone thinks that the creature depicted in the medallion created him. For quite some time, Noone wandered the edges of civilized spaces trying to figure out how to fit in; he soon came to realize that he could make room for himself using the iron bar and his ferocious strength to make himself fit. People now rarely give him much grief and, surprisingly, seem to be rather polite around him.
Noone would be affected by the 'Death Curse' but, I sort of think he is not really aware of this, at least just yet. Also, I have some other ideas in regards to his lightening affinities which I will have you consider if Noone is chosen.
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
Name: Ban Chal
Race: Loxodon
Class + Planned Subclass: Monk (Drunken Master)
Background: Guild Artisan (Brewer)
Short Backstory:
Ban's parents had immigrated to Faerun just before he was born. After only few decades it became clear to them that they did not agree well with the fast rhythm in Calimport and they didn't wish to venture out into the world. Ban on the other hand, made friends during his childhood and didn't feel out of place. He was more worried about returning to their home plane which he felt sounded far too boring. His parents left the choice to him and he decided to remain on Toril.
One of Ban's best friends was an old dwarfen brewmaster named Beryll Palestout, who also took him in as an apprentice when his parents left. A fair number of good years later (some 80), Beryll's demise changed Ban's life dramatically. He had promised to return Beryll's remains to his hometown in the East Rift: Eartheart, which proved to be a really long, costly and dangerous journey. He had to sell their business and leave Calimport for good in order to afford the expedition, which fortunately went well. It turned out that Beryll has been a priest in a monastery of the Drunken Master and that the exercises he taught Ban were training routines not only to keep in shape but to prepare him well for receiving further monastery training! Not knowing any better place to be Ban remained at the Drunken Master monastery. In his monastic training he fleshed out his martial arts training, studied the history of brewing and the extent of natural ingredients, learned a wealth of new recipes and even tried a few times to create his own.
When the monastery learned that the Death Curse that plagued the world would have its origin in Chult (some 110 years after Ban's arrival), it was decided that someone of the community should participate in the efforts to rid Toril of it, not only to aid the world at large, but also to use the opportunity to explore the jungles of Chult for extremely rare ingredients. Most prominently, Raptor Horn salt could potentially be used as an agent to ferment more efficiently, not to mention which other benefits it might provide to the taste. And there are numerous other natural essences that have been lost or inaccessible for far too long. Not to mention those that still have to be found! Someone needed to go. It was an easy choice that this should be Ban. After all Chult is just a little bit East of his home town of Calimport, and he already journeyed that way once, so he probably knows the way best anyway. Ban wasn't so sure but he didn't know how to argue against it. And, perhaps, he really was the best option they had. Certainly, he would be able to learn a lot and he could try new food, after all those years the unimaginative monastery cuisine started to rub him all the wrong ways. One would think that the most creative brewers would know how to cook, but he shouldn't get into that. Not before he returns anyway.
|| Tryncaryn - Halfling Monk/Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak || Berry - Fairy Barbarian - Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver || Taya - Mysterious Fighter - Echoes of Empire || Myrla Stardust - Wood Elf Rogue - After the Fall ||
Name: Ruie Longwing
Race: Aarakocra
Class: Monk (Way of the Open Hand)
Background: Sage
Alignment: Neutral Good Ideals: Knowledge and Self Improvement. Bond: I've been searching my whole life for an answer to a certain question. Flaws: I am easily distracted by the promise of information.
Backstory: Ruie is a monk who has focused on the history of Chult. He was abandoned as a child and found by a traveling kenku monk named Jeramiah, who took him in and raised him as his own. He was taught in the way of the monk, and learned very much about the history of chult and its artifacts. His only memory of his parents is of his father leaving him in the woods and running, as men shouted behind him. In the distance there was a river with an ancient temple at the foot, which Ruie struggles to identify to the present day. Being a Aarakockra even though he is still quite young by human standards, he is a fully matured aarakocra.
Name: Danica Amastacia
Race: Wood Elf
Class + Planned Subclass: Druid (Circle of Stars) and Cleric (Life Domain worshipper of Selûne)
Background: Sailor
Personality:
ShortBackstory:Danica Amastacia was born and raised in Wealdath, also known as the forest of Tethir, to a pair of wood elf druids (circle of forest and coast respectively), Sylphine and Naetoris. She grew up with a healthy respect for both land and sea growing in and near both but was constantly cautioned against truly exploring outside just the coast and the edges of the forest due to the “savagery of humans and other lesser races”. And for the first century of her life she listened.
But growing up her eyes were always and ever drawn upward, to the stars and moons of Faerun. At first she thought it was passing fancy but she grew more and more enthralled with the stars and constellations as she continued to observe them night after night, month after month and year after year, noting every slight change as it occurred. With the records she kept she was also able to correlate the stars effect on the land they shone down on.
At first she simply began mapping them on parchment as one might any map, but she found it to be frustratingly limited, as well as the fact that she couldn’t add or edit discoveries or new findings very easily. Even more frustrating was that she knew based on her observations that there was more to the stars than what she could see remaining in Wealdath. Even travelling as far west or east as the forest and her family would allow, she was able to determine that there was still so much more to be seen, just out of reach due to her stationary perspective.
Being an adult, she simply informed her parents and the rest of her clan of her plan to set out to map the stars but it was met with disagreement and snubbed feelings on all sides. She left on not the best of terms but left she did, setting out north along the coast before finding herself at Murann.
There she was eventually taken in by a kindly sailorwoman named Franzi Caskward. The human woman seemed rather eccentric to her but not savage. After a couple of days running into her on the outskirts of the coast where she did her fishing to avoid the other humans, Fran befriended her, coming by to sit and talk while she worked, Danica fishing and cleaning while Fran sewed some old clothing and braided grass and seaweed into bags to sell. She discovered that Fran followed Selûne and was usually not at port but on the sea aboard a ship named, "The Swift Sorcerer". It was docked for repairs after some bad weather which was why Fran was able to come by so many days in a row but here shortly they would be setting sail for a long journey.
Taking a chance, Danica asked if they were accepting any new crew members. “Ya got any experience sailing?” Fran asked in her usual nasally tone. To which Danica simply let out a laugh and shook her head. The human said that she’d talk to the captain and to meet her at a specific tavern in town tomorrow evening. After making sure she wasn’t running from the law and inquiring her skills, Danica earned a spot on the crew of the Swift Sorcerer.
She was hazed of course, teased about her lack of knowledge of life on a ship, but surprised them in her knowledge of other things, such as where north was without using a compass, what time it was relative to sunrise and sunset and other anecdotal things they were surprised she remembered.
The first year or two of living on the ship was rather rocky and it seemed like the Quartermaster was always waiting for her to give up, but Danica never shied away from even the most menial of tasks, eventually seeing that everything had a reason behind it. The quartermaster, a rather inscrutable gnomish man by the name of Xallin Rackledackle, made less and less sarcastic comments towards her as she progressed which was a pleasant turn.
Watching everything she was taught carefully, Danica eventually acclimated to the life of a sailor. She also caught on that the captain’s dealings were…slightly less than legal in the eyes of most. Most of it was simple harmless smuggling but there would be a few occasions that were hairier than others. Captain Oswald Eagletide (whom Danica would’ve bet the ship wasn’t his real name), insisted that they stay away from true piracy however, if only to not incur the wrath of the real pirates. But by playing smuggler, they were able to stay on the relative good side of both the law and the pirates.
Upon noticing her constantly volunteering for night watch and with her neck craned up to look at the stars, the ship’s navigator offered to teach her what he had picked up, knowing he was getting old and about the age to retire. She eagerly soaked up more knowledge of the stars as well as the sea now and after a few years when he inevitably ended up retiring, she became the navigator for the Swift Sorcerer.
The navigator wasn’t the only one she learned from however, also picking up a lot from the “ship mother”, Fran, whom she discovered was a devout cleric of Selûne as well as ship healer. Stitching up people as much as she did their clothes when mending or healing spells didn’t cut it. Though after teaching Danica some basic medical knowledge, the load became a bit easier.
It wasn’t until they made a stop by an island that didn’t have any healers of their own and had recently been hit hard by a hurricane with many dead, injured or now sick due to worsening living conditions that Danica truly got to see Fran in her element and how skilled she truly was. She didn’t even ask for anything in return, knowing that the people were barely scraping by.
Later that night when asked why she did it, the human woman with wild black hair that was greying with age whipping in her face simply smiled and looked up at the waxing moon and said, “It ain’t about all that. Gold’s good n well to get what you need to get by. But life is it’s own reward if you’re livin’ it right. And I like giving back what Our Lady of Silver gifts us. ‘Let all on whom my light falls be welcome if they desire to be so. As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does all life. Trust in my radiance, and know that all love alive under my light shall know my blessing. Turn to the moon, and I will be your true guide.’ “
Something hit home in the elf with the cleric’s words, feeling younger than ever even though the human wasn’t even half her age. After that she began asking more and more about Selûne and her principles, only knowing what little superstitions most other sailors believed about the Goddess. Eventually joining Fran in her nightly prayers, Danica chose to devote herself to the Moonmaiden, feeling particularly connected through her guidance for navigators and domain over not just life but the moon and stars. But as much of a connection as she felt with Selûne, she knew that her soul called to the stars.
After a good decade spent at sea, Danica had learned enough and saved enough to commission an artificer to craft a hand held device to hold her star map. Outwardly it looked like a pocketwatch but when opened would project above it a small illusion of the night sky, able to be edited or moved via her own magical input. She even made sure to pay extra to obtain the schematics and construction of it should something happen to this one. Her star map had certainly expanded since she had left home but still was far from complete.
Every opportunity to explore further in the world, Danica took. Though her duties as part of the crew didn’t allow her to simply stay in the crow’s nest. There was a problem with the ship’s anchor being stuck when they were stopped for the night but suddenly needed to leave.
With her darkvision and being the only crewmember who wasn’t currently exhausted due to her need for less rest, Danica volunteered to dive down and help. It also didn’t hurt that she was one of the ten that a coastal druid had cast Water Breathing on the dawn prior. The spell would be running out soon but she was confident that she would be able to get them free before then.
It was a full moon out, allowing her some light after she broke under the ocean’s surface. The deeper she got though, the darker it became. She found the anchor’s chain leading down into a deep trench, so black it sent shivers down her spine. Pushing down her discomfort, Danica swam deeper down, using the chain as a guide down to the anchor. Upon finding it, she discovered that it was caught on the lip of an underwater cave.
Unable to cast the Light cantrip, she began the arduous task of trying to kick and push the anchor free in the dark, relying on her superior vision. Every now and then, she would have sworn to Selune that she heard something. A deep vibration in the water that she couldn’t pinpoint. But every time she turned to look around, she would see nothing but black abyss.
Looking out at it she couldn’t see if anything was there and looking back but she still had the eerie feeling that something was. She felt chilled to the bone. Not just due to the deep frigid waters but in a way that even if she was lying on the deck under a full hot sun she knew that she’d still be cold.
After nearly an hour of working at it, Danica was finally able to kick the anchor free, giving the chain a large tug to try and signal to the ship that it was clear. It began it’s slow ascent as she tried to swim up to hold on as it did, but just before she could reach, something grabbed hold of her leg and began pulling her further down into the deep of the ocean. The faint light from the water’s surface fading as she was dragged deeper.
Panicking, the elf tried to grab at whatever it was, only feeling slippery smoothness and unable to get any sort of hold on whatever it was. Remembering her whale bone dagger, Danica stabbed blindly at what was holding her, nicking herself in the process but gaining her freedom. Swimming as strongly and swiftly but leaving a trail of blood in the water as she began to realize that she could no longer see any light. Just black calm waters stretching out and yet encompassing her at the same time. There was no up nor down. Only water.
Danica was paralyzed with indecisiveness. Without air in her lungs there wasn’t a way for her to let out air to make bubbles to orient herself. She began swimming to what she thought was ‘up’. And that decision was one made in grave error. Nearly her own grave. With her darkvision she was just able to make out a massive maw filled with teeth. The sight of which caused her eyes to go as wide as full moons.
That was when she truly felt the water in her lungs that she had been able to breathe fine just a moment before. The spell had run out. Thrashing frantically in the opposite direction of the monstrosity, the elf swam as best as she could as panicked as she was. But it was too much. Just as she was able to see the faint light of the moon on the surface of the water, she couldn’t last, the water in her lungs overtaking her and she saw nothing but that black abyss again.
The next time she opened her eyes she was coughing up what felt like the contents of the ocean on the deck of the Swift Sorcerer, surrounded by her concerned crew. Fran had dove down to save her. Drenched and healing her as best she could.
The cleric certainly warmed, dried and healed her to full health. But alone at night in her hammock, Danica could not forget what she saw in the depths.
When Franzi’s once wild and curly black hair turned as white as the moon itself and passed on a mere thirty years after meeting her, Danica briefly considered leaving the Swift Sorcerer. But Xallin talked her out of it, convincing her with the persuasive argument that they still needed a navigator and now a healer and she was now uniquely suited to take on both positions. So she stayed on, not able to leave the ship and remaining crew that she had become accustomed to.
For the next twenty seven years she and Xallin watched Captains, first mates and other crew members change. But after the Swift Sorcerer ran afoul of the law after so long of skirting the line of neutrality. Not for anything heinously illegal, but simply for the fact that they didn’t curtail to the absolute letter of the law.
They ‘consorted’ with known pirates by selling them food and fresh water at sea. Nothing contraband and nothing that was illegally obtained. But because they were ‘trading’ with criminals, the navy ship came across the pair of ships lumped them together and began firing. The Swift Sorcerer took the brunt of the damage and when the naval soldiers boarded, Danica ripped off the ship’s wheel to use as a shield to protect herself and Xallin from the attackers while retreating onto the pirate ship they had been trading with. The pirates were kind enough to protect them and take on any survivors while beating back the navy and making a hasty retreat. The flaming wreckage of the Swift Sorcerer left behind sinking below the waves.
Once docked at a safe port, she and Xallin parted ways. He said that he needed some time for himself, she was sure to mourn the ship he had devoted many more years to than she had. With her knowledge of navigation and healing, Danica was offered a spot on the crew of the pirate ship that had saved them, Marid’s Fortune by Captain Trench, a water genasi. Danica thanked him for the offer but politely declined, stating that she needed a break from being at sea for a bit, but still agreeing to work with him at port. Through his connections and her own expertise, she helped him in smuggling people in and out of ports. When the Death Curse hit, Captain Trench was quick to be effected and also quick to offer her her own ship if she could cure him. She was hesitant to agree, instead saying that she would consider it. But seeing the same stars as she did every night at this port, she felt her heart being pulled to Chult. Who could say that they had mapped the stars of such a far off place? And Fran had always said that Selûne taught them, 'Turn to the moon, and I will be your true guide.' So when Danica looked to the moon and could only see the back of her mentor's head, she knew that she had to make this right. There were so many that Fran had helped over the years, that she had saved the life of. How dare this curse undo all of her holy work? And so Danica took the job offer and set off for Chult.
Short Backstory: (TL;DR) Born to two druids, Danica grew up in the south forests of Faerun and experienced wanderlust as she grew into the adulthood of her first century. She left and joined a merchant ship (the Swift Sorcerer) and eventually learned how to navigate. She was taken under the wing of a human woman named Fran who was a Cleric of Selûne and taught Danica the Moonmaiden's teachings. Even though the human woman was much younger than her, Danica considered her a mother or aunt like figure. After getting caught trading with pirates, their ship was attacked and so Danica stayed at port for a while, working part time as a smuggler before catching word of the 'Death Curse'. She is being contracted by the pirate, Captain Trench, to find a cure for his disease, though she was drawn to do this because of her own wanderlust as well as wanting to do right by her mentor who healed many people and brought quite a few back to life even.
Optional: Danica herself doesn't know if she actually died when she went diving that night. But it is entirely possible and it is also entirely plausible that her Life Cleric mentor could have brought her back to life. I like to be left in the dark for the suspense so I will leave it entirely up to the DM's discretion.
Nym Durnodel - Aspiring Heroes of Faerûn // Danica Amastacia - Red Dead Annihilation
Name: Terwan
Race: Protector Aasimar
Class + Planned Subclass: Tempest Cleric
Background: Noble
Short Backstory:
Terwan is the descendant of a celestial belonging to the tempest domain born into a noble family. He was raised alongside his brother, Lutik, as the most treasured son of the noble family. As a child, Lutik was his best friend despite their sibling rivalry.
When older, Terwan began his training as a warrior and to be the future king of the land. A part of Terwan's teachings was to learn prayers and rites that were carried down by his family in order to worship their chosen deity.As a result of these teaching, Terwan learnt to believe that strength, courage and loyalty were the most important values. These values he believed his father represented and had desires to be just like his father.
Eventually, Terwan was placed as the leader of a group of warriors, which included his brother, all chosen for their skill and experience. Terwan would lead this group of warriors into battle to defend the land of his people. In this group was a half-elf by the name of Sylnys. Whilst fighting alongside Sylnys, Terwan grew an affection for this comrade in arms. These feelings were reciprocated.
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Name: Armir
Race: lightfoot halfling
Class + Planned Subclass: Rogue (thief)
Background: Relic Hunter (Archaeologist)
Personality...
Short Backstory:
Armir became addicted to the fame and praise of recovering the unrecoverable when he was a child. His home village suffered from a famine that could only be stopped by returning the ancient shrine statue back to it's rightful place. Once Armir uncovered its resting place with a buried priest of the shrine and returned the statue from the tomb, he was hailed as a savior as the rains fell and the crops grew. It became an obsession.
Soon the need to find other objects for that same praise drew Armir from his village into the wider world. He studied with researchers, archaeologists, thieves, and smugglers. Their reasons for finding or getting relics never quite matched Armir's. For him there is no right or wrong in acquiring an item there is only the fame of success. In a short number of years Armor had garnered a reputation as a person who could find what others could not ( and a few warrants for arrest).
While looking for some leads into a dozen or so unfounded items and getting no where, Armir was contacted by a mysterious benefactor interested in the source of the "Death Curse". The benefactor was willing to fund a search for the source, and pay handsomely for it. Hunting down the source of a curse was not Armir's normal acquisition, but the benefactor was insistent that the source was either an item or a person. If an item Armir would acquire it, if a person Armor was to acquire all material on the curse spellbooks, research notes, holy texts, etc.. Needing a lead to follow Armir accepted.
Katerielle in Lost mine of Phandelver.
Bhelmek Thuldren in The dark tower of Cabilar.
Iam Unsure in Tower of Heaven.
Name: Teotath Zorshak
Race: White Dragonborn
Class: Paladin, Oath of Glory
Background: Folk Hero
Backstory:
Teotath was born into a proud, noble clan. While there was no official head, his father was widely consider to be elder and leader due to both his prowess in combat but also wisdom and fairness. There was much rejoicing when Teotath was born and throughout his early life his renown grew quickly. He was larger, stronger than the others but also unusually charismatic, a natural leader. The clan seemed destined for great things and Teotath was sure to be the one who drove them to the pinnacle of dragonborn society.
Late one fall, rumors of a young dragon taking up residence in the peaks high above the clan's home reached Teotath. He brought this information to his father and others in the clan. Enraged by the dragon's presence Teotath swore to destroy the beast or at the very least drive it from their home, his clan would never live under the shadow of a dragon. He gathered the strongest warriors and they set out.
It was a long difficult journey but eventually they tracked the beast to it's lair. The battle was fierce and the dragonborn seemed to be losing as the dragon rained fire down on them. Teotath saw his friends and clansman falling around him. This was not how his story was supposed to go. Seeing a desperate opening he recklessly charged the beast. Dodging it's attacks he heroically drove his flail across the face of the beast catching both eyes and blinding it. The creature reeled in agony and blood poured from it's useless eyes. Unexpectedly and wildly the giant claws struck out, catching Teotath crushing him against the wall of the cave. As he spit blood and the life seeped from massive wounds along his chest he saw his remaining friends easily kill the blinded beast. As Teotath died on the floor of that cave he smiled, he saved his people his glory would live forever.
What was left of his broken and battered body was carried down back to the clan. When his story was told the clan could not allow for the greatest among them to die before his destiny was filled. They took all their gold and belongings and raced to the nearest healer. It cost the clan dearly but Teotath was resurrected brought back to fulfill the destiny he had only just begun.
He did everything he could to prove his worth, to prove his clan had chosen correctly to give all they had to return his life. Unsurprisingly, he was wildly successful earning back all that was paid and his clan's prominence was rapidly rising. That was until he his injuries started to return, his lifeforce being drained. Still too young and vigorous to suffer from old age the clan was at a loss to the cause of his decline. That was until word of the Death Curse reached their village. Undaunted, Teotath knew the next step in his legend and search for glory. He would defeat death a second time. He would travel to Chult, he would end this curse and will fulfill his destiny.
DM -- The Candlekeep Mysteries 1 & 2 Discord PCs -- Christian Dembele Forum PCs -- Edryd Breckon, Fizzlebit Forton Thornberry the Fourth
might I ask some questions about race and class selection? :)
Are you doing old school racial stat bumps being “fixed”, or new school Tasha’s style “floating” stats? I am considering a race for wizard or sorcerer that doesn’t currently have an Int or Cha bump if possible :)
appreciate any information that would guide the development of an interesting character!
cheers, RJ
Note: I can also be reached on Discord at- J.F. Capps#7996. Additionally, sorry for the length of this application. The longer I thought about this and worked on the app the more I realized that Dabbert was a good fit if chosen for this campaign and that a lot of his existing back story worked really well for what I think you're looking for. Also additionally, yes, I know some of the backstory needs to be adjusted to fit the setting. If selected I'll clean it up and add it to my character sheet with further details.
Name: Dabbert Hahft
Race: Human (Variant)
Class + Planned Subclass: Fighter (Battle Master)
Background: Soldier
Appearance: 6' 3", 215 lbs. Dabbert is athletic, a bit toned, and built for his profession as a soldier. His skin is tanned and his dark eyes match his hair, though his hair is starting to gray a bit prematurely. He wears half plate armor that is dingy, a bit rusty in spots, and purposefully darkened with shades of green and brown to camouflage it. A red skull with a split down the middle is shoddily painted on the front of his armor, and a strip of red cloth, once part of a Skullsplitter battle standard, is tied around his upper left bicep. The words 'born again' are etched around a hole in his armor above his heart.
Personality:
Short Backstory: (This backstory was already written and will be adjusted so that the specific details match the world if Dabbert is selected for this campaign.)
One of Dabbert Hahft’s earliest memories is taking his father’s sword down from the hearth and swinging it around in the little hovel they called home. He did…fairly well…but his father caught him playing with the weapon and took it from him before beating the living shit out of him. Then he put the sword back up on the hearth while berating his young son, telling him all this and that about how swords kill, and how dangerous they are, and that no son of his was going to grow up to be some mindless muscle behind a weapon.
Dabbert was born to Hansferd and Ilene Hahft. His mother was a seamstress, and his father was a soldier for a brief period before Dab was born, serving in the Veil Infantry. He came home at the end of his tour of duty and took up farming, married Ilene, and started a family. They survived in serfdom for many years. Dabbert himself followed in his father’s footsteps after reaching manhood (much to Hansferd’s protests), but the world, by that time, was a different place; when he wasn’t marching with an army or host he was skirmishing with various monsters and insurrectionist factions with the Veil Infantry, 10th Mountain Border Regiment, 1st Platoon, also known as the Skullsplitters.
It was while in the Skullsplitters that he met and befriended the Goliath named Ecks. They became inseparable, the two of them rising through the ranks together until Dabbert was a Lieutenant in charge of the platoon and Ecks his top Sergeant. They served two tours that largely focused on the defense of the Veil border on the farthest side of the Voltus Mountain range, where their platoon frequently skirmished with Goblin, Kobold, and Gnoll packs operating in the region. They saw their fair share of Crypt Slimes, Orcs, Trolls, Mimics, and once someone in the platoon swore that they’d encountered an Owlbear in the forest (although everyone knows Owlbears are just a myth). Once he even saw one of the Privates in his platoon dissolved by a Gelatinous Cube. They even patrolled past a hole once that everyone claimed a Tarrasque lived in, but Dab believed that about as much as he had believed the story of the Owlbear. There were bandits and insurrectionists to put down, sorcerers dabbling in black magic and calling upon dangerous old things from beyond the physical limits of the world, and a girl named Betty that nearly killed the whole platoon with something called ‘syphilis’. All in all they saw some pretty bad shit and lived to tell their tale.
Dabbert tried to return to normal life in Larkdusk after the end of his second tour. His mother and father, both having succumbed to illness years prior, had left nothing in their wake for him to inherit. Even his father’s sword, Keeper, was gone, something that he intends to remedy in time. He tried working on a farm, but his old life had nothing left for him, and even fell in love with Rebecca, a farmer’s daughter, on the northern skirts of Larkdusk before she was killed, of all things, by a rabid Flumph that had escaped a monster wrangler’s traveling sideshow. This did little to stimmy his alcoholism. He began taking up small contract jobs to supplement his income and found temporary lodging in the Wide Gate neighborhood.
He spends most of his free time at the Sick Rat with his friend Rech or at the Broken Keg giving Molly a hard time...
Dabbert's Death: The hole in his half plate is testament to the day he died. Once, while leading the charge up the Incisor to crush Clodius Ucbarg's insurrectionist forces, Dabbert caught a javelin to the chest. It pierced his armor, creating a permanent hole in the breast plate, and punctured his chest, driving him to the ground. He bled out within seconds. It was only by the intervention of his friend Dabbsin 'Dabbs' Yardley, who was the Skullsplitter's resident War Cleric, and some form of divine intervention that he still doesn't understand, that Dab was pulled from the gaping maw of the underworld and returned to the lands of the living. Dabbsin, one of his closest friends, thought at the time that she was simply doing her duty, but has since attested that something drove her once she'd placed her hands on Dabbert and began opening his armor.
Dabbert's Interest in Chult: After his departure from the military, Dabbert continued to do mercenary jobs and similar work for income. HIs friend Ecks, having also departed the Skullsplitters, mentioned an interest in some sort of research work in Chult, and talked to Dabbert about wanting to pursue some trade other than warfare. Word has circulated back around to Dabbert that Ecks has gone missing in Chult, and he is keen to go find his friend immediately.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Since I didn't clarify this initially and there are a bunch of applications already, I will say its
dealer'splayer's choice on whether to use classic or Tasha's rules for stat bumps.PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * [Sound of Cork Popping] - Kenku - Lvl 3 Lore Bard - Everasil
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Thanks for getting back to be about the racial stats so quickly!
Hope you enjoy this idea, it certainly is more survivable early levels if I can move that + to str towards dex or con
Name: X’a’pac
Race: Githyanki
Class + Planned Subclass: Wizard / War Magic
Background: Far Traveller (Planar Exile)
Personality...
Short Backstory:
On the day of the final test to move from training to a member of the Girhyanki war machine, X’a’pac thought he was ready. He had been selected for his Psionic & magical prowess over his physical abilities, and that had made him confident, but he hadn’t been preparing himself for the emotional training of cruelty required for war.
He sliced through other cadets on his way to victory when what stood before him was his Jayathar. The two of them refused to fight to the death, and they both were dishonored that day, taken to a planar portal and exiled to opposite sides of this realm X’a’pac now found himself in.
He knew he could only ever go back if 1) he found or learned a way to open a portal home, and 2) if he trained himself against the biggest and baddest this realm had to offer, since the second he returned he would be put to an unimaginable test, if not executed on the spot.
And that’s how he found his way toward Chult: whispers of the dangers and monsters that roamed the land had found him in his travels, and since he had no specific place to be except those places where the veil between life and death met and was thinnest, Chult sounded as good a place (if not the best) as any to truly test one’s physical and magical metal!
Equipment:
-a short sword, -scale mail, -an explorer’s pack, -a spell book, -a component pouch, -1000 ball bearings, -bullseye lantern
Name: Drift
Race: Water Genasi
Class + Planned Subclass: Barbarian - Path of the Storm
Background: Hermit
Short Backstory:
Drift is a Genasi who lives at the edge of the world in a monastery. He lived there amongst the others. Some were looking for enlightenment, some vision beyond this plane, some simply running from their past. A few were looking to draw magic through their own bodies in a struggle against the elements. Drift partook of all of it, looking for some greatness within himself… a feeling of inferiority that ached. Drift finds magic, but it’s in the cold. The frigid wind. The dark ice.
The darkest ice. So it was that in contemplation with those wise monks, he had a moment of clarity. He saw the Soul Monger’s force working in the world. He felt a terrible passion moving through him, and murdered the monks with him, suddenly afraid.
He ran. Fled from the monastery. But as he fled, he had time to contemplate. Now, Drift is not the brightest, but he figured: a door might swing both ways. If the Soul Monger can end healing resurrection, maybe it can be used to bring someone back through… like the kindly monks. Then he’d never doubt his worth again.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/nschrock/characters/64179928
Paladin - warforged - orange
Name: Amara Ikande
Race: Variant Human
Class + Planned Subclass: Wizard, School of Divination
Background: Outlander
Short Backstory:
Born and raised in a Chultan village, Amara showed an aptitude for magic even in her youth. Though her people generally don't trust arcane magic, every village has a spellcaster, and this one trained her. When he passed, she took up the role fully. She was happy for a time, even marrying another member of the tribe--until she awoke one day to find the village empty. There was no sign of a struggle, no blood, no bodies; it was simply as if there had never been anyone else there.
After that, Amara left Chult for the rest of the world, searching for an answer as to what happened to her village. Now she's returning to her homeland, because she can't find leads anywhere else she's looked--perhaps the answer lies here, in the same land where it happened. Perhaps even with the same thing that's causing the death curse.
Why did you really come to Chult?: Amara's running out of faith that she'll ever be able to find her village. She's returned to her homeland in the hopes that maybe the answer was never as far away as she thought.
Since Artificer appeared in Tasha's I am assuming it isn't considered Eberron content anymore? If that is an incorrect assumption please let me know and I will create a different character.
Name: Metrin Granitegear
Race: Gnome
Class & Planned Subclass: Artificer (Artillerist)
Background: Sage
Ideal: Logic. Emotions must not cloud our logical thinking.
Bonds: My life's work is a series of tomes related to a specific field of lore. I will title the work Encyclopedium on the Mechanics of Magic
Flaws: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.
Brief Backstory: Metrin recently graduated from the Rockvale Institute of Technology (RIT) with a graduate's degree in Magical Engineering. Many believe the degree to be spurious, on the one hand there are mages and sorcerers that bend the cosmos to their will and on the other there are Physicians and Polymaths that observe the laws of nature and make predictions about outcomes. These two very rarely meet. Those that respect the rules and laws should not dally with those that think of time and space and gravity as their playthings.
Metrin on the other hand believes that there is an inherent logic, a set of fundamental rules that bind everything together, even the chaotic seeming nature of some magics. And if that logic can be unlocked, who knows what new forms of technological marvels could be created through the joining of magic and technology.
News of the failing of some rejuvinatory magics has reached the Alumni organizations of RIT, and Metrin knows that the failing of such magics provides an excellent opportunity to make observations about their foundations. Perhaps if the nature of this curse is discovered it will result into further understanding of how such magic works. He is eager to see what he can find.
Armed with a journal and inks for taking notes, he sets off out of the world of Accademia to use what he has learned in his studies and in hope of learning more.
Founding Member of the High Roller Society. (Currently trying to roll max on 4d6)