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AURYN: The Crystal, the Triforce, and the Shard of Division
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AURYN
Also known as the Golden Eyed Commander of Wishes, AURYN signifies the will of the Childlike Empress, who is the living embodiment of the world. Whoever wears an AURYN amulet is recognized across all Hyboria as an emissary of the Empress, usually for good, though sometimes for ill. Furthermore, the wearer can call upon the capabilities of AURYN while wearing the amulet in an effort to petition for cosmic intervention in their times of need, though these may not always be answered.
Often bestowed as a sign of trust and good faith from the Empress, AURYN is universally recognized in all of the high courts of Hyboria as a symbol of peacekeeping.
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The World is Ending
Hyboria is in peril.
The Dark Crystal, the ever present, all powerful source of magic that maintains the natural and magical order of the world, has weakened to an unsustainable state of degeneration after being damaged a thousand years ago. Without its influence to keep the order, many powerful enemies who have previously been relegated to skulking in the shadows have been emboldened to rise up and vie for control of Hyboria, seizing their moment to cause potential cataclysmic shifts in power. Worse than that is the Blight and the Darkening, precursors of the Nothing, a hurricane of destruction that will remove great swaths of the land from existence before totally annihilating the entire world.
The Childlike Empress, sickened by the world’s fall from grace, harkens across the land for all of Hyboria’s heroes, what few there are, to convene with her at the Ivory Tower so that a fellowship may be formed to offset these fluctuations. The task is overwhelming and multifaceted; to stop these nefarious forces from achieving their goals while also gathering some of the most powerful artifacts in existence. Only then can everyone and everything be saved.
These heroes will have to travel the globe and gather the three fragments of the Triforce as well as the Shard of Division, the missing sliver of the Crystal that has been gone for a thousand trine. When the pieces of the Triforce are combined beneath the Crystal of Truth, they will manifest the power necessary to recombine the Shard and the Dark Crystal into the Crystal of Truth, the pure source of life and energy for all Hyboria.
The task will not be easy. The materials required for such a monumental job are scattered throughout the entire world. Most are guarded by men or monsters that would give their lives to keep them where they are, and it is unlikely that anyone operating in the name of the Skeksis would allow the heroes to gain access to these items without a fight. On top of that, the political dynamic and military environment of the world is rapidly changing, declining into a dangerous state of aggression and unrest. There are others who would just as well have these items for themselves, and will stop at nothing to get them.
The Lord of Darkness, bent on the destruction of his greatest nemesis, light itself, has dispatched a band of Hobgoblins loyal to his cause to destroy the unicorns and dispel the sun once and for all. It is this banner that allows him to attract the fell things of Hyboria that share his ideologies. Worse still, Calibos, hunter of fey things and enemy of the forces of good, has aligned himself with the Dark Lord and intends to see his bidding done.
Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, an avid practitioner of dark magic and power hungry warlord from the depths of the Gerudo Desert, has set his eyes on capturing Hyrule Castle and the three pieces of the Triforce for himself, and more if he can find it. Intent on being the sole ruler of the land and unifying all he may survey for his own purposes, he has positioned himself to be a nigh unstoppable force of harm in Hyboria.
And these are only a few of the foes who have crawled from the chaos to conquer Hyboria. With whisperings of malicious forces guised with names like Keldor, Lord Vader, and Thulsa Doom, it all seems very daunting indeed. But all is not lost. The forces of good, names like King Hyrule and King Randor, the Childlike Empress, and even Augrah herself, circle their defenses, intent on raising the appropriate means to protect Hyboria from falling into endless twilight or, worse still, Nothingness.
“AURYN: The Crystal, The Triforce, and the Shard of Division” is the story of Hyboria, a living world comprised heavily of elements from “The Legend of Zelda”, “The Dark Crystal”, “The Neverending Story”, “Legend”, “The Last Unicorn”, “Labyrinth”, and more. I’ve worked to find interesting ways to combine these elements and have specifically looked at their similar themes, such as the mare unicorn from “Legend” and Lady Amalthea from “The Last Unicorn” becoming the same character in this story.
The world is populated with all manner of beings, from those included in the 5 Edition Source Books to more obscure beings from the mish-mashed elements here; Brownies, Fairies, stuff like that. Some races, such as the Hylians, may be represented by Elves, whereas others, like the Kokiri, might be represented by Gnomes. NPCs abound, be them good or evil. They will react reasonably to your actions; if you burn down the local inn at a town that is mostly lawful good, for example, the police force will come for you and you’ll have to decide how you want to proceed, either through violence of surrender. In contrast, if you if do something good for the NPCs of a village, town, city, or whatever, they will remember your kindness and may rewarded you justly.
Your enemies are vast in number. You may encounter threats in the world that are mundane, like bandits in the wild or marauding goblins, or you may come up with very smart, well organized, and deadly opposition that directly reports to one of the bigger threats like Darkness or Ganondorf. There is also the possibility that you could uncover a new threat, something else deadlier and more cunning than anything you previously known about as it plots to enter the world stage.
Or you could even create the threat yourself.
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The Crystal
All of Hyboria centers around the Dark Crystal, formerly known as the Crystal of Truth, the corporeal embodiment of all the magic in the land. Imbued with endless power, the Crystal’s existence maintains the balance of the whole world, of all of nature and of all the magic practiced by the denizens of Hyboria. Now controlled by the vicious Skeksis after their physical split from the urRu, the Crystal is the most powerful object known to exist, and though it doesn’t grant tangible requests like the Triforce does, it does feed the Triforce it’s enchantment.
With the Skeksis in direct control of the Crystal Palace, also known as the Castle of the Crystal, any attempt by an outside interference to interrupt or disrupt their hold on the Crystal is unlikely. The castle is guarded by magical traps and an immense horde of Arathim and Garthim that, so far, have prevented any other faction from capturing control.
As the Childlike Empress rallies heroes to save Hyboria, it is apparent that the Crystal will soon, very soon, become the center of a contest that could determine the fate of the world and everyone in it.
Broken by the Skeksis abuses, the Crystal shed a piece, the Shard of Division, and it is said that this missing piece, and the Crystal of Truth’s diminishment, have not only led to the uprising of so many nefarious forces across Hyboria, but also the arrival of the mysterious Blight and Darkening, precursors of the Nothing that is rumored to be consuming not just pockets of the world, but existence itself.
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You Are The Heroes
The Childlike Empress has summoned all the great heroes of Hyboria to the Ivory Tower for an emergency council. Her objective: to send them forth to save the world.
You are an established hero of this world. While not the savior of the whole plain (yet), you’ve certainly risen to at least one challenge, be it for a village, town, city, or county. Not all heroism is an act of martial prowess either. Maybe you are a scholar who found the cure for a plague, or a holy woman who united a district in the name of the greater good. Maybe you’re an inventor who developed a new form of metallurgy or smithing, an amazing flying ship, or a fantastical projectile weapon. Or did you return the flora and fauna to the desolation that has been barren for decades? Or the mage who find a way to enchant the local water supply so that it never runs out?
There is more to being a hero than being a warrior. It is clear that it takes adventurers from all walks of life to ensure the accomplishment of this mission. So ask yourself…who will you be?
You can be almost any sort of character you want for this campaign within the bounds of reason. When you join this campaign, you’ll be given a campaign link which will grant you access to ALL of the sourcebooks except for Strixhaven and Fizban’s. Content sharing is enabled. I’m open to homebrew, but we’ll need to discuss how it works first.
You’ll start at level 3, allowing you to get somewhat of a grip on who you want your character to be. Unless you multiclass, this should at least allow you to get your Race / Class / Subclass figured out from the beginning. Ability Scores will be rolled. This campaign relies on its own personal Discord server for coordinating information and dice rolls. The Avrae bot is ready to go and has been programmed to give you three sets of rolled dice when you request them. These rolls are generous, a reflection of your character’s life in the world as he or she prepares for their next adventure.
An adventurer who has been living in the world will probably have some possessions that are important to them. You can begin the game with 2 Uncommon Items (the green ones when you Add Items).
There are a lot of opportunities to improve your character as they adventure around the world. I fully intend to allow training and educational opportunities for your characters, so if you plan to learn a new Language or improve an Ability Score or learn a new Feat between leveling up, just communicate with me so we can figure out what you need to do to make that happen.
Speaking of Feats, all characters will start with 1. For some builds, this means you could enter the game with at least two Feats. Variant Human, for example.
I know this sort of starting mechanic isn’t for everyone and that some folks feel like starting with good bonuses cheapens the game, but here’s my argument; you play DnD to have a good time and do cool shit. As your Dungeon Master, I’m here to make sure you get what you need to do said cool shit. Again, you’re a hero. You’ve been living in the world. You’re going to have done more than learn the basics by this point.
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The Triforce
Scattered to the winds, the Triforce grants extraordinary wishes to whosoever should unite the pieces. The Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage are separated to the different continents of Hyboria and their locations are not only secret, but also guarded by all manner of horrific monster and machination. The hunt for them, by both friend and foe of the world, never ends.
It is said that Ganondorf, King of Thieves, musters forces in the Gerudo Desert with the intention of capturing the three pieces of the Triforce and uniting them for himself.
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The Shard of the Division
The Shard of Division was separated from the Crystal of Truth many years ago when the Skeksis first split from the urRu. The Shard fell into the vast subterranean catacombs beneath the Castle of the Crystal and was lost.
It has never been found.
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Here There Be Dragons
The land is home to many vast and diverse ecosystems, each teaming with many varieties of life, some mundane, others exotic and dangerous. Heroes are warned to use caution as they venture into parts of the wilderness where no man has gone in many trine. The races are almost as numerous in variety as they are in individuals. Creatures great and small, plants that can hardly be imagined, even things from other plains of existence and from the depths of Subternia, the paradise of Preternia, or the voids of Etheria, populate the surface of the world, the depths of its oceans, and the darkness of its underground caverns.
Mighty dragons roam the hills in search of treasure to add to their hordes or meat for their bellies. The Tarrasque appears near the time of the Conjunctions to raid villages. Rocs, once used as warmounts by Giants, nest in the mountains. There is a rumor that a Kraken is terrorizing the coastal cities worldwide. And what’s worse, there are whispers in circles of knowing that something else is trying to get in from Etheria, something of immense evil.
The Dark Crystal, its power having dipped below some sort of unknown threshold that kept the world mostly in order, is no longer able to keep these myriad threats in check. The natural order is deteriorating rapidly. As natural and magical ecosystems fail the creatures that rely on them for sustenance flux out of their normal routines and venture out for survival, often bringing them in deadly contact with people. Encountering a monster is no longer a matter of if, but rather when, and it seems that problem will only continue to amplify.
Not every encounter need be a combat encounter. You encounter a Goblin patrol in the woods? Try talking with them. It might not work, but then again it might. There’s also no shame in running from an encounter you know you and your party are not equipped to face.
Monster encounters will increase in frequency the closer the world comes to ending. Conversely, the more that is done to restore balance, the safer the lands will be. It is possible to encounter nearly any CR level of monster at any PC level, so be careful where you go! If you know an Ancient Dragon has been sighted in its lair at the top of a specific mountain you plan to explore, then perhaps that means it is time to turn back…for now.
There is also a high probability that many of these monsters you encounter could be working for enemy forces, supporting the efforts of characters like Ganondorf, who will stop at nothing to secure his seat on the Hylian throne and to capture the three pieces of the Triforce for himself, or even lesser villains like Calibos, who hunts the Last Unicorn for the Lord of Darkness. These boss type NPCs will be very prominent in the story of “AURYN”, so be prepared to encounter some or even all of them in your journeys.
Also, keep in mind that a high number of monster encounters are really just encounters with what is essentially an animal in this world. You may not recognize it immediately as an animal, but remember that this is a complex ecosystem different from our own. There are a lot of strange creatures that live here, and many of them will behave like animals. Not every fight will be a fight to the death. Maybe just leaving the area will deescalate the situation. And remember what I said about talking to goblins? The same thing can be said for the more intelligent monsters too; don’t just view them as monsters. Like some monsters being animals, some may be viewed as people.
It is also very possible, as I alluded a moment ago, that some monsters may not be malicious at all. Some may even be allies to the cause. Attacking them unnecessarily could severely hamper relations with their kind should you need their help later.
Have a hankering for a unique mount? Use your animal handling skills to try to tame something unusual…as long as it isn’t of evil alignment or otherwise obviously hostile.
One last thing. Remember when I said ‘not every fight has to be a fight to the death’? You can die. Your characters can be killed in this world, either through accident, trap, combat, condition, or disease. Never forget that.
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The Alicorn
The Lord of Darkness, leader of a cult of goblin’s and fell things that wish nothing more than to plunge the world into eternal night, has killed one of the two unicorns left in all the world. The death of the stallion, and the theft of its horn, the alicorn, has begun a race against time to stop Darkness from laying his hands on the horn, and gaining control of the mare’s alicorn while he’s at it.
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A World of Old Magic
Dungeons delve into the depths of the world, catacomb the mountains and stand as timeless ruins in the vast forests. They are built as testaments to the powers of old gods and old civilization, as defenses for artifacts of unimaginable power, and relics of dead communities. They are filled with elaborate traps and nigh unsolvable puzzles. They hold treasures of immense worth and secrets kept so well that they have long been forgotten by the minds and writings of people worldwide.
Powerful weapons have been imbued with the wealth of forces like the Dark Crystal and Castle Grayskull. The Master Sword is only one of these items. There are magical artifacts, armor, weapons, wands and staffs, and things undreamed of by man in many a trine scattered all about the world. Some are mundane. Some wield world altering power. Of these, The Master Sword, the Sword of Power, and the Ocarina of Time are some of the most prominent.
Basic magical items are very common and are often handed down as heirlooms in families, especially families with prominent names and histories of heroism. It is actually more common for families and names like this to come with such hand-me-down weapons, armor, and items than not.
It’s not just artifacts that lay around enchanted. Whole forests are known to be magical, as well as caverns, mountains, seas, and dungeons themselves. Enchantments are numerous and, in many cases, very dangerous, though occasionally some are mundane or even helpful. Still, adventurers should explore with caution and an open mind.
Remember to start with two Uncommon Items. These can be pretty much anything green listed in the inventory section of character creation. These starting Uncommon Items can also be Homebrew, but please take note!- if you want a Homebrew Uncommon Item, either your design or someone else’s, you need to clear this with me first. Send me a PM here or on Discord at J.F. Capps#7996 and we can discuss.
I am a big proponent of allowing players to do cool stuff. I am also a big proponent of bending the rules to supplement this desire to allow you to do cool stuff and to maximize the joy of character development and game play. There are tons of cool magic items, cool spells, cool Feats, just cool stuff in general that we need to take advantage of.
Of course, to offset this, I’ve designed “AURYN” to be unforgiving. Your character can die (we’ll talk about this again later) pretty early on, in the right encounter, and can easily bite off more than they can chew as they are forced up against insurmountable odds, so I feel like these good starting bonuses are justified.
Remember, too, that the world is full of these items. They are in dungeons ready to be earned as loot, in towns and villages ready to be handed out as rewards, or may even come to the characters who are lucky enough to be heard by AURYN.
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The Last Unicorn
The last unicorn, the mare who was able to avoid the goblins sent by the Lord of Darkness to slay her and her mate, has fled the Enchanted Forest in search of safety. Her time grows short, however, as Darkness rallies the children of the night to his cause; to kill her, take her alicorn, and dispel the light for all eternity. She is also hunted relentlessly by King Haggard and his ensorcelled thrall, the Red Bull. She is alone, frightened, and in need of rescue before she can be destroyed, and with her, all life in Hyboria.
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The Nothing
The Nothing is the beginning of the end. Not just of Hyboria, but all of the reality in which the world and its inhabitants exist. With threats emerging all across Hyboria and heroes, whose lot have been seldom needed, in short supply, it is no wonder that this indescribable, unstoppable force would emerge as an ultimate equalizer. It seems that the Nothing is extremely limited for now, but many influential people, including the Childlike Empress, Auhgra, and Gandalf, have warned of the appearance of its precursor, known as the Darkening or Blight, that may be seen before something disappears.
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A Lion At The Front Door And A Wolf At The Back
Our foes are myriad and many, mighty and malicious. They will stop at nothing to rule or ruin, and all that stands between us and them is…you. You, Hero, are our last hope, the last chance we have to salvage a problem that we have let go to far.
The Lord of Darkness would cast the world into endless night, unyielding cold. With the stallion dead and its alicorn harvested, it is only a matter of time before he finds the mare too. His forces, Blix leading the Children of the Night, and Calibos the Unicorn Slayer, grow closer every day. She may be an expert at hiding, and have an entire world in which to run, but there is only so long that luck can last. Once both of the alicorns have been gathered and presented to him, there will be no way to stop the inevitable; if the Nothing does not destroy the world, then the Lord of Darkness will plunge it into everlasting night. Snow will fall, cold will crawl over the land, and everything shall die. The Children of the Night will inherit Hyboria.
Our foes are not aligned in their desires. While Darkness would cascade the world into cold blackness, Ganondorf seeks to rule it. Already he amasses his forces to take Hyrule Castle and seat himself upon the throne, whereupon he can continue to draw his power into himself and bring Hyboria to bend the knee. With the castle captured and Hylia brought to kneel, there’ll be little to stop him from his own bid to gather the Triforce, the Shard of Division, the Master Sword, or anything that would further boost his power and unseat the Childlike Empress as the ruler of Hyboria.
The major factions of Hyboria will not allow this to happen. War threatens to pull the world apart. King Hyrule of Hylia and King Randor of Eternia have gathered their armies and their most powerful allies and are prepared to march should the need arise. With their enemies responding in kind, including hosts amassing near Vader’s Fist and Snake Mountain, and even rumors of an ancient cult reawakening near the Mountain of Power, it seems that the whole world has descended into a magical arms race.
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Become the Legend
While not necessary, it’d be good to have a working knowledge of at least some of the following films, books, and games. I’ve tried to stick with the most accessible and easiest media to brush up on for simplicities sake (i.e. films, shows) (and, to be honest, because a lot of these franchises brought me immense joy as a child and still do to this day!). I’ve tried to list them here in order or greatest importance.
The Dark Crystal
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Legend
The Neverending Story
The Last Unicorn
The Chronicles of Conan
Masters of the Universe
Willow
The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings
Skyrim
The Witcher
Game of Thrones
Star Wars*
If you’re familiar with at least some of these franchises or their characters, themes, and plots, you should be able to mold yourself right into the campaign. This is a long term campaign that has two main quests and multiple major quests to be completed, as well as some minor events to be tackled along the way. There are also triggerable events that can generate new quests and storylines as you progress. Of course, how important your quests are won’t be revealed immediately, though sometimes it’ll be obvious if it’s a major plot point or not.
I love seeing diversity in players and characters, so anyone and everyone is welcome to join! Furthermore, once you join the AURYN campaign, you’ll be given access to ALL of the source books except for Fizban’s and Strixhaven (although I intend to add these soon).
More than anything else, I want to have fun. And I want you to have fun. That’s why people play D&D. With this in mind, I must insist that if you’re the kind of player that is a rules lawyer, stickler, overly confrontational…well, don’t join. If you do, and this sort of fun-killing behavior starts, I’ll eject you from the game. I’m all about constructive disagreements and so forth, but being a butthole will not be tolerated. Neither will sexism, racism, homophobia, or any sort of discrimination against a protected status, or really anyone for any reason, period.
I do prefer that only adults apply.
There will not be any sexual situations in this campaign. Now then, it will be completely acceptable for a character to be romantically seduced (think Jareth seducing Sarah at the ball or Darkness seducing Lili), but it won’t progress further than maybe, maybe a kiss, and then we’ll decide together what is appropriate.
Show me your awesome characters! You want to make a character that is a homage to an existing character, like Daenerys Targaryen or Luke Skywalker? Please PM me first (on DnD Beyond or on Discord at J.F. Capps#7996) so we can make sure the character fits and that someone else isn’t making that character (or that I don’t already have them inserted into the world as an NPC).
As stated previously, your character is a hero in this world, albeit a minor hero (for the moment). This is what I intend for starting characters-
All characters start Level 3
All characters start with 1 Feat (you can have more than 1 in circumstances where provided by the rules of the game like Human Variant)
Milestone leveling up
Access to all sourcebooks except Fizban’s and Strixhaven
Homebrew allowed!
Already includes homebrew for Gelflings
Jedi subclass
Witcher subclass
Rolled Stats (averaging between 80 and 90 total)
Start with equipment that is appropriate for your character
Start with 2 Uncommon Items
All alignments welcome
You MUST have Discord! I’ll be coordinating most of this campaign through Discord, so I’ll add you to our own Discord server where you can roll your stats and we can talk back and forth about what’s going on in-game. I won’t be cluttering up the game play thread with post orders and all that, so you absolutely MUST be paying attention to Discord for this to work.
One last thing; the more effort you put into your character, the more likely you are to get to join. I don’t have a fixed number of players in mind at the moment, but I might run as many as two or three parties so that different groups can tackle different quests.
DO NOT REVEAL YOUR ALIGNMENT OR SPECIFIC MOTIVATIONS IN THIS THREAD! I will request your Alignment, Personality information, and motivations if I’m interested in your character. If we have an evil character that’s going to sabotage things, I want it to be a surprise.
Character Proposal:
Name-
Race- (remember you have access to almost all of the races and subclasses)
Class and Subclass- (remember you have access to almost all of the races and subclasses)
The most powerful weapon in the world is the soul on fire.
Character Proposal: A human man in mourning, whose passions are rekindled by the fading light of a dying goddess, undertakes a quest to restore her strength and, perhaps, his own.
Name- Brevon
Race- Variant Human (Elemental Adept feat)
Class and Subclass- Cleric (Light domain) (custom deity, or GM's choice)
Backstory- In some ways, the Nothing was already upon Brevon. Just one year ago, Brevon's wife, Zellara, drowned herself in the river. Reeling from her untimely death, Brevon was hurled into an endless darkness. Although raised in the church of light, he spent much of his adult life detached from religious zeal. Zellara's death, however, plunged him into the depths of a gloom that only the light of a god could penetrate.
It began with the dreams--nightmares, even. The lady of light spoke to Brevon in the language of fire. In his sleep, the world burned, as everything he knew and loved was erased in a flash of blinding light, searing heat, and scorching smoke. Brevon would wake, screaming and pouring sweat, night after night. Yet soon the dreaming changed. After the destruction, when nothing worldy remained, and his consciousness seemed the only thing in existence, a strange peace settled upon him. He recognized that the raging fires had cleansed the darkness and left an emptiness, a fertile field in which to sow new beginnings. And just as his mind began to form these thoughts, a rising sun appeared on the horizon, illuminating an eternal dawn. The Evening Star.
Brevon woke from these dreams a new man, one with conviction and purpose. And even stranger, this Evening Star, this lady of light, had bestowed him with power. These gifts baffled, even terrified, him. Yet through his continued dreaming he learned that his new purpose in life was to spread the warmth of her glory. And so Brevon obeyed, traveling the haunted wilds, taking up causes in her name, and speaking to all he met of the limitless power and glory of his lady.
But then, the sickness fell upon him. A minor affliction that Brevon at first dismissed. He grew weak, his appetite failed, and his physical form began to wither. Yet, despite this physical deterioration, a strange insomnia fell upon him. At times, he simply felt too tired to sleep. This conditioned worsened until eventually he was deprived of it altogether.
He could not sleep.
He could not dream.
His connection to his lady severed, the powers gifted upon Brevon began to fade. His divine connection with the light began to falter and Brevon struggled to remember the warmth of his dreams.
In desperation, in panic, he set fire to his home and all his worldly possessions. In despair, he entered the blaze, prepared to offer himself as a burning tribute to his goddess. To reunite with Zellara. The heat and smoke overcame him, and he lost consciousness. And there, in the burning darkness between life and death, she blessed him with another dream.
His Evening Star was fading. The coming twilight of the world threatened her very being. The Nothing. The Dark Crystal. The Empress.
Brevon woke among the ruins of his home, now a tomb of ash. Yet while his clothes and possessions were singed, he was unharmed. And he understood his duty. His lady’s own existence in peril, she was in need of him, just as he needed her. He would surely die without her light, and he would do anything to restore it.
Now, as he seeks to fight back the creeping darkness and haunted past that threaten his own sanity, he also struggles to reclaim the now-dying light of lost dreaming.
alright, here comes my force-wielding, snail racing, “Sorsha is my dream girl” character… lol jk, but maybe. Work in progress.
But I do have a question! I’m a fan of discord, but I’m not sure what sort of post frequency you’re looking for. You said that we MUST be paying attention to it. Well, I check between 1 and 3 times a day. Is that enough or are you looking for literally: we MUST be ready to post at any time?
Name- Svildoon Race- LOXODON Class and Subclass- Druid (circle of wildfire) Backstory:
Svildoon has lived in the wild lands most of his life. He is a slow-to-anger, soft-spoken, and quite imposing-looking protecter of the wilds. Calling on powers of flame and fire, he has appointed himself as the guardian of his own slice of the world. Recieving the call for aid, he turned over the duties of protection to those he thought capable, and has traveled to answer those summons.
Name: Chuba Treewalker Kashikatake Race: Goliath Class and Subclass: Barbarian (Path of the Ancestral Guardian) Backstory: Chuba Treewalker Kashikatake is a quiet, humble, and fiercely loyal female goliath who lived a quiet life with her tribe. She grew to be a formidable fighter. She was rewarded a pivotal role in the tribe's battling sect when she almost single-handedly turned back a raiding troupe of bandits and owlbears.
She wed Hanath Tribestriker and had dreams of having children and raising them in their tribe. However, while she was on a sojourn to the clan's sacred stone, the tribe was brutally attacked by a paranoid and vicious mage (known to Chuba only as The Smoking One) and his goblinoid army. Chuba returned from her sojourn to a tribal home in ruins and only a stone shard by which to remember her heritage.
Being forced into the world alone, Chuba vowed to be an asset to a small party of adventurers to whom she would be fiercely loyal if they proved themselves. With her, she takes her memories and the training of her ancestors.
Orin was born two months early to Emily and Frea. The mid-wife said there was no hope and left the child to peacefully die in a box by the cellar door. When his mother had recovered, she looked for her child, but he was not in the bassinet her husband had made for their child. She began to call out for the midwife, but she had left without a word. When Emily began to look frantically for her child she found his body laid in a box. She picked him up and he was cold to touch and lifeless. She clutched him close and wept uncontrollably. She called out to the Gods “WHY!”. Through her tears she saw a soft glow that grew brighter and brighter. Then she heard a voice all around her that said “I HAVE NEED OF THIS ONE.” The child took its first breath and color returned to its face and arms. Emily wept, this time for joy and thanks. She treasured this moment in her heart throughout his youth.
Orin was a typical child, nothing out of the ordinary. Most people scoffed at his mother’s recount of his birth, but she held fast that the Gods had need of him. However, Orin had a way with mechanical things. He could fix things no matter the problem or could make new things that no one had ever imagined. Whenever he would come across something he had never seen before he would close his eyes and pray and the knowledge would come to him.
Even though he was safe he had dreams of the Childlike Empress. She was calling for help and a dark lord (Lord of Darkness) was spreading a dark fog across this far off land. He would often wake with a start. It bothered him. So many things came easy but where was this land that seemed to call to him. In the middle of the night he woke with an unworkable design but it vexed him so he got up and went to his workshop and there he stayed for 5 days straight assembling this thing he had no idea why it even functioned. When he finished he held in his hand a compass. He knew this compass was pointing the way to Childlike Empress and his destiny.
He is a wizard’s pupil who left the Scriptorium where he trained to find Rael, his fellow student, who has disappeared. He has taken the adventurer’s path to gain enough power to find Rael and save her, if need be.
Backstory- Greko is the "wizard" of the woods that lived in the enchanted forest with the various fey and last remaining unicorns. When the Lord of Darkness sent his minions to the forest to slay the unicorns, Greko fought alongside other fey to protect them. Ultimately Greko failed as one of the unicorns was killed. He was able to fight the goblins off long enough to allow the last unicorn to escape. He too escaped the woods using the stars to find shelter in a town of halflings who were kind and spirited. He stayed until he regained his energy and continued on his journey until he heard the call from the Empress of a creation of a fellowship to save the realm. As the Green "wizard" of the realm, he felt it was destiny calling him to aid those younger souls in this journey to save the realm.
Excellent presentation, you have peaked my interest!
Name: Zhervius
Race: Protector Aasimar
Class and Subclass: Monk / Way of the Kensai
Backstory: Zhervius was placed in this world to serve as a guardian of law and good. As a follower of Tyr, god of justice, he is expected to strike at evil, lead by example, and further the cause of justice. He is charged by the powers of good to guard the weak, to strike at evil wherever it arises, and to stand vigilant against the darkness. From a young age, he received advice and directives that urge to stand against evil. He spent his life in the service of the temple to Tyr. He was charged to act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. Balancing this responsibility, Zhervius was trained in the way of the Kensai Monk, honing his fighting skills.
(This may not fit too well but I'm open to make changes)
Character Proposal: A legend of the flute. Sworn defender of the ice. Lover of all things fluffy. And, just a tad bit cooky.
Name- Tuto
Race- Gnome
Class andSubclass - Bard
Backstory- Deep in the valleys of the frost fang mountains, the people tell tale of a being that plays with wolves and sings bears to sleep. A creature that warns people of danger and dances with children. A song that brings pleasant dreams and heals the mind.
A song.
A ward.
A friendly face.
The people of the valley don't know what it is, only catching glimpses of shadow in the blizzards and odd footprints in the snow. Could it be a child? A fey? Whatever it is, one thing they understand is that it helps.
A resent story came from a band of fishermen; They had to camp out for a few nights due to bad weather, and supplies were running short. Then there were the screams that came from above. Screams that meant death. Three vultures maybe twice the size of dire wolves descend. They tore at their tents and their sleigh dogs. They had two options: Stay and fight or run for some cover. Neither had a decent chance of survival.
Then the song came.
That beautiful flute. It somehow came in tune with the wind pounding at their ears. No. That was their heartbeat. Whatever fear had them in place was melted away. They could survive. They CAN survive. And, if it wasn't obvious already, they did. Some lives were lost, but the battle was one. And in the distance, one of them could spot a small figure in the clearing. Glowing blue eyes. It looked like it was wearing fur. Just about as tall as a toddler.
It waved at them. Then dissapeared.
As of late, their haven been sightings of it, and things in the valleys have gotten a bit intense. Creatures becoming more restless. Days becoming shorter. The people of frostfang are becoming worried. And just when that happens, a familiar song will slip through the mountains, through the trees, and into their hearts. It keeps them going, knowing that whatever force has been protecting them still is.
Your world building is amazing! I have one question. Do Jareth the Goblin King and his labyrinth exist in your universe?
I am torn between servant of goblin king ( a Sorcerer or Warlock ) and Nomad warrior who worshipping Luck Dragon as their totem ( a Drakewarden Ranger ). Please give me some information to make a decision.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 91111121614
Ability scores: 1177111311
Ability scores: 151314131015
Character Proposal: A light hearted trickster that likes to pull pranks and mess around with people.
Name- Autumn Fawn
Race- Fairy
Class and Subclass- Rogue (Arcane Trickster)
background: urchin
Backstory- Autumn was orphaned at 6, her parents were suddenly killed by a drug addict that wanted pixie dust when they were out shopping one nigjt. Her babysitter left her after waiting a day with no reply from her parents, leaving Autumn behind to fend for herself. Not knowing what happened to her parents, she escaped from her home and traveled the streets to find them. When she went to a guard that is when she learned the terrible news, and she fled to an ally where an urchin boy found her. The urchin boy’s name was Julian and his oarents abandoned him when he was you ger. Over many months he showed her various tricks as to how to live on the streets. That is when she found her love for pickpocketing and pulling pranks on people. She buries her worst feelings down, botteling them up and refusing to let anyone find her in that vulerable state ever again. She acts cheerful and mischevious when she’s coving up the fact she still misses her parents. Her pranks are harmless, but can get very annoying to those that suffer it. Eventually the urchin boy showed her the thieves guild whom welcomed her in open arms and treated her like thier child. With their help she learned how to use magic to knick items, which she was able to knick some items for the guild but also herself, she was able to eventually use mage hand to steal a cloak and some googles, and some other assorted items that went to the guild. She has one code that she will not break: don’t steal from fellow thieves, as they are like a family to her.
The darkness, while good for a thief was overwhelming and the monsters are more violent. Fearing that what happened to her parents will happen again to someone elses, she knew she had to do something. She will steal back the light and bring it back to the world.
My first attempt at PbP DnD or more accurately DnD in general. I've played it shortly a few times but nothing quite serious or long term. I hope you'll have me despite my inexperience. I know how to get by gameplay-wise but there are probably many things I still do not know and I am open to learning. To counterbalance, I've done many PbP roleplaying games.
I am playing a Noble Eladrin, also known as the Fey Eladrin. My backstory mostly makes assumptions about the Feywild, which I can freely correct at the DM's demands for the wonderful mixed world they've established. I feel this is necessary to properly introduce the character's backstory. The Eladrin setting had entranced me but while very interesting, it remained purposefully vague. I hope I didn't overstep.
Name: Lelith Iathrana
Race: Elf (Noble Eladrin Variant)
Class: Ranger - Fey Wanderer
Backstory:
The Feywild, a plane parallel to the material one filled with magical wonders and cruel fey as one might imagine from the name. Its mysterious landscapes lead to wondrous groves and nightmarish encounters in equal measure. The fey have an intrinsic understanding of the Feywild. They understand that the Feywild is dangerous, and so must they be - cold and calculating like the huge wild beasts that roam their beloved forests. It is this plane that Lelith calls home, the Eladrin are one of many inhabitants and they are notably a reclusive kind of elves that does not deign offer any attention to the material plane, even less to their inhabitants. There, they are divided into Seasonal Courts; the Winter Court from which Helelith hails are known to be pensive and melancholic individuals. There are the Summer, Autumn, and Spring Courts, as well. Each had their own Fey Queen or King. They had their differences but they shared an understanding as one people in the Feywild, they often acted as one entity if possible to outsiders.
Lelith as an individual elf is driven and mulish, a decision is final and none may dissuade her of it, while not totally impossible if said decision is proven to be utterly foolish. Many of the inhabitants of the Feywild are akin to devils in a way, they do not lie nor cheat, but each of their words are carefully crafted. Spoken words and intent have meaning and power in that plane, as well as titles. As such, one can understand how such a trait came to be seen as stubbornness in the more forgiving material plane where people may promise anything or call themselves anything with no consequences. Lelith judges people as much by their actions as their words, in fact to her words are akin to performed actions. She does not trust easily as a consequence. Ironically enough, coming from such an environment, one could almost consider her sincere as she would never pretend to be something she isn't.
From her early childhood, Lelith had a detached interest in the material plane. Not of its inhabitants' customs, culture, and politics... But of its nature, its life, its ecosystem, much like a gardener or a custodian, using the Feywild as a medium to cross vast distances she tended to Hyboria mostly focusing on magical locations of interest. She saw the material plane as a playground or a garden, and to an extent, she included the intelligent races dwelling there. With the mindset of "I worked the land, I love the land, and I will protect the land". She would protect those who could not protect themselves. She did not truly see any of the inhabitants as 'people' or 'individuals' but merely an extension of the ecosystem, creatures who all contribute in some way or another to its diversity and vibrancy, that is not to say she did not acknowledge their intelligence. She merely did not put herself on the same pedestal as them in a probably infuriating holier-than-thou mindset often shown by fey and to a certain extent elves. She looks down upon all kind of things she considers unnatural, chimeras and hybrids namely. Including half-elves.
Occasionally, other than observing, she would be forced to act when something threatened the balance of her dearest interest, much like cutting off dead weed from a beautiful landscape. She would come to be known locally in some regions for her efforts but recent events had tipped the scale, a mere 'hobby' had come to the interest of the Fey Courts and Lelith was one of the few who roamed the material plane. The threat held by the Lord of Darkness and other such individuals as well as the weakening of magic through the Dark Crystal was extremely concerning to them but ultimately they were outsiders. They could not march anywhere wantonly, but the call of the Childlike Empress offered an opportunity. To send an agent who is very familiar with the material plane (from their perspective) to answer the call and work toward saving the world, the Fey Courts having now a close ear on the events.
In the case of Lelith, from mere occasional hero to some small villages or cities to potential saviour of the world was a big leap enforced upon her but even without the Fey Courts' encouragement, she had her own motivations to take a step forward and do her own part in securing a future for her beloved 'garden'.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoP3mnUt0fGYUtnuWdEZ6VlrcquU_JpQ7
A soundtrack to get those creative juices flowing...
AURYN: The Crystal, the Triforce, and the Shard of Division
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AURYN
Also known as the Golden Eyed Commander of Wishes, AURYN signifies the will of the Childlike Empress, who is the living embodiment of the world. Whoever wears an AURYN amulet is recognized across all Hyboria as an emissary of the Empress, usually for good, though sometimes for ill. Furthermore, the wearer can call upon the capabilities of AURYN while wearing the amulet in an effort to petition for cosmic intervention in their times of need, though these may not always be answered.
Often bestowed as a sign of trust and good faith from the Empress, AURYN is universally recognized in all of the high courts of Hyboria as a symbol of peacekeeping.
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The World is Ending
Hyboria is in peril.
The Dark Crystal, the ever present, all powerful source of magic that maintains the natural and magical order of the world, has weakened to an unsustainable state of degeneration after being damaged a thousand years ago. Without its influence to keep the order, many powerful enemies who have previously been relegated to skulking in the shadows have been emboldened to rise up and vie for control of Hyboria, seizing their moment to cause potential cataclysmic shifts in power. Worse than that is the Blight and the Darkening, precursors of the Nothing, a hurricane of destruction that will remove great swaths of the land from existence before totally annihilating the entire world.
The Childlike Empress, sickened by the world’s fall from grace, harkens across the land for all of Hyboria’s heroes, what few there are, to convene with her at the Ivory Tower so that a fellowship may be formed to offset these fluctuations. The task is overwhelming and multifaceted; to stop these nefarious forces from achieving their goals while also gathering some of the most powerful artifacts in existence. Only then can everyone and everything be saved.
These heroes will have to travel the globe and gather the three fragments of the Triforce as well as the Shard of Division, the missing sliver of the Crystal that has been gone for a thousand trine. When the pieces of the Triforce are combined beneath the Crystal of Truth, they will manifest the power necessary to recombine the Shard and the Dark Crystal into the Crystal of Truth, the pure source of life and energy for all Hyboria.
The task will not be easy. The materials required for such a monumental job are scattered throughout the entire world. Most are guarded by men or monsters that would give their lives to keep them where they are, and it is unlikely that anyone operating in the name of the Skeksis would allow the heroes to gain access to these items without a fight. On top of that, the political dynamic and military environment of the world is rapidly changing, declining into a dangerous state of aggression and unrest. There are others who would just as well have these items for themselves, and will stop at nothing to get them.
The Lord of Darkness, bent on the destruction of his greatest nemesis, light itself, has dispatched a band of Hobgoblins loyal to his cause to destroy the unicorns and dispel the sun once and for all. It is this banner that allows him to attract the fell things of Hyboria that share his ideologies. Worse still, Calibos, hunter of fey things and enemy of the forces of good, has aligned himself with the Dark Lord and intends to see his bidding done.
Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, an avid practitioner of dark magic and power hungry warlord from the depths of the Gerudo Desert, has set his eyes on capturing Hyrule Castle and the three pieces of the Triforce for himself, and more if he can find it. Intent on being the sole ruler of the land and unifying all he may survey for his own purposes, he has positioned himself to be a nigh unstoppable force of harm in Hyboria.
And these are only a few of the foes who have crawled from the chaos to conquer Hyboria. With whisperings of malicious forces guised with names like Keldor, Lord Vader, and Thulsa Doom, it all seems very daunting indeed. But all is not lost. The forces of good, names like King Hyrule and King Randor, the Childlike Empress, and even Augrah herself, circle their defenses, intent on raising the appropriate means to protect Hyboria from falling into endless twilight or, worse still, Nothingness.
“AURYN: The Crystal, The Triforce, and the Shard of Division” is the story of Hyboria, a living world comprised heavily of elements from “The Legend of Zelda”, “The Dark Crystal”, “The Neverending Story”, “Legend”, “The Last Unicorn”, “Labyrinth”, and more. I’ve worked to find interesting ways to combine these elements and have specifically looked at their similar themes, such as the mare unicorn from “Legend” and Lady Amalthea from “The Last Unicorn” becoming the same character in this story.
The world is populated with all manner of beings, from those included in the 5 Edition Source Books to more obscure beings from the mish-mashed elements here; Brownies, Fairies, stuff like that. Some races, such as the Hylians, may be represented by Elves, whereas others, like the Kokiri, might be represented by Gnomes. NPCs abound, be them good or evil. They will react reasonably to your actions; if you burn down the local inn at a town that is mostly lawful good, for example, the police force will come for you and you’ll have to decide how you want to proceed, either through violence of surrender. In contrast, if you if do something good for the NPCs of a village, town, city, or whatever, they will remember your kindness and may rewarded you justly.
Your enemies are vast in number. You may encounter threats in the world that are mundane, like bandits in the wild or marauding goblins, or you may come up with very smart, well organized, and deadly opposition that directly reports to one of the bigger threats like Darkness or Ganondorf. There is also the possibility that you could uncover a new threat, something else deadlier and more cunning than anything you previously known about as it plots to enter the world stage.
Or you could even create the threat yourself.
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The Crystal
All of Hyboria centers around the Dark Crystal, formerly known as the Crystal of Truth, the corporeal embodiment of all the magic in the land. Imbued with endless power, the Crystal’s existence maintains the balance of the whole world, of all of nature and of all the magic practiced by the denizens of Hyboria. Now controlled by the vicious Skeksis after their physical split from the urRu, the Crystal is the most powerful object known to exist, and though it doesn’t grant tangible requests like the Triforce does, it does feed the Triforce it’s enchantment.
With the Skeksis in direct control of the Crystal Palace, also known as the Castle of the Crystal, any attempt by an outside interference to interrupt or disrupt their hold on the Crystal is unlikely. The castle is guarded by magical traps and an immense horde of Arathim and Garthim that, so far, have prevented any other faction from capturing control.
As the Childlike Empress rallies heroes to save Hyboria, it is apparent that the Crystal will soon, very soon, become the center of a contest that could determine the fate of the world and everyone in it.
Broken by the Skeksis abuses, the Crystal shed a piece, the Shard of Division, and it is said that this missing piece, and the Crystal of Truth’s diminishment, have not only led to the uprising of so many nefarious forces across Hyboria, but also the arrival of the mysterious Blight and Darkening, precursors of the Nothing that is rumored to be consuming not just pockets of the world, but existence itself.
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You Are The Heroes
The Childlike Empress has summoned all the great heroes of Hyboria to the Ivory Tower for an emergency council. Her objective: to send them forth to save the world.
You are an established hero of this world. While not the savior of the whole plain (yet), you’ve certainly risen to at least one challenge, be it for a village, town, city, or county. Not all heroism is an act of martial prowess either. Maybe you are a scholar who found the cure for a plague, or a holy woman who united a district in the name of the greater good. Maybe you’re an inventor who developed a new form of metallurgy or smithing, an amazing flying ship, or a fantastical projectile weapon. Or did you return the flora and fauna to the desolation that has been barren for decades? Or the mage who find a way to enchant the local water supply so that it never runs out?
There is more to being a hero than being a warrior. It is clear that it takes adventurers from all walks of life to ensure the accomplishment of this mission. So ask yourself…who will you be?
You can be almost any sort of character you want for this campaign within the bounds of reason. When you join this campaign, you’ll be given a campaign link which will grant you access to ALL of the sourcebooks except for Strixhaven and Fizban’s. Content sharing is enabled. I’m open to homebrew, but we’ll need to discuss how it works first.
You’ll start at level 3, allowing you to get somewhat of a grip on who you want your character to be. Unless you multiclass, this should at least allow you to get your Race / Class / Subclass figured out from the beginning. Ability Scores will be rolled. This campaign relies on its own personal Discord server for coordinating information and dice rolls. The Avrae bot is ready to go and has been programmed to give you three sets of rolled dice when you request them. These rolls are generous, a reflection of your character’s life in the world as he or she prepares for their next adventure.
An adventurer who has been living in the world will probably have some possessions that are important to them. You can begin the game with 2 Uncommon Items (the green ones when you Add Items).
There are a lot of opportunities to improve your character as they adventure around the world. I fully intend to allow training and educational opportunities for your characters, so if you plan to learn a new Language or improve an Ability Score or learn a new Feat between leveling up, just communicate with me so we can figure out what you need to do to make that happen.
Speaking of Feats, all characters will start with 1. For some builds, this means you could enter the game with at least two Feats. Variant Human, for example.
I know this sort of starting mechanic isn’t for everyone and that some folks feel like starting with good bonuses cheapens the game, but here’s my argument; you play DnD to have a good time and do cool shit. As your Dungeon Master, I’m here to make sure you get what you need to do said cool shit. Again, you’re a hero. You’ve been living in the world. You’re going to have done more than learn the basics by this point.
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The Triforce
Scattered to the winds, the Triforce grants extraordinary wishes to whosoever should unite the pieces. The Triforce of Power, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Courage are separated to the different continents of Hyboria and their locations are not only secret, but also guarded by all manner of horrific monster and machination. The hunt for them, by both friend and foe of the world, never ends.
It is said that Ganondorf, King of Thieves, musters forces in the Gerudo Desert with the intention of capturing the three pieces of the Triforce and uniting them for himself.
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The Shard of the Division
The Shard of Division was separated from the Crystal of Truth many years ago when the Skeksis first split from the urRu. The Shard fell into the vast subterranean catacombs beneath the Castle of the Crystal and was lost.
It has never been found.
**********
Here There Be Dragons
The land is home to many vast and diverse ecosystems, each teaming with many varieties of life, some mundane, others exotic and dangerous. Heroes are warned to use caution as they venture into parts of the wilderness where no man has gone in many trine. The races are almost as numerous in variety as they are in individuals. Creatures great and small, plants that can hardly be imagined, even things from other plains of existence and from the depths of Subternia, the paradise of Preternia, or the voids of Etheria, populate the surface of the world, the depths of its oceans, and the darkness of its underground caverns.
Mighty dragons roam the hills in search of treasure to add to their hordes or meat for their bellies. The Tarrasque appears near the time of the Conjunctions to raid villages. Rocs, once used as warmounts by Giants, nest in the mountains. There is a rumor that a Kraken is terrorizing the coastal cities worldwide. And what’s worse, there are whispers in circles of knowing that something else is trying to get in from Etheria, something of immense evil.
The Dark Crystal, its power having dipped below some sort of unknown threshold that kept the world mostly in order, is no longer able to keep these myriad threats in check. The natural order is deteriorating rapidly. As natural and magical ecosystems fail the creatures that rely on them for sustenance flux out of their normal routines and venture out for survival, often bringing them in deadly contact with people. Encountering a monster is no longer a matter of if, but rather when, and it seems that problem will only continue to amplify.
Not every encounter need be a combat encounter. You encounter a Goblin patrol in the woods? Try talking with them. It might not work, but then again it might. There’s also no shame in running from an encounter you know you and your party are not equipped to face.
Monster encounters will increase in frequency the closer the world comes to ending. Conversely, the more that is done to restore balance, the safer the lands will be. It is possible to encounter nearly any CR level of monster at any PC level, so be careful where you go! If you know an Ancient Dragon has been sighted in its lair at the top of a specific mountain you plan to explore, then perhaps that means it is time to turn back…for now.
There is also a high probability that many of these monsters you encounter could be working for enemy forces, supporting the efforts of characters like Ganondorf, who will stop at nothing to secure his seat on the Hylian throne and to capture the three pieces of the Triforce for himself, or even lesser villains like Calibos, who hunts the Last Unicorn for the Lord of Darkness. These boss type NPCs will be very prominent in the story of “AURYN”, so be prepared to encounter some or even all of them in your journeys.
Also, keep in mind that a high number of monster encounters are really just encounters with what is essentially an animal in this world. You may not recognize it immediately as an animal, but remember that this is a complex ecosystem different from our own. There are a lot of strange creatures that live here, and many of them will behave like animals. Not every fight will be a fight to the death. Maybe just leaving the area will deescalate the situation. And remember what I said about talking to goblins? The same thing can be said for the more intelligent monsters too; don’t just view them as monsters. Like some monsters being animals, some may be viewed as people.
It is also very possible, as I alluded a moment ago, that some monsters may not be malicious at all. Some may even be allies to the cause. Attacking them unnecessarily could severely hamper relations with their kind should you need their help later.
Have a hankering for a unique mount? Use your animal handling skills to try to tame something unusual…as long as it isn’t of evil alignment or otherwise obviously hostile.
One last thing. Remember when I said ‘not every fight has to be a fight to the death’? You can die. Your characters can be killed in this world, either through accident, trap, combat, condition, or disease. Never forget that.
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The Alicorn
The Lord of Darkness, leader of a cult of goblin’s and fell things that wish nothing more than to plunge the world into eternal night, has killed one of the two unicorns left in all the world. The death of the stallion, and the theft of its horn, the alicorn, has begun a race against time to stop Darkness from laying his hands on the horn, and gaining control of the mare’s alicorn while he’s at it.
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A World of Old Magic
Dungeons delve into the depths of the world, catacomb the mountains and stand as timeless ruins in the vast forests. They are built as testaments to the powers of old gods and old civilization, as defenses for artifacts of unimaginable power, and relics of dead communities. They are filled with elaborate traps and nigh unsolvable puzzles. They hold treasures of immense worth and secrets kept so well that they have long been forgotten by the minds and writings of people worldwide.
Powerful weapons have been imbued with the wealth of forces like the Dark Crystal and Castle Grayskull. The Master Sword is only one of these items. There are magical artifacts, armor, weapons, wands and staffs, and things undreamed of by man in many a trine scattered all about the world. Some are mundane. Some wield world altering power. Of these, The Master Sword, the Sword of Power, and the Ocarina of Time are some of the most prominent.
Basic magical items are very common and are often handed down as heirlooms in families, especially families with prominent names and histories of heroism. It is actually more common for families and names like this to come with such hand-me-down weapons, armor, and items than not.
It’s not just artifacts that lay around enchanted. Whole forests are known to be magical, as well as caverns, mountains, seas, and dungeons themselves. Enchantments are numerous and, in many cases, very dangerous, though occasionally some are mundane or even helpful. Still, adventurers should explore with caution and an open mind.
Remember to start with two Uncommon Items. These can be pretty much anything green listed in the inventory section of character creation. These starting Uncommon Items can also be Homebrew, but please take note!- if you want a Homebrew Uncommon Item, either your design or someone else’s, you need to clear this with me first. Send me a PM here or on Discord at J.F. Capps#7996 and we can discuss.
I am a big proponent of allowing players to do cool stuff. I am also a big proponent of bending the rules to supplement this desire to allow you to do cool stuff and to maximize the joy of character development and game play. There are tons of cool magic items, cool spells, cool Feats, just cool stuff in general that we need to take advantage of.
Of course, to offset this, I’ve designed “AURYN” to be unforgiving. Your character can die (we’ll talk about this again later) pretty early on, in the right encounter, and can easily bite off more than they can chew as they are forced up against insurmountable odds, so I feel like these good starting bonuses are justified.
Remember, too, that the world is full of these items. They are in dungeons ready to be earned as loot, in towns and villages ready to be handed out as rewards, or may even come to the characters who are lucky enough to be heard by AURYN.
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The Last Unicorn
The last unicorn, the mare who was able to avoid the goblins sent by the Lord of Darkness to slay her and her mate, has fled the Enchanted Forest in search of safety. Her time grows short, however, as Darkness rallies the children of the night to his cause; to kill her, take her alicorn, and dispel the light for all eternity. She is also hunted relentlessly by King Haggard and his ensorcelled thrall, the Red Bull. She is alone, frightened, and in need of rescue before she can be destroyed, and with her, all life in Hyboria.
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The Nothing
The Nothing is the beginning of the end. Not just of Hyboria, but all of the reality in which the world and its inhabitants exist. With threats emerging all across Hyboria and heroes, whose lot have been seldom needed, in short supply, it is no wonder that this indescribable, unstoppable force would emerge as an ultimate equalizer. It seems that the Nothing is extremely limited for now, but many influential people, including the Childlike Empress, Auhgra, and Gandalf, have warned of the appearance of its precursor, known as the Darkening or Blight, that may be seen before something disappears.
**********
A Lion At The Front Door And A Wolf At The Back
Our foes are myriad and many, mighty and malicious. They will stop at nothing to rule or ruin, and all that stands between us and them is…you. You, Hero, are our last hope, the last chance we have to salvage a problem that we have let go to far.
The Lord of Darkness would cast the world into endless night, unyielding cold. With the stallion dead and its alicorn harvested, it is only a matter of time before he finds the mare too. His forces, Blix leading the Children of the Night, and Calibos the Unicorn Slayer, grow closer every day. She may be an expert at hiding, and have an entire world in which to run, but there is only so long that luck can last. Once both of the alicorns have been gathered and presented to him, there will be no way to stop the inevitable; if the Nothing does not destroy the world, then the Lord of Darkness will plunge it into everlasting night. Snow will fall, cold will crawl over the land, and everything shall die. The Children of the Night will inherit Hyboria.
Our foes are not aligned in their desires. While Darkness would cascade the world into cold blackness, Ganondorf seeks to rule it. Already he amasses his forces to take Hyrule Castle and seat himself upon the throne, whereupon he can continue to draw his power into himself and bring Hyboria to bend the knee. With the castle captured and Hylia brought to kneel, there’ll be little to stop him from his own bid to gather the Triforce, the Shard of Division, the Master Sword, or anything that would further boost his power and unseat the Childlike Empress as the ruler of Hyboria.
The major factions of Hyboria will not allow this to happen. War threatens to pull the world apart. King Hyrule of Hylia and King Randor of Eternia have gathered their armies and their most powerful allies and are prepared to march should the need arise. With their enemies responding in kind, including hosts amassing near Vader’s Fist and Snake Mountain, and even rumors of an ancient cult reawakening near the Mountain of Power, it seems that the whole world has descended into a magical arms race.
**********
Become the Legend
While not necessary, it’d be good to have a working knowledge of at least some of the following films, books, and games. I’ve tried to stick with the most accessible and easiest media to brush up on for simplicities sake (i.e. films, shows) (and, to be honest, because a lot of these franchises brought me immense joy as a child and still do to this day!). I’ve tried to list them here in order or greatest importance.
If you’re familiar with at least some of these franchises or their characters, themes, and plots, you should be able to mold yourself right into the campaign. This is a long term campaign that has two main quests and multiple major quests to be completed, as well as some minor events to be tackled along the way. There are also triggerable events that can generate new quests and storylines as you progress. Of course, how important your quests are won’t be revealed immediately, though sometimes it’ll be obvious if it’s a major plot point or not.
I love seeing diversity in players and characters, so anyone and everyone is welcome to join! Furthermore, once you join the AURYN campaign, you’ll be given access to ALL of the source books except for Fizban’s and Strixhaven (although I intend to add these soon).
More than anything else, I want to have fun. And I want you to have fun. That’s why people play D&D. With this in mind, I must insist that if you’re the kind of player that is a rules lawyer, stickler, overly confrontational…well, don’t join. If you do, and this sort of fun-killing behavior starts, I’ll eject you from the game. I’m all about constructive disagreements and so forth, but being a butthole will not be tolerated. Neither will sexism, racism, homophobia, or any sort of discrimination against a protected status, or really anyone for any reason, period.
I do prefer that only adults apply.
There will not be any sexual situations in this campaign. Now then, it will be completely acceptable for a character to be romantically seduced (think Jareth seducing Sarah at the ball or Darkness seducing Lili), but it won’t progress further than maybe, maybe a kiss, and then we’ll decide together what is appropriate.
Show me your awesome characters! You want to make a character that is a homage to an existing character, like Daenerys Targaryen or Luke Skywalker? Please PM me first (on DnD Beyond or on Discord at J.F. Capps#7996) so we can make sure the character fits and that someone else isn’t making that character (or that I don’t already have them inserted into the world as an NPC).
As stated previously, your character is a hero in this world, albeit a minor hero (for the moment). This is what I intend for starting characters-
You MUST have Discord! I’ll be coordinating most of this campaign through Discord, so I’ll add you to our own Discord server where you can roll your stats and we can talk back and forth about what’s going on in-game. I won’t be cluttering up the game play thread with post orders and all that, so you absolutely MUST be paying attention to Discord for this to work.
One last thing; the more effort you put into your character, the more likely you are to get to join. I don’t have a fixed number of players in mind at the moment, but I might run as many as two or three parties so that different groups can tackle different quests.
DO NOT REVEAL YOUR ALIGNMENT OR SPECIFIC MOTIVATIONS IN THIS THREAD! I will request your Alignment, Personality information, and motivations if I’m interested in your character. If we have an evil character that’s going to sabotage things, I want it to be a surprise.
Character Proposal:
Name-
Race- (remember you have access to almost all of the races and subclasses)
Class and Subclass- (remember you have access to almost all of the races and subclasses)
Backstory-
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
One of the best recruitments I've ever seen. Not sure if I will be able to apply, but I just want to compliment what you've done here. Kudos!
I really appreciate that. Thank you!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
JFCapps!!! You weren’t kidding when you said you have been working on this for awhile! This is incredible!
I told you haha. Hopefully it lives up to my hype.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
The most powerful weapon in the world is the soul on fire.
Character Proposal: A human man in mourning, whose passions are rekindled by the fading light of a dying goddess, undertakes a quest to restore her strength and, perhaps, his own.
Name- Brevon
Race- Variant Human (Elemental Adept feat)
Class and Subclass- Cleric (Light domain) (custom deity, or GM's choice)
Backstory- In some ways, the Nothing was already upon Brevon. Just one year ago, Brevon's wife, Zellara, drowned herself in the river. Reeling from her untimely death, Brevon was hurled into an endless darkness. Although raised in the church of light, he spent much of his adult life detached from religious zeal. Zellara's death, however, plunged him into the depths of a gloom that only the light of a god could penetrate.
It began with the dreams--nightmares, even. The lady of light spoke to Brevon in the language of fire. In his sleep, the world burned, as everything he knew and loved was erased in a flash of blinding light, searing heat, and scorching smoke. Brevon would wake, screaming and pouring sweat, night after night. Yet soon the dreaming changed. After the destruction, when nothing worldy remained, and his consciousness seemed the only thing in existence, a strange peace settled upon him. He recognized that the raging fires had cleansed the darkness and left an emptiness, a fertile field in which to sow new beginnings. And just as his mind began to form these thoughts, a rising sun appeared on the horizon, illuminating an eternal dawn. The Evening Star.
Brevon woke from these dreams a new man, one with conviction and purpose. And even stranger, this Evening Star, this lady of light, had bestowed him with power. These gifts baffled, even terrified, him. Yet through his continued dreaming he learned that his new purpose in life was to spread the warmth of her glory. And so Brevon obeyed, traveling the haunted wilds, taking up causes in her name, and speaking to all he met of the limitless power and glory of his lady.
But then, the sickness fell upon him. A minor affliction that Brevon at first dismissed. He grew weak, his appetite failed, and his physical form began to wither. Yet, despite this physical deterioration, a strange insomnia fell upon him. At times, he simply felt too tired to sleep. This conditioned worsened until eventually he was deprived of it altogether.
He could not sleep.
He could not dream.
His connection to his lady severed, the powers gifted upon Brevon began to fade. His divine connection with the light began to falter and Brevon struggled to remember the warmth of his dreams.
In desperation, in panic, he set fire to his home and all his worldly possessions. In despair, he entered the blaze, prepared to offer himself as a burning tribute to his goddess. To reunite with Zellara. The heat and smoke overcame him, and he lost consciousness. And there, in the burning darkness between life and death, she blessed him with another dream.
His Evening Star was fading. The coming twilight of the world threatened her very being. The Nothing. The Dark Crystal. The Empress.
Brevon woke among the ruins of his home, now a tomb of ash. Yet while his clothes and possessions were singed, he was unharmed. And he understood his duty. His lady’s own existence in peril, she was in need of him, just as he needed her. He would surely die without her light, and he would do anything to restore it.
Now, as he seeks to fight back the creeping darkness and haunted past that threaten his own sanity, he also struggles to reclaim the now-dying light of lost dreaming.
Ability scores: 13 15 14 12 14 14
Ability scores: 13 11 17 10 11 16
Ability scores: 14 15 16 5 8 18
alright, here comes my force-wielding, snail racing, “Sorsha is my dream girl” character… lol jk, but maybe. Work in progress.
But I do have a question! I’m a fan of discord, but I’m not sure what sort of post frequency you’re looking for. You said that we MUST be paying attention to it. Well, I check between 1 and 3 times a day. Is that enough or are you looking for literally: we MUST be ready to post at any time?
Paladin - warforged - orange
Don't worry about rolling dice here.
We'll post the actual campaign here. Discord is only for ooc coordination. As long as you check it once or twice a day that'd be perfect.
I'd love to see a force wielding snail racing Sorsha lol
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Name- Svildoon
Race- LOXODON
Class and Subclass- Druid (circle of wildfire)
Backstory:
Svildoon has lived in the wild lands most of his life. He is a slow-to-anger, soft-spoken, and quite imposing-looking protecter of the wilds. Calling on powers of flame and fire, he has appointed himself as the guardian of his own slice of the world. Recieving the call for aid, he turned over the duties of protection to those he thought capable, and has traveled to answer those summons.
Placeholder here. Interested!!
Name: Chuba Treewalker Kashikatake
Race: Goliath
Class and Subclass: Barbarian (Path of the Ancestral Guardian)
Backstory:
Chuba Treewalker Kashikatake is a quiet, humble, and fiercely loyal female goliath who lived a quiet life with her tribe. She grew to be a formidable fighter. She was rewarded a pivotal role in the tribe's battling sect when she almost single-handedly turned back a raiding troupe of bandits and owlbears.
She wed Hanath Tribestriker and had dreams of having children and raising them in their tribe. However, while she was on a sojourn to the clan's sacred stone, the tribe was brutally attacked by a paranoid and vicious mage (known to Chuba only as The Smoking One) and his goblinoid army. Chuba returned from her sojourn to a tribal home in ruins and only a stone shard by which to remember her heritage.
Being forced into the world alone, Chuba vowed to be an asset to a small party of adventurers to whom she would be fiercely loyal if they proved themselves. With her, she takes her memories and the training of her ancestors.
Name: Orin Willowthorn (link to character sheet)
Class: Artificer Battlesmith
Race: Half-elf
His Story:
Orin was born two months early to Emily and Frea. The mid-wife said there was no hope and left the child to peacefully die in a box by the cellar door. When his mother had recovered, she looked for her child, but he was not in the bassinet her husband had made for their child. She began to call out for the midwife, but she had left without a word. When Emily began to look frantically for her child she found his body laid in a box. She picked him up and he was cold to touch and lifeless. She clutched him close and wept uncontrollably. She called out to the Gods “WHY!”. Through her tears she saw a soft glow that grew brighter and brighter. Then she heard a voice all around her that said “I HAVE NEED OF THIS ONE.” The child took its first breath and color returned to its face and arms. Emily wept, this time for joy and thanks. She treasured this moment in her heart throughout his youth.
Orin was a typical child, nothing out of the ordinary. Most people scoffed at his mother’s recount of his birth, but she held fast that the Gods had need of him. However, Orin had a way with mechanical things. He could fix things no matter the problem or could make new things that no one had ever imagined. Whenever he would come across something he had never seen before he would close his eyes and pray and the knowledge would come to him.
Even though he was safe he had dreams of the Childlike Empress. She was calling for help and a dark lord (Lord of Darkness) was spreading a dark fog across this far off land. He would often wake with a start. It bothered him. So many things came easy but where was this land that seemed to call to him. In the middle of the night he woke with an unworkable design but it vexed him so he got up and went to his workshop and there he stayed for 5 days straight assembling this thing he had no idea why it even functioned. When he finished he held in his hand a compass. He knew this compass was pointing the way to Childlike Empress and his destiny.
And, so began his adventure to the Ivory Tower.
D&D since 1984
I rolled a wizard named Egan Corliastor.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/DJLongsword/characters/66277687
He is a wizard’s pupil who left the Scriptorium where he trained to find Rael, his fellow student, who has disappeared. He has taken the adventurer’s path to gain enough power to find Rael and save her, if need be.
Character Proposal:
Name- Greko the Green
Race- Lizardfolk
Class and Subclass- Druid of the Stars
Backstory- Greko is the "wizard" of the woods that lived in the enchanted forest with the various fey and last remaining unicorns. When the Lord of Darkness sent his minions to the forest to slay the unicorns, Greko fought alongside other fey to protect them. Ultimately Greko failed as one of the unicorns was killed. He was able to fight the goblins off long enough to allow the last unicorn to escape. He too escaped the woods using the stars to find shelter in a town of halflings who were kind and spirited. He stayed until he regained his energy and continued on his journey until he heard the call from the Empress of a creation of a fellowship to save the realm. As the Green "wizard" of the realm, he felt it was destiny calling him to aid those younger souls in this journey to save the realm.
Excellent presentation, you have peaked my interest!
Name: Zhervius
Race: Protector Aasimar
Class and Subclass: Monk / Way of the Kensai
Backstory: Zhervius was placed in this world to serve as a guardian of law and good. As a follower of Tyr, god of justice, he is expected to strike at evil, lead by example, and further the cause of justice. He is charged by the powers of good to guard the weak, to strike at evil wherever it arises, and to stand vigilant against the darkness. From a young age, he received advice and directives that urge to stand against evil. He spent his life in the service of the temple to Tyr. He was charged to act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. Balancing this responsibility, Zhervius was trained in the way of the Kensai Monk, honing his fighting skills.
(This may not fit too well but I'm open to make changes)
Character Proposal: A legend of the flute. Sworn defender of the ice. Lover of all things fluffy. And, just a tad bit cooky.
Name- Tuto
Race- Gnome
Class and Subclass - Bard
Backstory- Deep in the valleys of the frost fang mountains, the people tell tale of a being that plays with wolves and sings bears to sleep. A creature that warns people of danger and dances with children. A song that brings pleasant dreams and heals the mind.
A song.
A ward.
A friendly face.
The people of the valley don't know what it is, only catching glimpses of shadow in the blizzards and odd footprints in the snow. Could it be a child? A fey? Whatever it is, one thing they understand is that it helps.
A resent story came from a band of fishermen; They had to camp out for a few nights due to bad weather, and supplies were running short. Then there were the screams that came from above. Screams that meant death. Three vultures maybe twice the size of dire wolves descend. They tore at their tents and their sleigh dogs. They had two options: Stay and fight or run for some cover. Neither had a decent chance of survival.
Then the song came.
That beautiful flute. It somehow came in tune with the wind pounding at their ears. No. That was their heartbeat. Whatever fear had them in place was melted away. They could survive. They CAN survive. And, if it wasn't obvious already, they did. Some lives were lost, but the battle was one. And in the distance, one of them could spot a small figure in the clearing. Glowing blue eyes. It looked like it was wearing fur. Just about as tall as a toddler.
It waved at them. Then dissapeared.
As of late, their haven been sightings of it, and things in the valleys have gotten a bit intense. Creatures becoming more restless. Days becoming shorter. The people of frostfang are becoming worried. And just when that happens, a familiar song will slip through the mountains, through the trees, and into their hearts. It keeps them going, knowing that whatever force has been protecting them still is.
Somewhere...
@JFCapps
Your world building is amazing! I have one question. Do Jareth the Goblin King and his labyrinth exist in your universe?
I am torn between servant of goblin king ( a Sorcerer or Warlock ) and Nomad warrior who worshipping Luck Dragon as their totem ( a Drakewarden Ranger ). Please give me some information to make a decision.
Yes, Jareth and the Goblin City / Labyrinth do exist!
Either of those characters would work perfectly!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
Ability scores: 9 11 11 12 16 14
Ability scores: 11 7 7 11 13 11
Ability scores: 15 13 14 13 10 15
Character Proposal: A light hearted trickster that likes to pull pranks and mess around with people.
Name- Autumn Fawn
Race- Fairy
Class and Subclass- Rogue (Arcane Trickster)
background: urchin
Backstory- Autumn was orphaned at 6, her parents were suddenly killed by a drug addict that wanted pixie dust when they were out shopping one nigjt. Her babysitter left her after waiting a day with no reply from her parents, leaving Autumn behind to fend for herself. Not knowing what happened to her parents, she escaped from her home and traveled the streets to find them. When she went to a guard that is when she learned the terrible news, and she fled to an ally where an urchin boy found her. The urchin boy’s name was Julian and his oarents abandoned him when he was you ger. Over many months he showed her various tricks as to how to live on the streets. That is when she found her love for pickpocketing and pulling pranks on people. She buries her worst feelings down, botteling them up and refusing to let anyone find her in that vulerable state ever again. She acts cheerful and mischevious when she’s coving up the fact she still misses her parents. Her pranks are harmless, but can get very annoying to those that suffer it. Eventually the urchin boy showed her the thieves guild whom welcomed her in open arms and treated her like thier child. With their help she learned how to use magic to knick items, which she was able to knick some items for the guild but also herself, she was able to eventually use mage hand to steal a cloak and some googles, and some other assorted items that went to the guild. She has one code that she will not break: don’t steal from fellow thieves, as they are like a family to her.
The darkness, while good for a thief was overwhelming and the monsters are more violent. Fearing that what happened to her parents will happen again to someone elses, she knew she had to do something. She will steal back the light and bring it back to the world.
Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/DeadOnes/characters/66301655
Bonus Items: Cloak of elvenkind, eyes of eagle
My first attempt at PbP DnD or more accurately DnD in general. I've played it shortly a few times but nothing quite serious or long term. I hope you'll have me despite my inexperience. I know how to get by gameplay-wise but there are probably many things I still do not know and I am open to learning. To counterbalance, I've done many PbP roleplaying games.
I am playing a Noble Eladrin, also known as the Fey Eladrin. My backstory mostly makes assumptions about the Feywild, which I can freely correct at the DM's demands for the wonderful mixed world they've established. I feel this is necessary to properly introduce the character's backstory. The Eladrin setting had entranced me but while very interesting, it remained purposefully vague. I hope I didn't overstep.
Name: Lelith Iathrana
Race: Elf (Noble Eladrin Variant)
Class: Ranger - Fey Wanderer
Backstory:
The Feywild, a plane parallel to the material one filled with magical wonders and cruel fey as one might imagine from the name. Its mysterious landscapes lead to wondrous groves and nightmarish encounters in equal measure. The fey have an intrinsic understanding of the Feywild. They understand that the Feywild is dangerous, and so must they be - cold and calculating like the huge wild beasts that roam their beloved forests. It is this plane that Lelith calls home, the Eladrin are one of many inhabitants and they are notably a reclusive kind of elves that does not deign offer any attention to the material plane, even less to their inhabitants. There, they are divided into Seasonal Courts; the Winter Court from which Helelith hails are known to be pensive and melancholic individuals. There are the Summer, Autumn, and Spring Courts, as well. Each had their own Fey Queen or King. They had their differences but they shared an understanding as one people in the Feywild, they often acted as one entity if possible to outsiders.
Lelith as an individual elf is driven and mulish, a decision is final and none may dissuade her of it, while not totally impossible if said decision is proven to be utterly foolish. Many of the inhabitants of the Feywild are akin to devils in a way, they do not lie nor cheat, but each of their words are carefully crafted. Spoken words and intent have meaning and power in that plane, as well as titles. As such, one can understand how such a trait came to be seen as stubbornness in the more forgiving material plane where people may promise anything or call themselves anything with no consequences. Lelith judges people as much by their actions as their words, in fact to her words are akin to performed actions. She does not trust easily as a consequence. Ironically enough, coming from such an environment, one could almost consider her sincere as she would never pretend to be something she isn't.
From her early childhood, Lelith had a detached interest in the material plane. Not of its inhabitants' customs, culture, and politics... But of its nature, its life, its ecosystem, much like a gardener or a custodian, using the Feywild as a medium to cross vast distances she tended to Hyboria mostly focusing on magical locations of interest. She saw the material plane as a playground or a garden, and to an extent, she included the intelligent races dwelling there. With the mindset of "I worked the land, I love the land, and I will protect the land". She would protect those who could not protect themselves. She did not truly see any of the inhabitants as 'people' or 'individuals' but merely an extension of the ecosystem, creatures who all contribute in some way or another to its diversity and vibrancy, that is not to say she did not acknowledge their intelligence. She merely did not put herself on the same pedestal as them in a probably infuriating holier-than-thou mindset often shown by fey and to a certain extent elves. She looks down upon all kind of things she considers unnatural, chimeras and hybrids namely. Including half-elves.
Occasionally, other than observing, she would be forced to act when something threatened the balance of her dearest interest, much like cutting off dead weed from a beautiful landscape. She would come to be known locally in some regions for her efforts but recent events had tipped the scale, a mere 'hobby' had come to the interest of the Fey Courts and Lelith was one of the few who roamed the material plane. The threat held by the Lord of Darkness and other such individuals as well as the weakening of magic through the Dark Crystal was extremely concerning to them but ultimately they were outsiders. They could not march anywhere wantonly, but the call of the Childlike Empress offered an opportunity. To send an agent who is very familiar with the material plane (from their perspective) to answer the call and work toward saving the world, the Fey Courts having now a close ear on the events.
In the case of Lelith, from mere occasional hero to some small villages or cities to potential saviour of the world was a big leap enforced upon her but even without the Fey Courts' encouragement, she had her own motivations to take a step forward and do her own part in securing a future for her beloved 'garden'.