This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Name:Percival (not updated to the stats below, will be if my application is accepted).
Stats: Ability scores: 13131713910
Race: Human (variant)
Class: Bladesinger (Wizard).
Background: I come from a very well-off family. I have lived all my life sheltered and groomed for power and wealth — a debauched and indulgent life of plenty. As the eldest son of three, I desire to take over as head of my family -- Even if I must tuple my father to achieve it. To prove my independence, I have embarked on a secret relationship with Desiré Charet, the daughter of a rival noble house. I hate to admit it, but I believe I have fallen in love with her. So to get my head out of my ass and back to focusing on power and wealth, I'm seeking out carnal pleasures, to no avail.
Home Location: My family owns a vast mansion in Waterdeep. And in my mansion wing, I have a room where I collect mirrors. One of these mirrors was once the door to a wizard's pocket dimension. A keyhole suddenly appeared in the mirror when I picked up my key. As soon as it seemed, I could feel the pull of power ready for the taking. I forgot my vassals, servants, and bodyguards minding my business and immediately stepped through the mirror to take power for my own.
RP Sample: Percival is power-hungry. Many would consider him evil. He considers himself brutally pragmatic with a clear focus and the bravery and grit to go for it full-heartedly. If it leads him to greater power and wealth, he will happily follow and fight tooth and nail. But as soon as the avenue runs out, he has no quarrels switching his allegiances or backstabbing his previous acquaintances.
Background: Athene comes from a reclusive wood elf kingdom called Aelmistra. Their home lies deep within the primeval forest, far from the other civilizations of the world. The elves of Aelmistra are highly xenophobic, believing that outsiders will bring ruin to the ancient forest. Athene is a member of the Vaelahryn, a group of elite warriors and scouts that protect the forest. Her older brother Skandyr is a member, as is her mother, captain Strigia. The Vaelahryn are ruthless; trespassers are warned only once. Such courtesy does not extend to anything touched by The Blight; a spreading sickness that corrupts the forest and turns living creatures into horrid beasts. These creatures are dangerous and are bent only on destruction. The Vaelahryn dispatch them without a shred of mercy, even those things that were once elves.
Athene is one of the younger members of the Vaelahryn. As such she primarily serves as a scout, running reconnaissance missions and skirmishing with enemies as she finds them. Unlike her people, however, she is curious about the outside world. She doesn't fully believe the stories about bloodthirsty dragonborn, savage humans, and destructive dwarves. She has a secret stash of trinkets she's collected from trespassers. Her duty often gives her long periods of time alone in the forest, so she likes to go exploring.
Home Location: Athene keeps her key with the rest of her secret trinkets in the roots of an old tree. She found it in the ruins of an ancient human settlement, now reclaimed by nature. The house above had been reduced to rubble by time and the seasons, but the stone basement remained stubbornly intact. In the cellar she found the key, and a door which opened at her touch.
RP Sample: Athene dropped to the forest floor. She swept back her hood, exposing shoulder length silver hair and a pair of hawkish yellow eyes. She glanced around the clearing cautiously. Her patrol route today took her farther from the border than she'd ever gone before. Out here the woods were truly wild, without even the gentlest nurturing of the elves of Aelmistra. The Blight festered unchecked in these woods, and danger lurked behind each tree. Her mother's training came back to mind. 'Be one with the woods,' Strigia had taught them, 'Lose yourself in them. Only when you are attuned with the current can you sense that which disturbs it.'
The young elf struggled to temper her excitement. The ground beneath her bulged with rectangular shapes, and the rusted remnants of metalwork jutted up from the leaves. This was a human settlement! One long since abandoned, but no doubt full of new treasures. Last week she had found a small silver charm in the shape of a spiral, and the month before that a curious object made of two glass circles set into a metal frame. She stalked across the clearing, searching carefully for anything that looked strange or useful.
It didn't take long before she found it. A set of rough cut stone stairs leading beneath the roots of a tree. Judging by the shape of the ground around it, a house had once sat here. Now the forest had reclaimed it. She froze at the top of the stairs. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. From below came a soft tinkling song, an arrhythmic music that could not come from nature. She descended the stairs, shortsword in hand. Soon the found the source of the noise: a small key, faintly glowing with motes of blue light. It sat before a warped wooden door, somehow still hanging from its well-rusted hinges. Athene gingerly lifted the key, and acting with an impulse she did not fully understand, slid it into the ancient keyhole.
Stats: Haven’t decided between those I rolled or point but - will worry about that if I get chosen.
Race: Variant Aasimar
Class: Warlock (of the Fiend)
Background: (I’m now realising I used the word “church” a lot in this, but that could easily be replaced by something like temple.)
From the very moment she was born, Ariadne was proclaimed a blessing sent by the God’s themselves. Even as a newborn her starry eyes and pure-white tufts of hair made clear her angelic blood, despite her parents and all their ancestors being fully human. Her church - the tight-knit religious community to which her family belonged - took her birth as a blessing, a gift sent from the celestials as a reward for their dedication and service. Because of this, it was this church in which Ariadne grew up, her childhood spent skipping happily through cold stone halls or kneeling before altars, prayers and hymns already memorised despite her young age. Even as a child Ariadne was treated with reverence by the church-goers, becoming a symbol of faith for her church, viewed as some sort of saintess who could grant them their wishes. And indeed, she did seem to bring them the blessings they so desperately desired. Wherever the young girl went, light would follow, wherever she walked, flowers would grow. The Farmer’s crops were dying, plagued by drought? Ariadne only need sprinkle a handful holy water and they would bloom once more. A church-goer’s child was feverish and coughing up blood? One touch from Ariadne and they would be glowing with health by the very next day. Soon the Aasimar began to grow, as all children do, and it wasn’t long before she was blossoming into a beautiful young woman. However, growing up the only child in a church has it’s setbacks, and though Ariadne was worshipped she was also coddled, fiercely guarded from the dangers of the outside world. Because of this, Ariadne could not help but be naive - how could she know what she had never been taught? So, when a handsome stranger approached the girl while she was tending the church’s garden, how was she to know better than to fall for his sweet face and even sweeter words? This man - Theseus, as he had so charmingly introduced himself - began to secretly court Ariadne, and it not take long for him to have her completely wrapped around his finger, willing to do anything for the man she believed to be the love of her life. So when he asked her to sign some sort of contract for him, she did not question it, happily signing the scroll without so much as reading it’s content. It was only after Ariadne signed that Theseus revealed himself to be not Theseus at all, but a powerful fiend who could not resist the temptation of corrupting something so dear to the light gods as the young Aasimar. In signing the contact, Ariadne has unknowingly formed a warlock pact with the fiend, in which she was granted access to his powers, in exchange for her soul corrupting and, should she die, becoming his and his alone. Ariadne try to take it back, to break the bond she had just forged, but it was too late - she could feel something shift within her very core. Try as she might, her touch no longer produced light and prosperity - instead it brought forth flames and destruction. Upon learning of her debasement, Ariadne’s church was quick to excommunicate her, banishing the Aasimar and leaving her to fend for herself. But it was already too late - the community had come to depend on Ariadne’s blessings. It did not take long for the church to disintegrate. First the common laity began to grow I’ll, or run out of the food that was once abundant, and one by one began to leave in search of new blessing’s from elsewhere. Then the church authorities, unable to face the angry masses fled, likely deciding to set up a new church somewhere less.. harsh. Soon, all that remained was the church itself, the once-magnificent stone building left to crumble into ruins.
Home Location: After a few years, Ariadne, hearing of her communities abandonment returns to the church. She has nowhere else to go, and even after all these years, she still considers it her home. The temple itself is a large stone building, rather gothic in style and extravagantly decorated in ornate carvings and statues, both inside and out. It was once surrounded by a small yet bustling village community, but now it lies abandoned, with no proper town to be found for miles.
After wandering the church’s. old stone hall for a while, the Aasimar stumbles across a room she has never seen before. It is empty, save for a single statue - a life-sized, figurine. it’s face is hooded by design, making the statues only noticeable detail it large feathered wings and its cupped hands held outstretched, as if waiting to receive an item of some kind. It is within these cold hands that Ariadne finds a strange key, seemingly made out of ornately carved grey marble - not unlike the statue itself.
RP Sample: These halls used to be her home, a place of light and laughter and freedom. Now they were cold and hauntingly empty, nothing but a grey carcass of what used to be. As Ariadne drifted slowly across marble floor she could feel the eyes of the church’s many stone statues following her, the gaze that she once considered to be friendly, protective even, now filled with the same menace and repulsion as the authorities - those she once considered family - as they learnt of her secret. She wanted nothing more than to turn around, to leave this cursed place and never return. Yet her feet carried her onwards, betraying her brain as she walked further and further into the labyrinth of corridors. Eventually she came to a halt, stopping before a door. The door was plain, no noticeable features except for one... Ariadne had never seen it before. How was that possible? She had spent her entire childhood within these walls, knew every nook and cranny like the back of her hand. And yet there was a whole room she had never seen before? How could that be? Curiosity getting the better of her, the aasimar reached for the handle, opening the door and stepping inside the room. (see description of room above)
Marble key now firmly grasped in pale hands, Ariadne set out into the lonely halls once again. This time however, her feet fell firmly, her pace fast, no longer wandering listlessly. As soon as her slender fingers made contact with the key, she knew where she was going. Faster and faster she went, skirts flowing behind her as she followed the twisting passages, travelling deep into the heart of the church. Finally she reached her destination, stopping to catch her breath as she gazed at the sight before her. A door. A ornate door, carved of stone, decorated with stone scenes of mythology surrounded by a pattern of swirls and whorls. Ariadne knew this door, had stood before it many times as a child as she marveled at it's intricate design. But she had never entered, never discovered the secrets it guarded. Not for lack of trying of course, but no matter the time of day, whenever she tried the door it was always locked, and no key ever seemed to fit it. Slowly, carefully she approached the frame, her breathing catching as she slid the key in the delicate lock, hand trembling slightly as she grasped its head between her index finger and thumb.
And with a ‘click,’ it turned.
The aasimar couldn’t believe it, after all these years, she would finally find what lay behind the door. There was no one left to stop her now, they had left, the fools, and left behind whatever secrets they had kept locked up behind the door. Mustering her courage, Ariadne placed one hand on the icy stone, fingers tracking it's designs, so painstakingly carved into the unmoving block. Perhaps it was the situation, being back here after so many years, perhaps she was drunk off the loneliness the place emitted, but Ariadne’s usual wariness was gone, replaced with some sort of despertaion, a need to see behind the veil of the door. In one swift movement she pushed, the heavy block of stone moving aside as if it were nothing more than a curtain, and Ariadne stepped inside.
Anelia, or Nell, is the daughter to the noble family, the Kromas. The Kromas were once a weak house, but a great ancestor had come across and saved the life of a multicolored dragon. This dragon made a pact with the man: that so long as his family stayed pure of heart they would be blessed with wealth and power. The man accepted and was bestowed with great charisma and intellect. With the dragon’s blessing, the Kroma family steadily rose to power. In each generation to come, the firstborn child was always a son with rainbow colored eyes. This child would inherit the dragon’s blessing and continue to raise the Kroma family higher and higher. Centuries later, the Kromas now stand as the most influential noble family, second only to the king himself.
Nell is the illegitimate daughter to the Kroma family’s current head and his maid. Breaking the dragon’s promise of staying pure of heart, Nell’s birth served as an ill omen which was reflected in her shock white hair and pale eyes. The Kromas initially thought to kill Nell and her mother, but decided against it out of fear for what may happen. Instead, Nell and her mother were sent to the farside of the kingdom with three retainers where they now live in isolation.
Home Location:
Nell used the key on her closet door. It is connected to her room which is part of a large manor located deep in a forest. Nell shares the manor with her mother and her three retainers. Nell’s household receives monthly shipments from their father for goods but are also expected to live off of the land.
RP Sample:
Nell is a brash and confrontational individual who is slow to trust others outside of her circle. She hates the Kroma family for outcasting her and her mother. She found the key while perusing the books in the manor’s library, and did not spend much effort resisting the key’s call. After all, what else is there to do in a manor in the middle of the woods?
“You were the one who sent us to live in the middle of heckin’ nowhere!” Nell pointed accusedly at her father, “I didn’t ask for this life! How dare you summon me here and try to marry me off like I’m some tool for you. The Kromas have done nothing for me and mom. The sheer audacity of someone like you!!!!!”
Anger was not an uncommon emotion for Nell, but this time something was different. It was as if her entire body was lit aflame with anger and hate. Nell’s father, who was previously calm, now watched with his mouth agape as his daughter’s white eyes adopted the multi-colored sheen of a rainbow. But it didn’t stop there. Nell’s ears extended out in an elf-like manner, a sturdy set of horns grew from her forehead, and white scales began to cover parts of her skin.
Awashed with anger, Nell took several steps towards her father. She clenched her hand tightly, causing a bright fire to enshroud her fist. Nell reeled her arm back, preparing to punch her father. But it was only then that she noticed the flames. Nell looked at her scaled hands and turned to a nearby mirror and saw what she had become.
Nell yelped in surprise at the sight of herself, and in response her body shifted back to its normal self. Confusion and worry replaced Nell’s anger as she turned to her father, “What was that?”
Nell’s father stared in awe at the sight of his daughter, “Beautiful…”
Stats: Was tempted to use the stats I rolled but I'll go with point buy
Race: Variant Human (Sentinel Feat)
Class: Fighter (Battle Master)
Background: Jiaying's heritage stems from the famous Mei-Ling family, with her mother and father being the ruler of two provinces, named Meiwen and Xiali respectively, that were once recently at war with each other until their marriage, which now unites the two of them under the name Mei-Li. Life for her wasn't easy though despite her noble birth. Born as the youngest child of 5 brothers and 1 sister, she was often picked on by them for not choosing to stick with their traditional heritage involving sorcery and magic. Instead, Jiaying decided to beat the odds and become the first female swordfighter in history. Women like her were never permitted to be in the midst of combat and were restricted to tending their families and providing young, healthy children for future generations. Jiaying decided to break that female stereotype and prove that women are just as capable of fighting as men as she learns how to fight like a proper warrior under the direct training within the united army, learning many of their techniques and incorporating them into most of her ability.
Despite her steadfast desire to be the first of her own kind, the road to conquest has its roadblocks. Jiaying's royal family did not permit her and other women who desire to follow in her footsteps such 'foolish acts' and thus barred them from wielding any form of weapon that they could get their hands on. Jiaying kept her sword with her unlike most others but foun it increasingly difficult to practise even by herself, especially under the family's watch which led her to severe punishment and mistreatment from them. Even worse, when her mother and father passed away, her older brothers took control of the united province and decided to combine the nations into gathering a huge army to undo all the peace that the ir parents once sought. Even when the royals got caught into combat, Jiaying was not allowed to wield her sword as per her household and the nation's rules. She also had no commanding expereicne so her former comrades couldn't trust her to an extent and was forced to flee to Guangzhou, the nearby kingdom that was home to thousands of displaced refugees from other provinces that had been taken control by her brothers and sister. Now being able to hone her warrior mindset, Jiaying hopes to one day reunite the corrupted kingdoms and still prove that women are as capable of doing anything like men could.
Home Location: Now that the young female warrior has moved into Guangzhou, a third city that aims to reunite the two clans yet again with her help, Jiaying's key was discovered in one of the ancient mines that had been long abandoned since the first people settled here. She encountered it after investigating the mines by herself and discovering a set of runes carved into one of the fragile cliff faces. Deep within the cliff face she read out the runes which then enveloped her in a swirl of golden light for a brief moment before vanishing in a wisp of thin air. Before she knew it, Jiaying now has a mysterious key that enables her to access the secret location that no one has been able to access dep within the underground network of her hometown and future alliance. Whatever this key leads to, she hopes that it will lead to somewhere that will enable her to complete her training and hopefully be a better warrior and commander when heading to the battlefield for her first time.
RP Sample:"One fine, iron jian that's as sharp as a needle, yet light as a feather." Jiaying orders with a distinct, Asian accent. A figure looks up at her. "Why of course, your highness, let Brumnur, your trusty blacksmith deal with the matter." Replies a stout dwarf who eagerly orders his worked in return to craft her some of the finest and most durable weapons she has ever discovered with her almond eyes. "Haha please, no highness or majesty or any noble titles. Just Jiaying, will do." She replies with a beatific smile on her pretty face. "However, I also came here to ask you something. Something that might pique your interest." She then gracefully pulls out a mystical key without even letting it or her hand touch the soft, flexible fabric of her cherry pink dress. "You're interested in keys aren't you? Well, it seems that I was given this key, which has been..." She pauses to clear her throat. "... 'received' after exploring the underground ruins. No questions or reasons why I was given to this. Are you familiar with this strange contraption, by any chance?"
The dwarf cynically eyes the tall, endowed woman for a bit, before snatching the key out of her thin hands. He examines it, first with the naked eye, as usual, before whipping out his stained monocle and investigates further. He is just as intrigued as Jiaying herself is with such beauty. "Hmm... This is one, fine key that I have never, EVER, witness with my own eyes. But, all I know is..."He abruptly pauses as one of his co-workers clumsily hands him a stainless steel sword, which was exactly what Jiaying herself ordered. Not wanting the distraction to get the better of him, he shifts it aside with his knuckles, carefully not to dirty it with soot, before continuing. "This key... it's one of those portal-like devices. Whatever, or wherever the key's location is, the dimension it will lead you to, may or may not have the answers you seek. Use it wisely, madam. For it is in fact, a high-risk, high reward. And speaking of rewards..." He then slides the shiny sword over before taking the money that Jiaying generously handed out, returning some in the process. "Take this as a sign of gratitude, for saving the land. Alongside a discount for being my favourite customer so far of course. I know it's not easy, attempting to defying the odds and all, but, unlike the people in your previous region, we'll have your back."
Jiaying accepts the sword, twirling the most light and sharpest sword she had ever seen, before sheathing it in her newly hand-made sword pouch. "Thank you so much as always, sir. I will not fail my people, let alone Guangzhou. As for whatever this key holds or takes me to..." She replies as she slides the key around her neck like a necklace, "I'll be sure to use it with caution. Until then, we'll meet again." And with that, she marches out of the tavern, ready to discover what secrets lie ahead of her.
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Mizzen - Male Triton Paladin (Lvl 1), Currently In Sleeping Gods (Thank you Damian May for keeping my hopes of playing in at least 1 pbp alive)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Name:Calsipher, The Dawn Flower.
Stats: Ability scores: 11415131316 (If too low, I shall point buy).
Race: Half-Elf.
Class:Sorcerer: Aberrant Mind.
Background: Deep beneath the green fathomless depths of The Dawn Sea, seated on a throne of death and bone, crowned by countless drowned stars 'it' resides. Served by a court of its' chosen dreamers, it rules over a nameless city; a city where dark things walk and madness sings. There, lost in their dreams do wayward souls come to grow twisted by their darkened reflections. Herald to the court of drowned stars, servitor to the pale serpent; exalted Calsipher gathers the wretched, downtrodden and the meek. With promises of hope and power he lures them to the dream. Sa that they too may one day see the truth.
Home Location: Calsipher was birth from the sea itself, a creature born to be the perfect tool for it's maker. He wandered onto the shore of an unsuspecting town of little importance, and fueled by instinct, assumed a personality and began to work. An observant predator he lured those that he could with dreams of power, turned the people of the town against its mayor and offered salvation through his master to the forgotten. The night the Captain took the mayor in, he wondered the snaking road of this new playground. There in the night, underneath the cascading light of a full moon he heard the call of something.. an ornate key. He followed the road up the hill, towards the temple that Fiona now resided over and used the key on its door. This felt fitting to him, after all, this was his masters new temple in this world.
RP Sample: A dirt road snaked through a large town, and ended atop a hill, just before a temple. A lean woman dressed in black stood at the temples' doors, she looked on as two distant figures had an argued by the wayside.
"Like morning's mist he drifted into town, innocuous and subtle," spat the Mayor, disheveled in tattered clothes. "With an inviting smile painted on his lips, he whispered words like warmed honeyed milk," each word uttered with more rage, and a healthy dose of contempt. "Lilac eyes hidden behind a cascade of golden locks beguiled us with their stare, a false trust our faux ami." he bleated.
The Captain of the Royal Guard shifted his weight with impatience, saying nothing.
"He peddled compassion... but little did we know! We allowed a serpent to make its way into our home! Poisoned the well, that viper! Then, they came in the night... those filthy lepers!" he turned red as he flailed his arms with heated vigor. "They dragged the priest out of bed, took him to the lake, and drowned him... and they didn't stop there. They burned the holy icons, and replaced the priest with that witch!" he said, pointing accusingly towards the woman that stood atop the hill. "No one goes near the temple anymore... they can't. It's Blasphemous!" he let out incredulously, almost foaming at the mouth.
After a silent moment, the Captain took his gaze off the woman and brought it back to the Mayor. "I questioned these... 'lepers', they made no mention of a 'golden haired snake'. They did however mentioned your deal with the priest," he gave pause and observed the Mayors rage vanish, replaced with a mixture of guilt, shame, and fear. "you blame this all on snakes and vipers, but it was you who sold the people snake oil." continued the Captain.
The Mayor's face drained of blood, he turned to run. His escape quickly halted by a well primed foot. Behind him stood a guard, one in an immaculate uniform, one the Captain did not recognize. After a moment of hesitation the Captain, moved to grab the Mayor. "Thank you... recruit, but I had it handled." he said to him as he restrained the Mayor in hempen ropes.
"Of that I have no doubts, Sir." each word dripping with genuine heartfelt confidence, and the guard stared at his Captain with unnatural lilac eyes as he said them.
When I read the part about the doors I was immediately reminded of The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower Book 2). I've been looking for a home for this character and decided to throw my hat into the arena to see what happens. I took some heavy artistic liberties with the creation of this characters backstory but tried to leave it open ended enough to incorporate it into the lore of the world. Not sure if I did a good enough job with that though. Sorry. Got excited!
This character is obviously inspired by Roland Deschain, but I've tried to make him a mix of Roland and Robert McCall from The Equalizer. Enjoy the read!
Roland McCallick Horizon Walker Ranger 3 / Paladin 1 Variant Human Sage
The Man in Black fled across worlds...
...and the Gunslinger followed...
In a time and place far, far from the Sanctuary, Roland McCallick found the key. He wasn't looking for the key, nor did he know the key existed; he simply wandered upon it one day as his boots carried him across the dusty carcass of his world, a world that had moved on. The Wasteland, it was called, and surely finding the key was a miracle, because if he hadn't found the key and found his way through space and time to here, wherever here is, he would have died. Of that he is absolutely certain.
He is the last of his order, the Knights of the Kingdom of Gilead, now all gone, lain to waste by the dark forces who serve The Man in Black, Walter. With his people gone, the kingdom left in ruins and All-World having fallen into a state of chaos and decay, there is nothing left for Roland to do but set off after the Man in Black, following him with a singular purpose- to kill him. If there is anything he can do to bring back his people, to save his world, or even himself, he doesn't know. What he does know is that the Dark Tower lays at the end of his journey, and there is no doubt that Walter, his quarry, has set his sights on it too. Whatever path Walter takes, the Gunslinger knows, their destiny will be the same, both intertwined and meant for one final showdown, one final clash that will determine the fate of everything.
Roland doesn't know where this path leads, but he knows that ka put the key in his hands for a reason, and he will not squander it.
It's not just All-World, Roland knows. He senses that his foe may be up to things in other wheres and other whens. It's no surprise to him, then when he comes upon the doors in the Wasteland. There are five. One is onyx, and its doorknob still bleeds the shadows left behind by the Man in Black's touch. It stands open like the other three; these, he knows, though he can't explain how he knows, are from his ka-tet. Three lives drawn, three lives tied to him by destiny, three lives he doesn't even know.
Roland reaches into his pocket and draws out the key, and opens his own door...
“Go then; there are other worlds than these...”
Mechanics and Specifics-
Ability Scores:
This is copy/pasted from Post #14, where I rolled my stats.
Quote from JFCapps >>
Rolling up some stats...let's see what we have here...
Ability scores: 141215121414
Race, Class, Background, and Other Specifics:
Race:
Variant Human. He'd be human because of his background anyway, and I of course went with Variant because of the Feat. I'm still deciding on the Feat at the moment and can discuss this with you.
Classes and Subclasses:
Ranger- Horizon Walker- Given his background and being based so heavily off Roland Deschain, I thought Roland would really fit better if he had SOME connection to the doors. Originally I wanted to go Gloomstalker because that Subclass is so good, but I feel like Horizon Walker works better with his roleplay repertoire.
Paladin- Oath of Vengeance- Following the Man in Black has been Roland's sole purpose for so long he has come to embrace it as a singular need. Nothing will stand in his way, even if he has to crawl all the way to the end of his road. As he walks his dusty path, he will help those he meets along the way as best he can, but in the end, he has one true calling, and that is vengeance for what Walter has done...
Background:
Sage- Being a Knight of Gilead requires training not only the body and the hands, but also the mind. Roland speaks many languages, including three variations of the High Speech (Celestial, Sylvan, Infernal, and Abyssal) as well as Common. This pairs well with the characters Horizon Walker and Paladin class features for finding portals for other worlds and sensing Fiends, Celestials, etc that are within one mile.
Home Location:
Roland hails from All-World, the unnamed world that has moved on, where the Kingdom of Gilead and the descendants of Arthur Eld live. His world is dying, killed by the black magic of Walter Padick, and he doesn't know if he can ever return. All he knows for sure is that ka has led him to Sanctuary in pursuit of his quarry...and vengeance shall be his.
Feat:
For now, Roland's starting Feat (from Variant Human) is Gunner. However, we talked about this a little, and if accepted I may change this up to something a little more specific for his build. We can workshop that if accepted.
Ability Scores, Model for Combat, and Roleplay Build:
Roland's main ability score is Dexterity (15 applied, 17 total), followed up by Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma (all at 14), Strength (13), and Intelligence (12).
I've built Roland as a range combatant that has options. His primary weapon is a revolver, but he carries two of them. He can dual wield them (Ranger Fighting Style: Dual Wielder) if necessary but generally relies on one revolver and his shield, for the extra protection. If he's up close and personal, he's not afraid to use his shortsword. He wears a set of Cast-Off Half Plate that is emblazoned with the seal of the Knights of Gilead. Roland's keen senses also allow him to fight up to ten fight while completely blind to his target (Paladin Fighting Style: Blind Fighting).
I'm still figuring out exactly how I want to play Roland, but I know that everything he does outside of finding the Man in Black (who he believes he is following, but that may or may not be true...) is simply a side quest to him. To be sure, he will do as much as he can to help those in need that he meets along the way, but he will never lose sight of his goal. There is more to Roland than being a warrior. Being a Knight, and one that is well educated, means he has proficiencies in Arcana, History, Investigation, Persuasion, and Religion. He is always seeking answers as he goes, and always willing to talk for information or to prevent conflict if it's not necessary.
"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with myeye.
I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with mymind.
I do not kill with my gun; he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with myheart."
The fiend was in there. Roland could sense it, like a knot of nerves bundled at the base of his spine, like an bubble trapped in his throat. It was a feeling that was just there. He stood on the far side of the yard, his shield in one hand, one of his irons in the other. His jaw clenched, tightened, clenched again, then he sighed and stepped forward. Dust puffed under his boots as he went, the tell-tale sign of a thousand feet, ten thousand horse hooves, having ground the sand in front of the building to powder.
Boards as old as All-World itself protested his bodyweight as he stepped onto the porch. One bowed and threatened to break, but didn't. Roland's boots were much louder than he'd have liked as he approached the door. The feeling in his guts, the weight in his shoulders increased. Whatever it was was definitely inside. He stopped outside the door and listens. His breaths were shallow. His body as still as stone.
There was a mumbling, scurrying sound inside. He listened longer. Just one. Only one.
He used the shield as a battering ram to bludgeon the door to splinters as he threw himself into the main room of what had once been an tavern called The Slaughtered Lamb, according to the rotten sign out front, and there, in a pile of trash and treasure, things gathered here and there, sat a demon chewing on something gold. It's eyes opened wide and its ugly little mouth dropped open and the key, gold and dingy, fell from its mouth, bounced down the heap of consolidated trinkets, and landed on the wooden floor.
"Who are you and what are you doing here? Speak ye true!" The Gunslinger said, his thumb pulling back the hammer of his revolver and jamming it into the face of the ugly thing. The gun made a vicious cocking sound.
"Me Azsh am!" The thing blathered, finally throwing a hand up over its face like it thought it could stop Roland from making a hole in it with his iron. "Azsh finds pretties, hm! Pretties, pretties! 'em Makes 'em big nest!"
Roland's jaw clenched tighter. He could see flames licking behind the thing's eyes. More than that, though, he could see the shimmering gold key reflecting up from an impossible angle on the floor to shine in the thing, Azsh's, eyes. It took all of his steely resolve not to look down at the key.
A thousand, a million feelings crawled across his brain like fire over dry leaves. He wanted to look at the key. He wondered what it was that brought him here. And he knew, somehow, someway, stacked on top of the feeling that brought him through the door to confront this fiend, that ka had called him here. This was chance. This was destiny.
The iron thundered, shaking dust down from the rafters overhead. Dust that rained down in a thin sheet for a second. The creatures head caved in as it toppled backward off its nest.
Roland stooped, picked up the key...
“We are going tofight. We are going to behurt. And in the end, we willstand.”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
This is only my second time playing the game, and first time doing play-by-post, so please be patient with me ^_^
Name: Protaeon (PRO-tay-on)
Stats: 13612131013
Edit: point-buy it is. 8/10/14/15/14/10
Race: Genasi (water)
Class: Illusion Wizard 4
Background: Raised by a single mother in a medium-sized fishing village, he grew up accustomed to frequent ridicule and mistrust from his fellow, mostly-human villagers. He found solace in the town wizard, a retired illusionist named Alcander. As a young lad he spent many hours in the library, as the wizard's stern presence discouraged the town boys from bothering him. From his mentor he inherited both a love for theatre and a love of learning in general, and before long he had devoured every book in the library.
Protaeon's mother, Amelie, loved her son with all her heart, and so when she left to fish one day and never returned, he assumed that she had died at sea. The townsfolk, for their part, assumed that she had gone to rejoin her ocean-bound lover, which only served to alienate the young boy further. Since that fateful day he has taken up residence in the library, effectively apprenticing himself to Alcander.
Over the next ten years, Protaeon worked dutifully at his master's side, tolerated but not accepted by the villagers for his aptitude for the magical arts. When a rogue storm sank the Mayor's personal vessel with the Mayor onboard, Protaeon decided that then was the time to leave the village behind and seek his fortune before the villagers came to the conclusion that he was responsible. With his master's blessing, and the gift of a black traveling cloak and his signature white mask, Protaeon left the village and joined a traveling circus as an illusionist.
Home: As a respected member of the troupe, and one who has saved the skins of many of the major players therein, Protaeon finally accrued the necessary seniority to rate his own wagon. It was during the process of moving into the wagon and making it his own that he discovered a curious key...
RP: Protaeon frowned, as a small glint of coppery light caught his eye. [i] Strange... I already have the key to the wagon, and it looks nothing like this. A secret compartment, perhaps?[/i] He stooped to grab the key, turning it over in his palm. It was primarily copper, with an ornate filigree of silver twisted around the head in a spiral.
[I] ...use me...[/i]
Wary of any traps or pranks, Protaeon attempted to identify the key. Nothing. As far as he could tell, it was an ordinary, if overly ornate, key. This concerned him more. [i]Well, then. This is obviously a magical key, and it could be dangerous, but... Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose.[/i] With a brief moment of concentration, he used Mage Hand to move the key to the lock on his outer door - surprisingly, the key fit perfectly, and turned smoothly. When nothing happened to the key or its immediate vicinity, Protaeon relaxed, if only a little. He pushed the door open to go and gather the rest of his things... and nearly fell on his face.
I have never played play bY post but looks fun but some of these character rolls look a bit dubious. How do you know they are authentic rolls? I know it's pathetic but some people do fAKE their rolls.
I have never played play bY post but looks fun but some of these character rolls look a bit dubious. How do you know they are authentic rolls? I know it's pathetic but some people do fAKE their rolls.
The rolls are actually being done in the forums... you can hover a cursor over the numbers to show you the actual rolls on each die if you're on a computer (usually, sometimes it will say something that makes no sense and doesn't match the actual displayed number).
I have never played play bY post but looks fun but some of these character rolls look a bit dubious. How do you know they are authentic rolls? I know it's pathetic but some people do fAKE their rolls.
Those of us who weren't happy with our rolls are using the point-buy system, which gives us all the same points to play with, so unless there is bad math, no faking going on.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If your boyfriend asks you to join his game, he really likes you ... and also, he needs a healer.
As it appears we are open to any official race, I'd like to change my entry's race to fairy, rather than halfling - character sheet here. I just think it makes a more fun way to play an arcane trickster. (If fairies aren't allowed, the halfling version will work.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If your boyfriend asks you to join his game, he really likes you ... and also, he needs a healer.
Background: Blue hasn't been to his home in long time, possibly a hundred years. Time lost all meaning where he was from. He left escaping slavers and hit the Shadow Fell. Blue has lived in the Shadow Fell where he served a dark god. He has lived in the Fey where he hunted a Fey Being, and where he got stuck at a party for 20 years... Long ago, Blue was born from a mysterious Elf Lord and his human mother...raised by his mother and her parents, he was to later find he was cursed or gifted from his fathers side with the blood of Old Bahnushahah, an ancient Blue Dragon who desired a way off the world he was on and planned to use Blue to escape. Blue would grow into his power, However before Bahnushahah's plot could happen Blue found himself on the wrong side of some slavers, and escaped to the Shadowfell. Eventually he made a deal with someone there and ended up hunting someone in the fey wild, only to have somehow forgotten who he was hunting. The Fey party, and Blue found himself smoking funny things and sipping tea at the residence of a fey being...for 20 years. Trapped in an endless party.
Home Location: Blue was trapped in the Feywild for so long he can't remember.....He went to a party at the residence of one of the fey lords and has been tripping b**ls for 20 years. If you can imagine being stuck in a party for 20 years, someone gave him a key, it's all kind of blurry, and he opened a door and immediately began to sober up.
RP Sample: Three naked bugbears painted purple ran by Blue. A grotesquely fat flying fairy passed by, farting loudly. Blue smiled at it and covered his nose. Maybe it wasn't real. Maybe the awful smell of it's flatulence wasn't real either. He gripped the key tightly in his hand. He turned down a corridor in the mansion...maybe he had been here before. Or maybe it was a new corridor. It came to a dead end. There was no door. He put the key into the wall, and it opened....and blue prepared to step through....
Alright! My holiday festivities have finally slowed down and I'm starting to throughly review and make some choices. Recruitment is closed now.
So what's next? Sometime tomorrow, four of you will be chosen to join in my campaign. These four players will be receiving additional information meaningful and important to their character and where they decided to use the key. These four will each have different bits of lore and knowledge granted to them.
Once the four are chosen I will make a new post here letting everyone know that the players have been picked. This is going to be really hard for me as there are so many good characters, ideas, and clever backgrounds. I wish I could take you all in my campaign!
Looking forward to your selections - I updated my post. (See 1st page of threads.) Good luck in your selection process - a lot of fun entries in a short time!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If your boyfriend asks you to join his game, he really likes you ... and also, he needs a healer.
Name: Percival (not updated to the stats below, will be if my application is accepted).
Stats: Ability scores: 13 13 17 13 9 10
Race: Human (variant)
Class: Bladesinger (Wizard).
Background: I come from a very well-off family. I have lived all my life sheltered and groomed for power and wealth — a debauched and indulgent life of plenty. As the eldest son of three, I desire to take over as head of my family -- Even if I must tuple my father to achieve it. To prove my independence, I have embarked on a secret relationship with Desiré Charet, the daughter of a rival noble house. I hate to admit it, but I believe I have fallen in love with her. So to get my head out of my ass and back to focusing on power and wealth, I'm seeking out carnal pleasures, to no avail.
Home Location: My family owns a vast mansion in Waterdeep. And in my mansion wing, I have a room where I collect mirrors. One of these mirrors was once the door to a wizard's pocket dimension. A keyhole suddenly appeared in the mirror when I picked up my key. As soon as it seemed, I could feel the pull of power ready for the taking. I forgot my vassals, servants, and bodyguards minding my business and immediately stepped through the mirror to take power for my own.
RP Sample: Percival is power-hungry. Many would consider him evil. He considers himself brutally pragmatic with a clear focus and the bravery and grit to go for it full-heartedly. If it leads him to greater power and wealth, he will happily follow and fight tooth and nail. But as soon as the avenue runs out, he has no quarrels switching his allegiances or backstabbing his previous acquaintances.
EDIT #1: For race correction
Name: Athene Saturnidaea
Stats: STR 15 DEX 18 CON 16 INT 7 WIS 16 CHA 6
Race: Wood Elf
Class: Rogue, Scout
Background: Athene comes from a reclusive wood elf kingdom called Aelmistra. Their home lies deep within the primeval forest, far from the other civilizations of the world. The elves of Aelmistra are highly xenophobic, believing that outsiders will bring ruin to the ancient forest. Athene is a member of the Vaelahryn, a group of elite warriors and scouts that protect the forest. Her older brother Skandyr is a member, as is her mother, captain Strigia. The Vaelahryn are ruthless; trespassers are warned only once. Such courtesy does not extend to anything touched by The Blight; a spreading sickness that corrupts the forest and turns living creatures into horrid beasts. These creatures are dangerous and are bent only on destruction. The Vaelahryn dispatch them without a shred of mercy, even those things that were once elves.
Athene is one of the younger members of the Vaelahryn. As such she primarily serves as a scout, running reconnaissance missions and skirmishing with enemies as she finds them. Unlike her people, however, she is curious about the outside world. She doesn't fully believe the stories about bloodthirsty dragonborn, savage humans, and destructive dwarves. She has a secret stash of trinkets she's collected from trespassers. Her duty often gives her long periods of time alone in the forest, so she likes to go exploring.
Home Location: Athene keeps her key with the rest of her secret trinkets in the roots of an old tree. She found it in the ruins of an ancient human settlement, now reclaimed by nature. The house above had been reduced to rubble by time and the seasons, but the stone basement remained stubbornly intact. In the cellar she found the key, and a door which opened at her touch.
RP Sample: Athene dropped to the forest floor. She swept back her hood, exposing shoulder length silver hair and a pair of hawkish yellow eyes. She glanced around the clearing cautiously. Her patrol route today took her farther from the border than she'd ever gone before. Out here the woods were truly wild, without even the gentlest nurturing of the elves of Aelmistra. The Blight festered unchecked in these woods, and danger lurked behind each tree. Her mother's training came back to mind. 'Be one with the woods,' Strigia had taught them, 'Lose yourself in them. Only when you are attuned with the current can you sense that which disturbs it.'
The young elf struggled to temper her excitement. The ground beneath her bulged with rectangular shapes, and the rusted remnants of metalwork jutted up from the leaves. This was a human settlement! One long since abandoned, but no doubt full of new treasures. Last week she had found a small silver charm in the shape of a spiral, and the month before that a curious object made of two glass circles set into a metal frame. She stalked across the clearing, searching carefully for anything that looked strange or useful.
It didn't take long before she found it. A set of rough cut stone stairs leading beneath the roots of a tree. Judging by the shape of the ground around it, a house had once sat here. Now the forest had reclaimed it. She froze at the top of the stairs. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. From below came a soft tinkling song, an arrhythmic music that could not come from nature. She descended the stairs, shortsword in hand. Soon the found the source of the noise: a small key, faintly glowing with motes of blue light. It sat before a warped wooden door, somehow still hanging from its well-rusted hinges. Athene gingerly lifted the key, and acting with an impulse she did not fully understand, slid it into the ancient keyhole.
Real Life Healbot
Oh, what a unique premise! Gives me Castle in the Sky vibes. For now, I'll roll for ability scores.
Ability scores: 13 7 17 14 13 12
Ro Aleron (Ro the Red) -> Illithid, Wizard 8 (Chronugist) // AURYN
This sounds super fun! Here goes nothing:
Ability scores: 14 12 10 11 14 13
Name: Ariadne Cienrin
Stats: Haven’t decided between those I rolled or point but - will worry about that if I get chosen.
Race: Variant Aasimar
Class: Warlock (of the Fiend)
Background: (I’m now realising I used the word “church” a lot in this, but that could easily be replaced by something like temple.)
From the very moment she was born, Ariadne was proclaimed a blessing sent by the God’s themselves. Even as a newborn her starry eyes and pure-white tufts of hair made clear her angelic blood, despite her parents and all their ancestors being fully human. Her church - the tight-knit religious community to which her family belonged - took her birth as a blessing, a gift sent from the celestials as a reward for their dedication and service. Because of this, it was this church in which Ariadne grew up, her childhood spent skipping happily through cold stone halls or kneeling before altars, prayers and hymns already memorised despite her young age. Even as a child Ariadne was treated with reverence by the church-goers, becoming a symbol of faith for her church, viewed as some sort of saintess who could grant them their wishes. And indeed, she did seem to bring them the blessings they so desperately desired. Wherever the young girl went, light would follow, wherever she walked, flowers would grow. The Farmer’s crops were dying, plagued by drought? Ariadne only need sprinkle a handful holy water and they would bloom once more. A church-goer’s child was feverish and coughing up blood? One touch from Ariadne and they would be glowing with health by the very next day.
Soon the Aasimar began to grow, as all children do, and it wasn’t long before she was blossoming into a beautiful young woman. However, growing up the only child in a church has it’s setbacks, and though Ariadne was worshipped she was also coddled, fiercely guarded from the dangers of the outside world. Because of this, Ariadne could not help but be naive - how could she know what she had never been taught? So, when a handsome stranger approached the girl while she was tending the church’s garden, how was she to know better than to fall for his sweet face and even sweeter words? This man - Theseus, as he had so charmingly introduced himself - began to secretly court Ariadne, and it not take long for him to have her completely wrapped around his finger, willing to do anything for the man she believed to be the love of her life. So when he asked her to sign some sort of contract for him, she did not question it, happily signing the scroll without so much as reading it’s content. It was only after Ariadne signed that Theseus revealed himself to be not Theseus at all, but a powerful fiend who could not resist the temptation of corrupting something so dear to the light gods as the young Aasimar. In signing the contact, Ariadne has unknowingly formed a warlock pact with the fiend, in which she was granted access to his powers, in exchange for her soul corrupting and, should she die, becoming his and his alone.
Ariadne try to take it back, to break the bond she had just forged, but it was too late - she could feel something shift within her very core. Try as she might, her touch no longer produced light and prosperity - instead it brought forth flames and destruction.
Upon learning of her debasement, Ariadne’s church was quick to excommunicate her, banishing the Aasimar and leaving her to fend for herself. But it was already too late - the community had come to depend on Ariadne’s blessings. It did not take long for the church to disintegrate. First the common laity began to grow I’ll, or run out of the food that was once abundant, and one by one began to leave in search of new blessing’s from elsewhere. Then the church authorities, unable to face the angry masses fled, likely deciding to set up a new church somewhere less.. harsh. Soon, all that remained was the church itself, the once-magnificent stone building left to crumble into ruins.
Home Location: After a few years, Ariadne, hearing of her communities abandonment returns to the church. She has nowhere else to go, and even after all these years, she still considers it her home. The temple itself is a large stone building, rather gothic in style and extravagantly decorated in ornate carvings and statues, both inside and out. It was once surrounded by a small yet bustling village community, but now it lies abandoned, with no proper town to be found for miles.
After wandering the church’s. old stone hall for a while, the Aasimar stumbles across a room she has never seen before. It is empty, save for a single statue - a life-sized, figurine. it’s face is hooded by design, making the statues only noticeable detail it large feathered wings and its cupped hands held outstretched, as if waiting to receive an item of some kind. It is within these cold hands that Ariadne finds a strange key, seemingly made out of ornately carved grey marble - not unlike the statue itself.
RP Sample: These halls used to be her home, a place of light and laughter and freedom. Now they were cold and hauntingly empty, nothing but a grey carcass of what used to be. As Ariadne drifted slowly across marble floor she could feel the eyes of the church’s many stone statues following her, the gaze that she once considered to be friendly, protective even, now filled with the same menace and repulsion as the authorities - those she once considered family - as they learnt of her secret. She wanted nothing more than to turn around, to leave this cursed place and never return. Yet her feet carried her onwards, betraying her brain as she walked further and further into the labyrinth of corridors. Eventually she came to a halt, stopping before a door. The door was plain, no noticeable features except for one... Ariadne had never seen it before. How was that possible? She had spent her entire childhood within these walls, knew every nook and cranny like the back of her hand. And yet there was a whole room she had never seen before? How could that be? Curiosity getting the better of her, the aasimar reached for the handle, opening the door and stepping inside the room. (see description of room above)
Marble key now firmly grasped in pale hands, Ariadne set out into the lonely halls once again. This time however, her feet fell firmly, her pace fast, no longer wandering listlessly. As soon as her slender fingers made contact with the key, she knew where she was going. Faster and faster she went, skirts flowing behind her as she followed the twisting passages, travelling deep into the heart of the church. Finally she reached her destination, stopping to catch her breath as she gazed at the sight before her. A door. A ornate door, carved of stone, decorated with stone scenes of mythology surrounded by a pattern of swirls and whorls. Ariadne knew this door, had stood before it many times as a child as she marveled at it's intricate design. But she had never entered, never discovered the secrets it guarded. Not for lack of trying of course, but no matter the time of day, whenever she tried the door it was always locked, and no key ever seemed to fit it. Slowly, carefully she approached the frame, her breathing catching as she slid the key in the delicate lock, hand trembling slightly as she grasped its head between her index finger and thumb.
And with a ‘click,’ it turned.
The aasimar couldn’t believe it, after all these years, she would finally find what lay behind the door. There was no one left to stop her now, they had left, the fools, and left behind whatever secrets they had kept locked up behind the door. Mustering her courage, Ariadne placed one hand on the icy stone, fingers tracking it's designs, so painstakingly carved into the unmoving block. Perhaps it was the situation, being back here after so many years, perhaps she was drunk off the loneliness the place emitted, but Ariadne’s usual wariness was gone, replaced with some sort of despertaion, a need to see behind the veil of the door. In one swift movement she pushed, the heavy block of stone moving aside as if it were nothing more than a curtain, and Ariadne stepped inside.
Name: Anelia Kroma (Nell)
Stats: 17, 14, 13, 13, 12, 7
Race: Shifter (Longtooth, flavored as a weredragon)
Class: Monk (Ascendant Dragon) 3/ Wizard (Scribe) 1
Background:
Anelia, or Nell, is the daughter to the noble family, the Kromas. The Kromas were once a weak house, but a great ancestor had come across and saved the life of a multicolored dragon. This dragon made a pact with the man: that so long as his family stayed pure of heart they would be blessed with wealth and power. The man accepted and was bestowed with great charisma and intellect. With the dragon’s blessing, the Kroma family steadily rose to power. In each generation to come, the firstborn child was always a son with rainbow colored eyes. This child would inherit the dragon’s blessing and continue to raise the Kroma family higher and higher. Centuries later, the Kromas now stand as the most influential noble family, second only to the king himself.
Nell is the illegitimate daughter to the Kroma family’s current head and his maid. Breaking the dragon’s promise of staying pure of heart, Nell’s birth served as an ill omen which was reflected in her shock white hair and pale eyes. The Kromas initially thought to kill Nell and her mother, but decided against it out of fear for what may happen. Instead, Nell and her mother were sent to the farside of the kingdom with three retainers where they now live in isolation.
Home Location:
Nell used the key on her closet door. It is connected to her room which is part of a large manor located deep in a forest. Nell shares the manor with her mother and her three retainers. Nell’s household receives monthly shipments from their father for goods but are also expected to live off of the land.
RP Sample:
Nell is a brash and confrontational individual who is slow to trust others outside of her circle. She hates the Kroma family for outcasting her and her mother. She found the key while perusing the books in the manor’s library, and did not spend much effort resisting the key’s call. After all, what else is there to do in a manor in the middle of the woods?
“You were the one who sent us to live in the middle of heckin’ nowhere!” Nell pointed accusedly at her father, “I didn’t ask for this life! How dare you summon me here and try to marry me off like I’m some tool for you. The Kromas have done nothing for me and mom. The sheer audacity of someone like you!!!!!”
Anger was not an uncommon emotion for Nell, but this time something was different. It was as if her entire body was lit aflame with anger and hate. Nell’s father, who was previously calm, now watched with his mouth agape as his daughter’s white eyes adopted the multi-colored sheen of a rainbow. But it didn’t stop there. Nell’s ears extended out in an elf-like manner, a sturdy set of horns grew from her forehead, and white scales began to cover parts of her skin.
Awashed with anger, Nell took several steps towards her father. She clenched her hand tightly, causing a bright fire to enshroud her fist. Nell reeled her arm back, preparing to punch her father. But it was only then that she noticed the flames. Nell looked at her scaled hands and turned to a nearby mirror and saw what she had become.
Nell yelped in surprise at the sight of herself, and in response her body shifted back to its normal self. Confusion and worry replaced Nell’s anger as she turned to her father, “What was that?”
Nell’s father stared in awe at the sight of his daughter, “Beautiful…”
Ro Aleron (Ro the Red) -> Illithid, Wizard 8 (Chronugist) // AURYN
Name: Jiaying
Stats: Was tempted to use the stats I rolled but I'll go with point buy
Race: Variant Human (Sentinel Feat)
Class: Fighter (Battle Master)
Background: Jiaying's heritage stems from the famous Mei-Ling family, with her mother and father being the ruler of two provinces, named Meiwen and Xiali respectively, that were once recently at war with each other until their marriage, which now unites the two of them under the name Mei-Li. Life for her wasn't easy though despite her noble birth. Born as the youngest child of 5 brothers and 1 sister, she was often picked on by them for not choosing to stick with their traditional heritage involving sorcery and magic. Instead, Jiaying decided to beat the odds and become the first female swordfighter in history. Women like her were never permitted to be in the midst of combat and were restricted to tending their families and providing young, healthy children for future generations. Jiaying decided to break that female stereotype and prove that women are just as capable of fighting as men as she learns how to fight like a proper warrior under the direct training within the united army, learning many of their techniques and incorporating them into most of her ability.
Despite her steadfast desire to be the first of her own kind, the road to conquest has its roadblocks. Jiaying's royal family did not permit her and other women who desire to follow in her footsteps such 'foolish acts' and thus barred them from wielding any form of weapon that they could get their hands on. Jiaying kept her sword with her unlike most others but foun it increasingly difficult to practise even by herself, especially under the family's watch which led her to severe punishment and mistreatment from them. Even worse, when her mother and father passed away, her older brothers took control of the united province and decided to combine the nations into gathering a huge army to undo all the peace that the ir parents once sought. Even when the royals got caught into combat, Jiaying was not allowed to wield her sword as per her household and the nation's rules. She also had no commanding expereicne so her former comrades couldn't trust her to an extent and was forced to flee to Guangzhou, the nearby kingdom that was home to thousands of displaced refugees from other provinces that had been taken control by her brothers and sister. Now being able to hone her warrior mindset, Jiaying hopes to one day reunite the corrupted kingdoms and still prove that women are as capable of doing anything like men could.
Home Location: Now that the young female warrior has moved into Guangzhou, a third city that aims to reunite the two clans yet again with her help, Jiaying's key was discovered in one of the ancient mines that had been long abandoned since the first people settled here. She encountered it after investigating the mines by herself and discovering a set of runes carved into one of the fragile cliff faces. Deep within the cliff face she read out the runes which then enveloped her in a swirl of golden light for a brief moment before vanishing in a wisp of thin air. Before she knew it, Jiaying now has a mysterious key that enables her to access the secret location that no one has been able to access dep within the underground network of her hometown and future alliance. Whatever this key leads to, she hopes that it will lead to somewhere that will enable her to complete her training and hopefully be a better warrior and commander when heading to the battlefield for her first time.
RP Sample: "One fine, iron jian that's as sharp as a needle, yet light as a feather." Jiaying orders with a distinct, Asian accent. A figure looks up at her. "Why of course, your highness, let Brumnur, your trusty blacksmith deal with the matter." Replies a stout dwarf who eagerly orders his worked in return to craft her some of the finest and most durable weapons she has ever discovered with her almond eyes. "Haha please, no highness or majesty or any noble titles. Just Jiaying, will do." She replies with a beatific smile on her pretty face. "However, I also came here to ask you something. Something that might pique your interest." She then gracefully pulls out a mystical key without even letting it or her hand touch the soft, flexible fabric of her cherry pink dress. "You're interested in keys aren't you? Well, it seems that I was given this key, which has been..." She pauses to clear her throat. "... 'received' after exploring the underground ruins. No questions or reasons why I was given to this. Are you familiar with this strange contraption, by any chance?"
The dwarf cynically eyes the tall, endowed woman for a bit, before snatching the key out of her thin hands. He examines it, first with the naked eye, as usual, before whipping out his stained monocle and investigates further. He is just as intrigued as Jiaying herself is with such beauty. "Hmm... This is one, fine key that I have never, EVER, witness with my own eyes. But, all I know is..." He abruptly pauses as one of his co-workers clumsily hands him a stainless steel sword, which was exactly what Jiaying herself ordered. Not wanting the distraction to get the better of him, he shifts it aside with his knuckles, carefully not to dirty it with soot, before continuing. "This key... it's one of those portal-like devices. Whatever, or wherever the key's location is, the dimension it will lead you to, may or may not have the answers you seek. Use it wisely, madam. For it is in fact, a high-risk, high reward. And speaking of rewards..." He then slides the shiny sword over before taking the money that Jiaying generously handed out, returning some in the process. "Take this as a sign of gratitude, for saving the land. Alongside a discount for being my favourite customer so far of course. I know it's not easy, attempting to defying the odds and all, but, unlike the people in your previous region, we'll have your back."
Jiaying accepts the sword, twirling the most light and sharpest sword she had ever seen, before sheathing it in her newly hand-made sword pouch. "Thank you so much as always, sir. I will not fail my people, let alone Guangzhou. As for whatever this key holds or takes me to..." She replies as she slides the key around her neck like a necklace, "I'll be sure to use it with caution. Until then, we'll meet again." And with that, she marches out of the tavern, ready to discover what secrets lie ahead of her.
Mizzen - Male Triton Paladin (Lvl 1), Currently In Sleeping Gods (Thank you Damian May for keeping my hopes of playing in at least 1 pbp alive)
Name: Calsipher, The Dawn Flower.
Stats: Ability scores: 11 4 15 13 13 16 (If too low, I shall point buy).
Race: Half-Elf.
Class: Sorcerer: Aberrant Mind.
Background: Deep beneath the green fathomless depths of The Dawn Sea, seated on a throne of death and bone, crowned by countless drowned stars 'it' resides. Served by a court of its' chosen dreamers, it rules over a nameless city; a city where dark things walk and madness sings. There, lost in their dreams do wayward souls come to grow twisted by their darkened reflections. Herald to the court of drowned stars, servitor to the pale serpent; exalted Calsipher gathers the wretched, downtrodden and the meek. With promises of hope and power he lures them to the dream. Sa that they too may one day see the truth.
Home Location: Calsipher was birth from the sea itself, a creature born to be the perfect tool for it's maker. He wandered onto the shore of an unsuspecting town of little importance, and fueled by instinct, assumed a personality and began to work. An observant predator he lured those that he could with dreams of power, turned the people of the town against its mayor and offered salvation through his master to the forgotten. The night the Captain took the mayor in, he wondered the snaking road of this new playground. There in the night, underneath the cascading light of a full moon he heard the call of something.. an ornate key. He followed the road up the hill, towards the temple that Fiona now resided over and used the key on its door. This felt fitting to him, after all, this was his masters new temple in this world.
RP Sample: A dirt road snaked through a large town, and ended atop a hill, just before a temple. A lean woman dressed in black stood at the temples' doors, she looked on as two distant figures had an argued by the wayside.
"Like morning's mist he drifted into town, innocuous and subtle," spat the Mayor, disheveled in tattered clothes. "With an inviting smile painted on his lips, he whispered words like warmed honeyed milk," each word uttered with more rage, and a healthy dose of contempt. "Lilac eyes hidden behind a cascade of golden locks beguiled us with their stare, a false trust our faux ami." he bleated.
The Captain of the Royal Guard shifted his weight with impatience, saying nothing.
"He peddled compassion... but little did we know! We allowed a serpent to make its way into our home! Poisoned the well, that viper! Then, they came in the night... those filthy lepers!" he turned red as he flailed his arms with heated vigor. "They dragged the priest out of bed, took him to the lake, and drowned him... and they didn't stop there. They burned the holy icons, and replaced the priest with that witch!" he said, pointing accusingly towards the woman that stood atop the hill. "No one goes near the temple anymore... they can't. It's Blasphemous!" he let out incredulously, almost foaming at the mouth.
After a silent moment, the Captain took his gaze off the woman and brought it back to the Mayor. "I questioned these... 'lepers', they made no mention of a 'golden haired snake'. They did however mentioned your deal with the priest," he gave pause and observed the Mayors rage vanish, replaced with a mixture of guilt, shame, and fear. "you blame this all on snakes and vipers, but it was you who sold the people snake oil." continued the Captain.
The Mayor's face drained of blood, he turned to run. His escape quickly halted by a well primed foot. Behind him stood a guard, one in an immaculate uniform, one the Captain did not recognize. After a moment of hesitation the Captain, moved to grab the Mayor. "Thank you... recruit, but I had it handled." he said to him as he restrained the Mayor in hempen ropes.
"Of that I have no doubts, Sir." each word dripping with genuine heartfelt confidence, and the guard stared at his Captain with unnatural lilac eyes as he said them.
When I read the part about the doors I was immediately reminded of The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower Book 2). I've been looking for a home for this character and decided to throw my hat into the arena to see what happens. I took some heavy artistic liberties with the creation of this characters backstory but tried to leave it open ended enough to incorporate it into the lore of the world. Not sure if I did a good enough job with that though. Sorry. Got excited!
This character is obviously inspired by Roland Deschain, but I've tried to make him a mix of Roland and Robert McCall from The Equalizer. Enjoy the read!
If Roland had a theme song...
https://youtu.be/Lhv_yFMuwxs
Roland McCallick
Horizon Walker Ranger 3 / Paladin 1
Variant Human
Sage
The Man in Black fled across worlds...
...and the Gunslinger followed...
In a time and place far, far from the Sanctuary, Roland McCallick found the key. He wasn't looking for the key, nor did he know the key existed; he simply wandered upon it one day as his boots carried him across the dusty carcass of his world, a world that had moved on. The Wasteland, it was called, and surely finding the key was a miracle, because if he hadn't found the key and found his way through space and time to here, wherever here is, he would have died. Of that he is absolutely certain.
He is the last of his order, the Knights of the Kingdom of Gilead, now all gone, lain to waste by the dark forces who serve The Man in Black, Walter. With his people gone, the kingdom left in ruins and All-World having fallen into a state of chaos and decay, there is nothing left for Roland to do but set off after the Man in Black, following him with a singular purpose- to kill him. If there is anything he can do to bring back his people, to save his world, or even himself, he doesn't know. What he does know is that the Dark Tower lays at the end of his journey, and there is no doubt that Walter, his quarry, has set his sights on it too. Whatever path Walter takes, the Gunslinger knows, their destiny will be the same, both intertwined and meant for one final showdown, one final clash that will determine the fate of everything.
Roland doesn't know where this path leads, but he knows that ka put the key in his hands for a reason, and he will not squander it.
It's not just All-World, Roland knows. He senses that his foe may be up to things in other wheres and other whens. It's no surprise to him, then when he comes upon the doors in the Wasteland. There are five. One is onyx, and its doorknob still bleeds the shadows left behind by the Man in Black's touch. It stands open like the other three; these, he knows, though he can't explain how he knows, are from his ka-tet. Three lives drawn, three lives tied to him by destiny, three lives he doesn't even know.
Roland reaches into his pocket and draws out the key, and opens his own door...
“Go then; there are other worlds than these...”
Mechanics and Specifics-
Ability Scores:
This is copy/pasted from Post #14, where I rolled my stats.
Rolling up some stats...let's see what we have here...
Ability scores: 14 12 15 12 14 14
Race, Class, Background, and Other Specifics:
Race:
Variant Human. He'd be human because of his background anyway, and I of course went with Variant because of the Feat. I'm still deciding on the Feat at the moment and can discuss this with you.
Classes and Subclasses:
Ranger- Horizon Walker- Given his background and being based so heavily off Roland Deschain, I thought Roland would really fit better if he had SOME connection to the doors. Originally I wanted to go Gloomstalker because that Subclass is so good, but I feel like Horizon Walker works better with his roleplay repertoire.
Paladin- Oath of Vengeance- Following the Man in Black has been Roland's sole purpose for so long he has come to embrace it as a singular need. Nothing will stand in his way, even if he has to crawl all the way to the end of his road. As he walks his dusty path, he will help those he meets along the way as best he can, but in the end, he has one true calling, and that is vengeance for what Walter has done...
Background:
Sage- Being a Knight of Gilead requires training not only the body and the hands, but also the mind. Roland speaks many languages, including three variations of the High Speech (Celestial, Sylvan, Infernal, and Abyssal) as well as Common. This pairs well with the characters Horizon Walker and Paladin class features for finding portals for other worlds and sensing Fiends, Celestials, etc that are within one mile.
Home Location:
Roland hails from All-World, the unnamed world that has moved on, where the Kingdom of Gilead and the descendants of Arthur Eld live. His world is dying, killed by the black magic of Walter Padick, and he doesn't know if he can ever return. All he knows for sure is that ka has led him to Sanctuary in pursuit of his quarry...and vengeance shall be his.
Feat:
For now, Roland's starting Feat (from Variant Human) is Gunner. However, we talked about this a little, and if accepted I may change this up to something a little more specific for his build. We can workshop that if accepted.
Ability Scores, Model for Combat, and Roleplay Build:
Roland's main ability score is Dexterity (15 applied, 17 total), followed up by Constitution, Wisdom, and Charisma (all at 14), Strength (13), and Intelligence (12).
I've built Roland as a range combatant that has options. His primary weapon is a revolver, but he carries two of them. He can dual wield them (Ranger Fighting Style: Dual Wielder) if necessary but generally relies on one revolver and his shield, for the extra protection. If he's up close and personal, he's not afraid to use his shortsword. He wears a set of Cast-Off Half Plate that is emblazoned with the seal of the Knights of Gilead. Roland's keen senses also allow him to fight up to ten fight while completely blind to his target (Paladin Fighting Style: Blind Fighting).
I'm still figuring out exactly how I want to play Roland, but I know that everything he does outside of finding the Man in Black (who he believes he is following, but that may or may not be true...) is simply a side quest to him. To be sure, he will do as much as he can to help those in need that he meets along the way, but he will never lose sight of his goal. There is more to Roland than being a warrior. Being a Knight, and one that is well educated, means he has proficiencies in Arcana, History, Investigation, Persuasion, and Religion. He is always seeking answers as he goes, and always willing to talk for information or to prevent conflict if it's not necessary.
The Character Sheet:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/90232402
"I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I aim with my eye.
I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.
I shoot with my mind.
I do not kill with my gun; he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.
I kill with my heart."
The fiend was in there. Roland could sense it, like a knot of nerves bundled at the base of his spine, like an bubble trapped in his throat. It was a feeling that was just there. He stood on the far side of the yard, his shield in one hand, one of his irons in the other. His jaw clenched, tightened, clenched again, then he sighed and stepped forward. Dust puffed under his boots as he went, the tell-tale sign of a thousand feet, ten thousand horse hooves, having ground the sand in front of the building to powder.
Boards as old as All-World itself protested his bodyweight as he stepped onto the porch. One bowed and threatened to break, but didn't. Roland's boots were much louder than he'd have liked as he approached the door. The feeling in his guts, the weight in his shoulders increased. Whatever it was was definitely inside. He stopped outside the door and listens. His breaths were shallow. His body as still as stone.
There was a mumbling, scurrying sound inside. He listened longer. Just one. Only one.
He used the shield as a battering ram to bludgeon the door to splinters as he threw himself into the main room of what had once been an tavern called The Slaughtered Lamb, according to the rotten sign out front, and there, in a pile of trash and treasure, things gathered here and there, sat a demon chewing on something gold. It's eyes opened wide and its ugly little mouth dropped open and the key, gold and dingy, fell from its mouth, bounced down the heap of consolidated trinkets, and landed on the wooden floor.
"Who are you and what are you doing here? Speak ye true!" The Gunslinger said, his thumb pulling back the hammer of his revolver and jamming it into the face of the ugly thing. The gun made a vicious cocking sound.
"Me Azsh am!" The thing blathered, finally throwing a hand up over its face like it thought it could stop Roland from making a hole in it with his iron. "Azsh finds pretties, hm! Pretties, pretties! 'em Makes 'em big nest!"
Roland's jaw clenched tighter. He could see flames licking behind the thing's eyes. More than that, though, he could see the shimmering gold key reflecting up from an impossible angle on the floor to shine in the thing, Azsh's, eyes. It took all of his steely resolve not to look down at the key.
A thousand, a million feelings crawled across his brain like fire over dry leaves. He wanted to look at the key. He wondered what it was that brought him here. And he knew, somehow, someway, stacked on top of the feeling that brought him through the door to confront this fiend, that ka had called him here. This was chance. This was destiny.
The iron thundered, shaking dust down from the rafters overhead. Dust that rained down in a thin sheet for a second. The creatures head caved in as it toppled backward off its nest.
Roland stooped, picked up the key...
“We are going to fight. We are going to be hurt. And in the end, we will stand.”
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
DM of Legacy of NIMH
This is only my second time playing the game, and first time doing play-by-post, so please be patient with me ^_^
Name: Protaeon (PRO-tay-on)
Stats: 13 6 12 13 10 13
Edit: point-buy it is. 8/10/14/15/14/10
Race: Genasi (water)
Class: Illusion Wizard 4
Background: Raised by a single mother in a medium-sized fishing village, he grew up accustomed to frequent ridicule and mistrust from his fellow, mostly-human villagers. He found solace in the town wizard, a retired illusionist named Alcander. As a young lad he spent many hours in the library, as the wizard's stern presence discouraged the town boys from bothering him. From his mentor he inherited both a love for theatre and a love of learning in general, and before long he had devoured every book in the library.
Protaeon's mother, Amelie, loved her son with all her heart, and so when she left to fish one day and never returned, he assumed that she had died at sea. The townsfolk, for their part, assumed that she had gone to rejoin her ocean-bound lover, which only served to alienate the young boy further. Since that fateful day he has taken up residence in the library, effectively apprenticing himself to Alcander.
Over the next ten years, Protaeon worked dutifully at his master's side, tolerated but not accepted by the villagers for his aptitude for the magical arts. When a rogue storm sank the Mayor's personal vessel with the Mayor onboard, Protaeon decided that then was the time to leave the village behind and seek his fortune before the villagers came to the conclusion that he was responsible. With his master's blessing, and the gift of a black traveling cloak and his signature white mask, Protaeon left the village and joined a traveling circus as an illusionist.
Home: As a respected member of the troupe, and one who has saved the skins of many of the major players therein, Protaeon finally accrued the necessary seniority to rate his own wagon. It was during the process of moving into the wagon and making it his own that he discovered a curious key...
RP: Protaeon frowned, as a small glint of coppery light caught his eye. [i] Strange... I already have the key to the wagon, and it looks nothing like this. A secret compartment, perhaps?[/i] He stooped to grab the key, turning it over in his palm. It was primarily copper, with an ornate filigree of silver twisted around the head in a spiral.
[I] ...use me...[/i]
Wary of any traps or pranks, Protaeon attempted to identify the key. Nothing. As far as he could tell, it was an ordinary, if overly ornate, key. This concerned him more. [i]Well, then. This is obviously a magical key, and it could be dangerous, but... Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose.[/i] With a brief moment of concentration, he used Mage Hand to move the key to the lock on his outer door - surprisingly, the key fit perfectly, and turned smoothly. When nothing happened to the key or its immediate vicinity, Protaeon relaxed, if only a little. He pushed the door open to go and gather the rest of his things... and nearly fell on his face.
I have never played play bY post but looks fun but some of these character rolls look a bit dubious. How do you know they are authentic rolls? I know it's pathetic but some people do fAKE their rolls.
The rolls are actually being done in the forums... you can hover a cursor over the numbers to show you the actual rolls on each die if you're on a computer (usually, sometimes it will say something that makes no sense and doesn't match the actual displayed number).
Those of us who weren't happy with our rolls are using the point-buy system, which gives us all the same points to play with, so unless there is bad math, no faking going on.
If your boyfriend asks you to join his game, he really likes you ... and also, he needs a healer.
As it appears we are open to any official race, I'd like to change my entry's race to fairy, rather than halfling - character sheet here. I just think it makes a more fun way to play an arcane trickster. (If fairies aren't allowed, the halfling version will work.)
If your boyfriend asks you to join his game, he really likes you ... and also, he needs a healer.
Name: Blue Cha-Ah
Stats: Ability scores: 16 14 13 12 9 16
Race: Half-Elf
Class: Blue Draconic Sorcerer
Background: Blue hasn't been to his home in long time, possibly a hundred years. Time lost all meaning where he was from. He left escaping slavers and hit the Shadow Fell. Blue has lived in the Shadow Fell where he served a dark god. He has lived in the Fey where he hunted a Fey Being, and where he got stuck at a party for 20 years... Long ago, Blue was born from a mysterious Elf Lord and his human mother...raised by his mother and her parents, he was to later find he was cursed or gifted from his fathers side with the blood of Old Bahnushahah, an ancient Blue Dragon who desired a way off the world he was on and planned to use Blue to escape. Blue would grow into his power, However before Bahnushahah's plot could happen Blue found himself on the wrong side of some slavers, and escaped to the Shadowfell. Eventually he made a deal with someone there and ended up hunting someone in the fey wild, only to have somehow forgotten who he was hunting. The Fey party, and Blue found himself smoking funny things and sipping tea at the residence of a fey being...for 20 years. Trapped in an endless party.
Home Location: Blue was trapped in the Feywild for so long he can't remember.....He went to a party at the residence of one of the fey lords and has been tripping b**ls for 20 years. If you can imagine being stuck in a party for 20 years, someone gave him a key, it's all kind of blurry, and he opened a door and immediately began to sober up.
RP Sample: Three naked bugbears painted purple ran by Blue. A grotesquely fat flying fairy passed by, farting loudly. Blue smiled at it and covered his nose. Maybe it wasn't real. Maybe the awful smell of it's flatulence wasn't real either. He gripped the key tightly in his hand. He turned down a corridor in the mansion...maybe he had been here before. Or maybe it was a new corridor. It came to a dead end. There was no door. He put the key into the wall, and it opened....and blue prepared to step through....
Alright! My holiday festivities have finally slowed down and I'm starting to throughly review and make some choices. Recruitment is closed now.
So what's next? Sometime tomorrow, four of you will be chosen to join in my campaign. These four players will be receiving additional information meaningful and important to their character and where they decided to use the key. These four will each have different bits of lore and knowledge granted to them.
Once the four are chosen I will make a new post here letting everyone know that the players have been picked. This is going to be really hard for me as there are so many good characters, ideas, and clever backgrounds. I wish I could take you all in my campaign!
Okie dokey!
If I haven’t offended you, don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll get to you eventually.
Looking forward to your selections - I updated my post. (See 1st page of threads.) Good luck in your selection process - a lot of fun entries in a short time!
If your boyfriend asks you to join his game, he really likes you ... and also, he needs a healer.
Sounds good! Good luck everyone!