I'll be adding a new post here to this thread, outlining some general PbP, and will link it here.
The idea is a party of "anti-heroes and anit-villians." These young adults (early 20s for humans, equivalent age for other races) are the undesirables of society. Those who were rented out by an orphanage, for whatever the "clients" wanted. As there will be some adult themes--with the focus on the mindset of being "rented out," used for slave labor, and such, the game will have some adult themes. There won't be a focus on players writing out what happened, in detail, and more a focus on how they've coped with the hardships and/or disabilities they have.
Here is the campaign link. It'll be open and ongoing, as we start on quests of vengeance, and later, are dragged into battles as and against avatars for Sul Khatesh, Asmodeus, and, well, we'll see.
At the start of the campaign, tentatively, a few different patrons grant them powers and heal them, in exchange for doing tasks for them in the material plain (and maybe others). These powered patrons also heal the other children at the orphanage, and let the PCs know that if they balk, instead of taking their gifts back, some may take the gifts/healing they've offered the children. This may force them into taking actions against others, in exchange for keeping their own "families safe."
This will be D&D 5e…it won’t be set in any sort of “default land,” but more of a “generic fantasy land.” As we progress, we may add specific locations, but am open to “traveling the multiverse.”
Since I don't want to "forever DM," I propose a monthly (give or take) rotation period. The DM will then have an adventure the party can go on, to take the focus for that month, while keeping to the general "hunt down those who wronged them when they were young." New and experienced players are welcome, and new players can use things like "one page adventures," "free adventures," and many of the online DM tools available on the web, with an OOC to ask questions, with more experienced players offering guidance to help run the particular adventure.
For alignments, I’m thinking the following (looking for "morally gray." Looking at how people will "rise and fall"):
- True Neutral: Characters with this alignment believe in balance above all else. They don't necessarily have strong opinions on good and evil or law and chaos, but they strive to maintain a neutral stance in all things.
- Neutral Good: Characters with this alignment are generally good-hearted and altruistic, but they don't necessarily adhere to a strict moral code or follow the law. They believe in doing what is right, regardless of whether it's legal or not.
- Neutral Evil: Characters with this alignment are self-interested and may engage in evil acts if it serves their own goals. They don't necessarily believe in a strict moral code, but they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their own ends, even if it means harming others.
- Chaotic Neutral: Characters with this alignment value freedom and individualism above all else.
- Characters with Chaotic Good alignment value freedom and individuality, but also have a strong moral compass. They believe in doing what is right, even if it means breaking the law or going against societal norms.
I’m not wanting a party of heroes, but I’m also not wanting to go the “evil party, either.” They may wax and wane. Their desires are to not only keep themselves and their party members functioning, but to make it so that the younger children at the orphanage never have to undergo the horrors they did, so are willing to engage in actions that their entities require. Everyone may not have a direct tie to the orphanage, and may have only come across some of them, over the years. But each will be "called by their deity," to officially adventure to keep the place running (food, daily care, general operations), with a couple of the older, but less hardier ones running it. Unofficially, this will be quests of vengeance against those that wronged them, and the missions the "patrons" will have for them. The adventuring will be both to bring in funds to help run the orphanage, and to not only gather intel on those who abused them over the years, but maybe to go after higher level (+20 CR) creatures at the behest of their patrons, which will mean quests for legendary weapons and artifacts, as the game goes on. Maybe to have battles with avatars of Tiamat, Sul Katesh, or others.
Races can be anything (I’m using 5e, not 5.5) in the core books, Tasha’s, Xanathar's, Volo's, Mordenkainen's, etc. I’m open to Variant Humans, Custom Origin, or Custom Lineage. Note that customs will only take the prescribed characteristics of the custom, NOT the race they are “based off of,” plus custom.
Looking at the poll results, at present, will have everyone start with 1 feat.
I'd like to see if others are interested in exploring the "multisubclassing" option, and what people would bring.
Characters will start out at L3. I’ll be using a combo of XP + Milestones.
There’s not to be any PVP, especially trying to kill the others…although I may allow that in “pit fighting,” during downtime, to “settle arguments,” with the one who is dropped down to 25% of their HP being the loser…I may or may not allow for bets on such debates. Once the matter’s resolved, all players (and their respective PCs) agree that the matter’s settled. Other ideas, run them by me.
You can select standard array, or point buy.
Equipment: starting + what your character will have likely gained by L3. You can sell off some starter equipment (1/2 buy rate), if you wish.
I am tentatively looking to start with up to 3 magic items, common or uncommon, but am also thinking a bag of holding, so maybe 3 + that?
Again, as characters in many other games come and go, including PbP, pretty much all characters will be accepted in the open styled game.
Please submit characters in this thread.
I do want to encourage downtime, to be able to scribe scrolls, and other activities. I’ll be using a variant rule for spell scribing.
Lastly, remember, anything you want to creatively defeat enemies, other enemies can and will learn, so be careful with how creative you want to be, and think of how it will effect future play, if all of your enemies decide to always do it to you, what you tried to do in one encounter.
Vote for your options in the poll, and provide your feedback. Thanks!
The idea is a party of "anti-heroes and anit-villians." These young adults (early 20s for humans, equivalent age for other races) were previously disabled, and were the undesirables. In the orphanage, they would often be "rented out" for "live target practice," or "prostitution."
At the start of the campaign, tentatively, a few different patrons grant them powers and heal them, in exchange for doing tasks for them in the material plain (and maybe others). These powered patrons also heal the other children at the orphanage, and let the PCs know that if they balk, instead of taking their healing back, they will take that of the other children. This may force them into taking actions against others, in exchange for keeping their own "families safe."
If you really want to start with "disabled" orphans, maybe have the patrons grant them power without curing their disabilities. Nothing wrong with a one-armed swordsman or spell caster. Or a character with a prosthetic leg. Or a character who is blind in one eye. Or maybe even completely blind or deaf, though that can create complex role play challenges and interactions with the game mechanics. That also means that the characters will have some power, but the surrounding society may still view them as "undesirables" because of the society's prejudice.
If you want to avoid the potentially complex and problematic issues related to that origin story, maybe just make the characters are refugees / orphans from a war or (magical?) plague in a neighboring region. The home country's population has a generally negative view of this influx of refugees, especially if the neighboring region has a very different population, such as human refugees in a dwarven kingdom. The war / plague could be the thing that left the children orphaned and maybe even with some consistent and visible marker, such as pock-marked faces from the disease or the tattoo / brand from the conquering horde. I mean, it's D&D, so the magical pox could have left everyone who survived with bright purple spots! Anyway, your orphans aren't necessarily disabled, but they're visibly different, and the local population can obviously see that they're members of the refugee population. Whatever the marker is, it's something that's not easy to hide but that their patrons can magically cure or conceal.
Also, you don't need anything too extreme for the treatment of the orphans. A common (and PG-rated) use for orphans IRL was a cheap manual labor force with little power or voice of their own. Who wouldn't want to make a bargain to exchange a future of unskilled toil in the workhouse / down in the mines / mucking stalls for a life of adventure and a chance at real power?
I was tentatively thinking "all warlocks." However, as I’ll show below, I don’t want to “lock out any players,” so here's possible in-story alternatives to a party of Warlocks.
But DMs are encouraged to make the warlock's patron an active force in the campaign. If you don't want to bother with that for multiple warlocks, then allowing other classes makes sense. On the other hand, I don't see any problem with restricting the list of allowed classes to match the campaign you're trying to build. Restrictions can be a great spur to creativity.
Druids: The healing and power could come from nature spirits or elemental forces, who make the characters protect the natural world in exchange for the healing and power. (Maybe a chaotic force of nature/elemental?)
Maybe an especially good fit for some of the non-core druid circles, such as the Circle of Wildfire.
Sorcerers: The healing and power could come from a magical source, magical creature, who asks the characters to do their bidding in exchange for the healing and power.
Works especially well for Aberrant Mind, but many of the other sorcerous origins have an option for the origin to be something that the character isn't born with. Even the Draconic Bloodline origin notes, "Any given sorcerer could be the first of a new bloodline, as a result of a pact or some other exceptional circumstance." Red dragon patron for the win!
Barbarians: You could use the Path of the Zealot subclass, and have the Barbarians make a pact with a deity or other powerful entity in exchange for their healing and power. (Open to other subclasses, if you can work in the other worldly aspect)
Path of the Giant or Storm Herald could easily make sense. Maybe their patron is a magical storm / cloud giant.
Bards: You could use the College of Whispers subclass, and have the Bards make a pact with a mysterious entity in exchange for their healing and power (see above).
You could flavor College of Lore as knowledge and magic granted by the patron. How else would an uneducated orphan suddenly become so skilled and knowledgeable?
Wizards: Instead of making a pact with a patron, Wizards could be gifted with magical abilities by a powerful magical entity, such as a god/fiend. In exchange for these abilities, the Wizards could be asked to perform tasks or missions for the entity.
A wizard who gets their magic from another entity just sounds like a sorcerer, but you can certainly flavor classes whoever you want. 🙂
Good luck! It sounds like you have a clear vision for your campaign!
I’ve written up 2 characters based on interpretation of the rules. The first is a Necromancer, Primrose. Based on an old character, Primrose Perianth, her family is dead in this campaign so just Primrose. Primrose doesn’t have a physical disability. Her family is dead, her destitution is her disability. She’s gone from being a Noble to being a Witherbloom student. Not because she’s attended, but by the grace of her patron, who taught her how to weave life and death, which is her ultimate goal. If her malefactors dared to harm her, no punishment is too great and she has some ideas of what to do. https://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134586686.pdfhttps://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134586686.pdf
The next is Gloombunny, an amputee Fairy of wings (or legs, depending on whether wings naturally grow back). Named for her formerly gloomy nature and her antennae that drooped remeniscent of bunny ears, Gloombunny is grateful to her benefactor for restoring her to Arcane Trickster status. She was mistaken for a young elf (without her wings) and prostituted. It left her scarred and she seeks revenge.
She has PTSD from a life of abuse at the hands of her former captor. Her family of tieflings were enslaved for 5 years before they were rescued, though that didn't do her much good when her mother died. She lived on the streets from then on.
She met her patron one day when she was running from the guards who were chasing her for stealing food. She wanted a way to escape, and heard a voice offering her power. She accepted it without a second thought.
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I'm taking a break to focus on IRL stuff. Please don't think bad of me. I'm terribly sorry for any inconveniences this hiatus of mine brings about.
First: I want to thank those who have voted, and provided feedback. I was a little surprised on the results, thus far, on my first two questions. Then again, for the first, I was looking at an alternative to the concept of slots. I just started in a campaign with points, and I like it, as it is more flexible, but I know that many are used to it.
For the second, I'd read how some liked the idea of multisubclassing, and seen "2 schools of thought" for it, so I wasn't sure which way it would go. Good to know.
On my third question, I had read that many like getting a feat. I honestly don't think any feat is really a "game breaker," especially those who don't like Lucky. You have Portent, Chronal Shift, and silvery barbs, bless (stacking with emboldening bond, if one's a Peace Cleric) to name some things that can alter the outcomes, so I don't plan to ban any. "Worse case," I bring in characters that can do similar.
I thank @Ben_Evolentfor your feedback. Each class I listed, is merely an example, so anyone who wants to use that, your idea, or any other that they come up with, is more than welcome.
I think I'll leave it to each player to see how they want to roll (pun intended). Do they want to be partly disabled? PTSD, like @ChatterboxVA? Or to be previously disabled, but now healed, but with the memories remaining. I am thinking of a "Mature" campaign, at least, so far as memories go...as people roleplay, they may include flashbacks of what happened.
It will depend on the "Patron." Some may tell their agent that they will. Some may not tell them anything. Other PCs may jump to that conclusion, based on their own traumas, projecting. Not each PC will know the nature of the deal (at least, not from the start) of each other PC.
I'll also say that I'm going to be a player-DM, and will be open and transparent. No meta-gaming...just remember, unlike the game, I am human, and am prone to mistakes, so welcome feedback, as well. I am actually working on a Shadowfell Aasmir (my own homebrew subrace). I'm debating between a Peace+Light multisubclass Cleirc, or an Eldritch Gatling Gun Sorlock.
Chatterbox, great character. I look forward to bringing her in-game.
Arthuropodd, honestly, either could work. We would have a Tiefling Warlock (you have pact of the blade, so you're a Hexblade?), and a Aasmir Light Cleric. Both of these can fight ranged, and melee, to a point. A wizard generally doesn't fight up front, whereas a rouge doesn't (usually) melee, so much as fight from the shadows. Honestly, I think either could work. Based on what we have, so far, which do you think would fit, not only for combat, but overall role play?
I'd like to start off with at least a total of 4, with the goal of starting by week's end. Tentatively, I'm looking to have people post 2-3 times a week; more, based on availability.
If I'm allowed to share, I have a character written up from what I've seen here. I tried my best to work with the whole patron thing, and I think I succeeded well enough! While making the character unique, of course. The one I have presented here is Custom Lineage Cleric/Sorcerer. In all simplicity, the character I have presented here is a young devotee of Kord who was transformed into a strange spirit of lightning for his temper and unruliness, forced to reclude into a suit of tin.
Sheet in the Works!
From birth, Conor Farrell was a normal human man dropped off to a forge due to his missing parents. As his life went on, he lost interest in the forge he was raised in and started mischief in the village which he lived, to which his dwarven caretakers strictly put an end to. How so? Why, forcing him to the local church of Kord in order to raise him to be a better man. Initially irritated with the limitation, he soon grew to be as prosperous as he hoped for; alongside the promise of becoming one of Kord's devoted. With a streak of mischief seemingly cut out, young Conor was soon to become a great figure... until a fight broke out on the altar to Kord, with Conor as the main provoker. Kord, angered with Conor's sudden violence, but still impressed with his prowess and service, punished Conor with something seemingly horrible. A voice raing out from the statue, claiming that Conor has done just as his god has hoped for; and now he was to become embodiment of the storm itself. Little did he know, this was quite literal. His body began to warp and melt into crackling electricity, barely holding shape at the start... but Conor wasn't afraid. "You'll need a body, boy. Leave this place. Return to the forge." The altar spoke once more. Conor, infuriated by this punishment, shambled his body back to his home, the forge which he hated so much, in order to build himself a rough suit of scrap metal. It took him all night, but he managed to do so. Kord, watching from the Aether, kept egging Conor on, all in an attempt to make him strong mentally. To lose that aggression. Years pass, Conor leaves his hometown, and his form begins to slowly become more defined. More human... and his body became better. Now looking far more streamlined and oven-like.
If I'm allowed to share, I have a character written up from what I've seen here. I tried my best to work with the whole patron thing, and I think I succeeded well enough! While making the character unique, of course. The one I have presented here is Custom Lineage Cleric/Sorcerer. In all simplicity, the character I have presented here is a young devotee of Kord who was transformed into a strange spirit of lightning for his temper and unruliness, forced to reclude into a suit of tin.
Sheet in the Works!
From birth, Conor Farrell was a normal human man dropped off to a forge due to his missing parents. As his life went on, he lost interest in the forge he was raised in and started mischief in the village which he lived, to which his dwarven caretakers strictly put an end to. How so? Why, forcing him to the local church of Kord in order to raise him to be a better man. Initially irritated with the limitation, he soon grew to be as prosperous as he hoped for; alongside the promise of becoming one of Kord's devoted. With a streak of mischief seemingly cut out, young Conor was soon to become a great figure... until a fight broke out on the altar to Kord, with Conor as the main provoker. Kord, angered with Conor's sudden violence, but still impressed with his prowess and service, punished Conor with something seemingly horrible. A voice raing out from the statue, claiming that Conor has done just as his god has hoped for; and now he was to become embodiment of the storm itself. Little did he know, this was quite literal. His body began to warp and melt into crackling electricity, barely holding shape at the start... but Conor wasn't afraid. "You'll need a body, boy. Leave this place. Return to the forge." The altar spoke once more. Conor, infuriated by this punishment, shambled his body back to his home, the forge which he hated so much, in order to build himself a rough suit of scrap metal. It took him all night, but he managed to do so. Kord, watching from the Aether, kept egging Conor on, all in an attempt to make him strong mentally. To lose that aggression. Years pass, Conor leaves his hometown, and his form begins to slowly become more defined. More human... and his body became better. Now looking far more streamlined and oven-like.
Sounds good. Have you settled on what subclases you want? And you're looking at a Custom Lineage, mainly looking human, as opposed to a Variant Human? Do you have what your ASIs are. Remember, we'll be starting at L3.
If I'm allowed to share, I have a character written up from what I've seen here. I tried my best to work with the whole patron thing, and I think I succeeded well enough! While making the character unique, of course. The one I have presented here is Custom Lineage Cleric/Sorcerer. In all simplicity, the character I have presented here is a young devotee of Kord who was transformed into a strange spirit of lightning for his temper and unruliness, forced to reclude into a suit of tin.
Sheet in the Works!
From birth, Conor Farrell was a normal human man dropped off to a forge due to his missing parents. As his life went on, he lost interest in the forge he was raised in and started mischief in the village which he lived, to which his dwarven caretakers strictly put an end to. How so? Why, forcing him to the local church of Kord in order to raise him to be a better man. Initially irritated with the limitation, he soon grew to be as prosperous as he hoped for; alongside the promise of becoming one of Kord's devoted. With a streak of mischief seemingly cut out, young Conor was soon to become a great figure... until a fight broke out on the altar to Kord, with Conor as the main provoker. Kord, angered with Conor's sudden violence, but still impressed with his prowess and service, punished Conor with something seemingly horrible. A voice raing out from the statue, claiming that Conor has done just as his god has hoped for; and now he was to become embodiment of the storm itself. Little did he know, this was quite literal. His body began to warp and melt into crackling electricity, barely holding shape at the start... but Conor wasn't afraid. "You'll need a body, boy. Leave this place. Return to the forge." The altar spoke once more. Conor, infuriated by this punishment, shambled his body back to his home, the forge which he hated so much, in order to build himself a rough suit of scrap metal. It took him all night, but he managed to do so. Kord, watching from the Aether, kept egging Conor on, all in an attempt to make him strong mentally. To lose that aggression. Years pass, Conor leaves his hometown, and his form begins to slowly become more defined. More human... and his body became better. Now looking far more streamlined and oven-like.
Sounds good. Have you settled on what subclases you want? And you're looking at a Custom Lineage, mainly looking human, as opposed to a Variant Human? Do you have what your ASIs are. Remember, we'll be starting at L3.
Definitely Tempest Cleric and Storm Sorcerer. And for the custom lineage reason, I was thinking of something more along the lines of the Human Torch. A humanoid-ish thing covered in a layer of blue and purple gel, akin to a sort of plasma. Plasmoid could also work for the race, now that I'm thinking about it. My ASI's should be a +2 in STR and +1 in CHA.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“The brighter they shine, the darker the shadow grows.” - Makino Fumito
I’ve written up 2 characters based on interpretation of the rules. The first is a Necromancer, Primrose. Based on an old character, Primrose Perianth, her family is dead in this campaign so just Primrose. Primrose doesn’t have a physical disability. Her family is dead, her destitution is her disability. She’s gone from being a Noble to being a Witherbloom student. Not because she’s attended, but by the grace of her patron, who taught her how to weave life and death, which is her ultimate goal. If her malefactors dared to harm her, no punishment is too great and she has some ideas of what to do. https://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134586686.pdfhttps://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134586686.pdf
The next is Gloombunny, an amputee Fairy of wings (or legs, depending on whether wings naturally grow back). Named for her formerly gloomy nature and her antennae that drooped remeniscent of bunny ears, Gloombunny is grateful to her benefactor for restoring her to Arcane Trickster status. She was mistaken for a young elf (without her wings) and prostituted. It left her scarred and she seeks revenge.
Note that any patron who’d threaten to harm the other orphans must be a pretty bad guy.
Have you decided which one you want to use on this campaign? Either is fine. As mentioned, some may threaten such, and others may not, but only the individual PC will know, to start.
She has PTSD from a life of abuse at the hands of her former captor. Her family of tieflings were enslaved for 5 years before they were rescued, though that didn't do her much good when her mother died. She lived on the streets from then on.
She met her patron one day when she was running from the guards who were chasing her for stealing food. She wanted a way to escape, and heard a voice offering her power. She accepted it without a second thought.
Sounds good. I'm working on developing my Shadowfell Aasmir, though I'll have to edit the sheet (off site?), depending on how it allows me to homebrew. He'll have a distrust of tieflings, even though some of the younger ones at the orphanage are, and both younger tieflings and aasmirs now depend on him and the others to help care for the place.
If I'm allowed to share, I have a character written up from what I've seen here. I tried my best to work with the whole patron thing, and I think I succeeded well enough! While making the character unique, of course. The one I have presented here is Custom Lineage Cleric/Sorcerer. In all simplicity, the character I have presented here is a young devotee of Kord who was transformed into a strange spirit of lightning for his temper and unruliness, forced to reclude into a suit of tin.
Sheet in the Works!
From birth, Conor Farrell was a normal human man dropped off to a forge due to his missing parents. As his life went on, he lost interest in the forge he was raised in and started mischief in the village which he lived, to which his dwarven caretakers strictly put an end to. How so? Why, forcing him to the local church of Kord in order to raise him to be a better man. Initially irritated with the limitation, he soon grew to be as prosperous as he hoped for; alongside the promise of becoming one of Kord's devoted. With a streak of mischief seemingly cut out, young Conor was soon to become a great figure... until a fight broke out on the altar to Kord, with Conor as the main provoker. Kord, angered with Conor's sudden violence, but still impressed with his prowess and service, punished Conor with something seemingly horrible. A voice raing out from the statue, claiming that Conor has done just as his god has hoped for; and now he was to become embodiment of the storm itself. Little did he know, this was quite literal. His body began to warp and melt into crackling electricity, barely holding shape at the start... but Conor wasn't afraid. "You'll need a body, boy. Leave this place. Return to the forge." The altar spoke once more. Conor, infuriated by this punishment, shambled his body back to his home, the forge which he hated so much, in order to build himself a rough suit of scrap metal. It took him all night, but he managed to do so. Kord, watching from the Aether, kept egging Conor on, all in an attempt to make him strong mentally. To lose that aggression. Years pass, Conor leaves his hometown, and his form begins to slowly become more defined. More human... and his body became better. Now looking far more streamlined and oven-like.
Sounds good. Have you settled on what subclases you want? And you're looking at a Custom Lineage, mainly looking human, as opposed to a Variant Human? Do you have what your ASIs are. Remember, we'll be starting at L3.
Definitely Tempest Cleric and Storm Sorcerer. And for the custom lineage reason, I was thinking of something more along the lines of the Human Torch. A humanoid-ish thing covered in a layer of blue and purple gel, akin to a sort of plasma. Plasmoid could also work for the race, now that I'm thinking about it. My ASI's should be a +2 in STR and +1 in CHA.
Sounds like a blast! I'm going to multisubclass as a Light+Peace Cleric, so it'll be fun to see how this all unfolds. I'm also homebrewing a shadowfell aasmir, whose L3 transformation creates a dome of magical darkness, so he can see in both. The transformation's limited to once per long rest.
From the DMG, this sums up spell points. Think of them like MP from video games. They're more flexible than spell slots, although they don't translate so well for Warlocks. I did find a post that converts them, or the Warlock could remain with slots + invocations. They do require a little more math and record keeping, but not too much, which can easily be done with a simple text/word file, and calculator...or one could use an AI like you.com, perplexity.ai, or something, to run the math for them.
RAW, it limits to 1 spell per levels 6-9, so I'd do a house rule to remove it. This, of course, means that enemy spell casters would have the same thing.
I just started them in another campaign, and like them, thus far. Someone did ask if people could just pick which one they want, but that can cause some real confusion, with 2 different styles. I'm for them, and while the poll shows more people prefer spell slots, there obviously isn't that many people who have actively participated in the thread, to do more than just vote, and those that have PM'd me are split. What I may do is run a few "test adventures," to see if people like them, in practice, unless a few more people, who are actually planning to play, say they want slots.
Ok. It seems that the majority of players want to stick to spell slots, as they're easier, so, we shall do that, as I want the game to be fun, and what works for players. Have you gotten your character ready?
Afternoon, This is my first time attempting to play a game on the forums and I am not familiar with the etiquette. Would love to play in your game.
Character concept; Wood Elf Ranger-beast master. More beast, and wild then elf. He has come accustom to life on the fringes of society. He was born mute, only able to grunt, and sign what he wished to communicate. The squalor of the city had no time for him, his parents, also starving in the squalor, abandoned him when he was a baby unable to see a future for him in society. But the creatures of the cities, and the creatures just beyond the city walls welcomed him and his unnatural attachment to them. For decades he lived on the forest, caves, and the edges of society stealing but ideas to survive, and stealing items needed for survival.
In his 50's, having lost count of years, in the wilds, age means little, while staying in one of his dark caves, home to his bear friend Brown. He had a visitor, a small creature, with wings and a glow of green. Her laugher was light and shrill like that of the bats in his other caves. She gave the boy a name, Ullr, something until now he had no need for. Brown and Ullr, welcomed her into the cave, and gave her what little food and comfort he had. She in turn gave him the ability to speak, while he understood several spoken and written languages for 50 plus years the first words he spoke were "Why?" She gave him more then the power to speak he was given strength and magic to control. This she gave to him, with a promise he would serve her. Ullr, elated by this power, and that he could speak agreed immediately.
It has been six years from that day in the cave, and for six years he refined his powers, and his ability to speak. Each year she would have a simple task for him, and each year he would do it without question. The plans and schemes of the Fey were beyond the young Elves comprehension.
Hi. My plan for this is to be an open campaign. I'm just putting the final touches for the start, and barring unforeseen circumstances, will launch this weekend. You're welcome to join in.
We are the "troubled pcs," with everyone having some sort of personal issues from our backgrounds, with exploring sometimes mature themes. By that, I mean things like trafficking, forced prostitution, etc. The focus will be on how such things impact the characters and how they act, now, and how they feel about encountering slavers, and other such evils.
Loosely, I want each PC to have some sort of connection to the orphanage, which doubled as a hub for "renting out the children." At the least, each PC, over their years, came across a few of the different children, and heard about the orphanage that rented or sold children. Each one has some sort of "patron," who guides them to the orphanage.
Officially, on the front, they are adventuring, to raise their fortunes, to care for the rest of the kids. Unofficially, they are tracking down the traffickers, and to bring justice to them. We are "morally gray" in our methods, and will be assigned tasks by the various patrons, to do their buddings in the various planes.
Since the majority of players have requested to keep to spell slots, that's what we'll use. Still waiting on some feedback, regarding starting feats.
Interested. I'm wanting an Echo Knight. Option's not available on DNDB; customized sheet offline. Hope that ok? I may look, starting at L4, to go Hexblade, for Hex Warrior, so I can focus on CHA, and do a ghost lancer, though I think I'll focus Echo.
He'd be a V. Human, so if ya go for 2 feats, that'd be great for this build!
Not sure if I'd want to multisubclass, but if others do, should be interesting.
I've played one game with spell points, and I think it'd be great...although focusing on Echo Knight, I'd not really do much with them, and IDK if SP works well with a Warlock. Either way's good.
plz let me play i have a character i've been working on that has similar traumatic themes, A half fighter who was a product of slavery and his wood elf mother died, Melruin or Mel and the backstory could be changed to fit this narrative.
Basic fighter i think maybe i could multiclass with rouge.
I'll be adding a new post here to this thread, outlining some general PbP, and will link it here.
The idea is a party of "anti-heroes and anit-villians." These young adults (early 20s for humans, equivalent age for other races) are the undesirables of society. Those who were rented out by an orphanage, for whatever the "clients" wanted. As there will be some adult themes--with the focus on the mindset of being "rented out," used for slave labor, and such, the game will have some adult themes. There won't be a focus on players writing out what happened, in detail, and more a focus on how they've coped with the hardships and/or disabilities they have.
Here is the campaign link. It'll be open and ongoing, as we start on quests of vengeance, and later, are dragged into battles as and against avatars for Sul Khatesh, Asmodeus, and, well, we'll see.
At the start of the campaign, tentatively, a few different patrons grant them powers and heal them, in exchange for doing tasks for them in the material plain (and maybe others). These powered patrons also heal the other children at the orphanage, and let the PCs know that if they balk, instead of taking their gifts back, some may take the gifts/healing they've offered the children. This may force them into taking actions against others, in exchange for keeping their own "families safe."
This will be D&D 5e…it won’t be set in any sort of “default land,” but more of a “generic fantasy land.” As we progress, we may add specific locations, but am open to “traveling the multiverse.”
Since I don't want to "forever DM," I propose a monthly (give or take) rotation period. The DM will then have an adventure the party can go on, to take the focus for that month, while keeping to the general "hunt down those who wronged them when they were young." New and experienced players are welcome, and new players can use things like "one page adventures," "free adventures," and many of the online DM tools available on the web, with an OOC to ask questions, with more experienced players offering guidance to help run the particular adventure.
For alignments, I’m thinking the following (looking for "morally gray." Looking at how people will "rise and fall"):
- True Neutral: Characters with this alignment believe in balance above all else. They don't necessarily have strong opinions on good and evil or law and chaos, but they strive to maintain a neutral stance in all things.
- Neutral Good: Characters with this alignment are generally good-hearted and altruistic, but they don't necessarily adhere to a strict moral code or follow the law. They believe in doing what is right, regardless of whether it's legal or not.
- Neutral Evil: Characters with this alignment are self-interested and may engage in evil acts if it serves their own goals. They don't necessarily believe in a strict moral code, but they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their own ends, even if it means harming others.
- Chaotic Neutral: Characters with this alignment value freedom and individualism above all else.
- Characters with Chaotic Good alignment value freedom and individuality, but also have a strong moral compass. They believe in doing what is right, even if it means breaking the law or going against societal norms.
I’m not wanting a party of heroes, but I’m also not wanting to go the “evil party, either.” They may wax and wane. Their desires are to not only keep themselves and their party members functioning, but to make it so that the younger children at the orphanage never have to undergo the horrors they did, so are willing to engage in actions that their entities require. Everyone may not have a direct tie to the orphanage, and may have only come across some of them, over the years. But each will be "called by their deity," to officially adventure to keep the place running (food, daily care, general operations), with a couple of the older, but less hardier ones running it. Unofficially, this will be quests of vengeance against those that wronged them, and the missions the "patrons" will have for them. The adventuring will be both to bring in funds to help run the orphanage, and to not only gather intel on those who abused them over the years, but maybe to go after higher level (+20 CR) creatures at the behest of their patrons, which will mean quests for legendary weapons and artifacts, as the game goes on. Maybe to have battles with avatars of Tiamat, Sul Katesh, or others.
Races can be anything (I’m using 5e, not 5.5) in the core books, Tasha’s, Xanathar's, Volo's, Mordenkainen's, etc. I’m open to Variant Humans, Custom Origin, or Custom Lineage. Note that customs will only take the prescribed characteristics of the custom, NOT the race they are “based off of,” plus custom.
Looking at the poll results, at present, will have everyone start with 1 feat.
I'd like to see if others are interested in exploring the "multisubclassing" option, and what people would bring.
Characters will start out at L3. I’ll be using a combo of XP + Milestones.
There’s not to be any PVP, especially trying to kill the others…although I may allow that in “pit fighting,” during downtime, to “settle arguments,” with the one who is dropped down to 25% of their HP being the loser…I may or may not allow for bets on such debates. Once the matter’s resolved, all players (and their respective PCs) agree that the matter’s settled. Other ideas, run them by me.
You can select standard array, or point buy.
Equipment: starting + what your character will have likely gained by L3. You can sell off some starter equipment (1/2 buy rate), if you wish.
I am tentatively looking to start with up to 3 magic items, common or uncommon, but am also thinking a bag of holding, so maybe 3 + that?
Again, as characters in many other games come and go, including PbP, pretty much all characters will be accepted in the open styled game.
Please submit characters in this thread.
I do want to encourage downtime, to be able to scribe scrolls, and other activities. I’ll be using a variant rule for spell scribing.
Lastly, remember, anything you want to creatively defeat enemies, other enemies can and will learn, so be careful with how creative you want to be, and think of how it will effect future play, if all of your enemies decide to always do it to you, what you tried to do in one encounter.
Vote for your options in the poll, and provide your feedback. Thanks!
Here's some more info, about the general play.
If you really want to start with "disabled" orphans, maybe have the patrons grant them power without curing their disabilities. Nothing wrong with a one-armed swordsman or spell caster. Or a character with a prosthetic leg. Or a character who is blind in one eye. Or maybe even completely blind or deaf, though that can create complex role play challenges and interactions with the game mechanics. That also means that the characters will have some power, but the surrounding society may still view them as "undesirables" because of the society's prejudice.
If you want to avoid the potentially complex and problematic issues related to that origin story, maybe just make the characters are refugees / orphans from a war or (magical?) plague in a neighboring region. The home country's population has a generally negative view of this influx of refugees, especially if the neighboring region has a very different population, such as human refugees in a dwarven kingdom. The war / plague could be the thing that left the children orphaned and maybe even with some consistent and visible marker, such as pock-marked faces from the disease or the tattoo / brand from the conquering horde. I mean, it's D&D, so the magical pox could have left everyone who survived with bright purple spots! Anyway, your orphans aren't necessarily disabled, but they're visibly different, and the local population can obviously see that they're members of the refugee population. Whatever the marker is, it's something that's not easy to hide but that their patrons can magically cure or conceal.
Also, you don't need anything too extreme for the treatment of the orphans. A common (and PG-rated) use for orphans IRL was a cheap manual labor force with little power or voice of their own. Who wouldn't want to make a bargain to exchange a future of unskilled toil in the workhouse / down in the mines / mucking stalls for a life of adventure and a chance at real power?
All warlocks can work. See, for example, Swiftgale's all warlocks campaign.
But DMs are encouraged to make the warlock's patron an active force in the campaign. If you don't want to bother with that for multiple warlocks, then allowing other classes makes sense. On the other hand, I don't see any problem with restricting the list of allowed classes to match the campaign you're trying to build. Restrictions can be a great spur to creativity.
Maybe an especially good fit for some of the non-core druid circles, such as the Circle of Wildfire.
Works especially well for Aberrant Mind, but many of the other sorcerous origins have an option for the origin to be something that the character isn't born with. Even the Draconic Bloodline origin notes, "Any given sorcerer could be the first of a new bloodline, as a result of a pact or some other exceptional circumstance." Red dragon patron for the win!
Path of the Giant or Storm Herald could easily make sense. Maybe their patron is a magical storm / cloud giant.
You could flavor College of Lore as knowledge and magic granted by the patron. How else would an uneducated orphan suddenly become so skilled and knowledgeable?
A wizard who gets their magic from another entity just sounds like a sorcerer, but you can certainly flavor classes whoever you want. 🙂
Good luck! It sounds like you have a clear vision for your campaign!
I’ve written up 2 characters based on interpretation of the rules. The first is a Necromancer, Primrose. Based on an old character, Primrose Perianth, her family is dead in this campaign so just Primrose. Primrose doesn’t have a physical disability. Her family is dead, her destitution is her disability. She’s gone from being a Noble to being a Witherbloom student. Not because she’s attended, but by the grace of her patron, who taught her how to weave life and death, which is her ultimate goal. If her malefactors dared to harm her, no punishment is too great and she has some ideas of what to do.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134586686.pdfhttps://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134586686.pdf
The next is Gloombunny, an amputee Fairy of wings (or legs, depending on whether wings naturally grow back). Named for her formerly gloomy nature and her antennae that drooped remeniscent of bunny ears, Gloombunny is grateful to her benefactor for restoring her to Arcane Trickster status. She was mistaken for a young elf (without her wings) and prostituted. It left her scarred and she seeks revenge.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134551893.pdfhttps://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/arthuropodd_134551893.pdf
Whichever seems to fit your campaign.
Note that any patron who’d threaten to harm the other orphans must be a pretty bad guy.
I've got a character right here: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/134527196
She has PTSD from a life of abuse at the hands of her former captor. Her family of tieflings were enslaved for 5 years before they were rescued, though that didn't do her much good when her mother died. She lived on the streets from then on.
She met her patron one day when she was running from the guards who were chasing her for stealing food. She wanted a way to escape, and heard a voice offering her power. She accepted it without a second thought.
I'm taking a break to focus on IRL stuff. Please don't think bad of me. I'm terribly sorry for any inconveniences this hiatus of mine brings about.
First: I want to thank those who have voted, and provided feedback. I was a little surprised on the results, thus far, on my first two questions. Then again, for the first, I was looking at an alternative to the concept of slots. I just started in a campaign with points, and I like it, as it is more flexible, but I know that many are used to it.
For the second, I'd read how some liked the idea of multisubclassing, and seen "2 schools of thought" for it, so I wasn't sure which way it would go. Good to know.
On my third question, I had read that many like getting a feat. I honestly don't think any feat is really a "game breaker," especially those who don't like Lucky. You have Portent, Chronal Shift, and silvery barbs, bless (stacking with emboldening bond, if one's a Peace Cleric) to name some things that can alter the outcomes, so I don't plan to ban any. "Worse case," I bring in characters that can do similar.
I thank @Ben_Evolentfor your feedback. Each class I listed, is merely an example, so anyone who wants to use that, your idea, or any other that they come up with, is more than welcome.
I think I'll leave it to each player to see how they want to roll (pun intended). Do they want to be partly disabled? PTSD, like @ChatterboxVA? Or to be previously disabled, but now healed, but with the memories remaining. I am thinking of a "Mature" campaign, at least, so far as memories go...as people roleplay, they may include flashbacks of what happened.
It will depend on the "Patron." Some may tell their agent that they will. Some may not tell them anything. Other PCs may jump to that conclusion, based on their own traumas, projecting. Not each PC will know the nature of the deal (at least, not from the start) of each other PC.
I'll also say that I'm going to be a player-DM, and will be open and transparent. No meta-gaming...just remember, unlike the game, I am human, and am prone to mistakes, so welcome feedback, as well. I am actually working on a Shadowfell Aasmir (my own homebrew subrace). I'm debating between a Peace+Light multisubclass Cleirc, or an Eldritch Gatling Gun Sorlock.
Chatterbox, great character. I look forward to bringing her in-game.
Arthuropodd, honestly, either could work. We would have a Tiefling Warlock (you have pact of the blade, so you're a Hexblade?), and a Aasmir Light Cleric. Both of these can fight ranged, and melee, to a point. A wizard generally doesn't fight up front, whereas a rouge doesn't (usually) melee, so much as fight from the shadows. Honestly, I think either could work. Based on what we have, so far, which do you think would fit, not only for combat, but overall role play?
I'd like to start off with at least a total of 4, with the goal of starting by week's end. Tentatively, I'm looking to have people post 2-3 times a week; more, based on availability.
If I'm allowed to share, I have a character written up from what I've seen here. I tried my best to work with the whole patron thing, and I think I succeeded well enough! While making the character unique, of course. The one I have presented here is Custom Lineage Cleric/Sorcerer. In all simplicity, the character I have presented here is a young devotee of Kord who was transformed into a strange spirit of lightning for his temper and unruliness, forced to reclude into a suit of tin.
Sheet in the Works!
From birth, Conor Farrell was a normal human man dropped off to a forge due to his missing parents. As his life went on, he lost interest in the forge he was raised in and started mischief in the village which he lived, to which his dwarven caretakers strictly put an end to. How so? Why, forcing him to the local church of Kord in order to raise him to be a better man. Initially irritated with the limitation, he soon grew to be as prosperous as he hoped for; alongside the promise of becoming one of Kord's devoted. With a streak of mischief seemingly cut out, young Conor was soon to become a great figure... until a fight broke out on the altar to Kord, with Conor as the main provoker. Kord, angered with Conor's sudden violence, but still impressed with his prowess and service, punished Conor with something seemingly horrible. A voice raing out from the statue, claiming that Conor has done just as his god has hoped for; and now he was to become embodiment of the storm itself. Little did he know, this was quite literal. His body began to warp and melt into crackling electricity, barely holding shape at the start... but Conor wasn't afraid. "You'll need a body, boy. Leave this place. Return to the forge." The altar spoke once more. Conor, infuriated by this punishment, shambled his body back to his home, the forge which he hated so much, in order to build himself a rough suit of scrap metal. It took him all night, but he managed to do so. Kord, watching from the Aether, kept egging Conor on, all in an attempt to make him strong mentally. To lose that aggression. Years pass, Conor leaves his hometown, and his form begins to slowly become more defined. More human... and his body became better. Now looking far more streamlined and oven-like.
“The brighter they shine, the darker the shadow grows.” - Makino Fumito
👑 King of Junior Year 👑
DND Amateur and boxing nerd.
Extended Signature.
Sounds good. Have you settled on what subclases you want? And you're looking at a Custom Lineage, mainly looking human, as opposed to a Variant Human? Do you have what your ASIs are. Remember, we'll be starting at L3.
Definitely Tempest Cleric and Storm Sorcerer. And for the custom lineage reason, I was thinking of something more along the lines of the Human Torch. A humanoid-ish thing covered in a layer of blue and purple gel, akin to a sort of plasma. Plasmoid could also work for the race, now that I'm thinking about it. My ASI's should be a +2 in STR and +1 in CHA.
“The brighter they shine, the darker the shadow grows.” - Makino Fumito
👑 King of Junior Year 👑
DND Amateur and boxing nerd.
Extended Signature.
Have you decided which one you want to use on this campaign? Either is fine. As mentioned, some may threaten such, and others may not, but only the individual PC will know, to start.
Sounds good. I'm working on developing my Shadowfell Aasmir, though I'll have to edit the sheet (off site?), depending on how it allows me to homebrew. He'll have a distrust of tieflings, even though some of the younger ones at the orphanage are, and both younger tieflings and aasmirs now depend on him and the others to help care for the place.
Sounds like a blast! I'm going to multisubclass as a Light+Peace Cleric, so it'll be fun to see how this all unfolds. I'm also homebrewing a shadowfell aasmir, whose L3 transformation creates a dome of magical darkness, so he can see in both. The transformation's limited to once per long rest.
Would I be allowed to play a triton rogue swashbuckler and a warlock of the fathomless multiclass?
If I ever get into a pbp please make sure you add the underscore to my name when I get PMed.
Characters (Links!):
Amzar Starshade - Odyssey Of Greatness
Faelin Nighthollow - 7th Sojourn
Dallas Hullbreaker - Legacy of Iggwilv
Yes, you can. As long as you be respectful of all the players and DM. ;)
I'd also like your thoughts on spell points vs spell slots, and starting feats. Let me know when you have your character.
Idk what spell points are, looked through your first post but couldn’t see it. Might’ve missed it, sorry!
If I ever get into a pbp please make sure you add the underscore to my name when I get PMed.
Characters (Links!):
Amzar Starshade - Odyssey Of Greatness
Faelin Nighthollow - 7th Sojourn
Dallas Hullbreaker - Legacy of Iggwilv
From the DMG, this sums up spell points. Think of them like MP from video games. They're more flexible than spell slots, although they don't translate so well for Warlocks. I did find a post that converts them, or the Warlock could remain with slots + invocations. They do require a little more math and record keeping, but not too much, which can easily be done with a simple text/word file, and calculator...or one could use an AI like you.com, perplexity.ai, or something, to run the math for them.
RAW, it limits to 1 spell per levels 6-9, so I'd do a house rule to remove it. This, of course, means that enemy spell casters would have the same thing.
I just started them in another campaign, and like them, thus far. Someone did ask if people could just pick which one they want, but that can cause some real confusion, with 2 different styles. I'm for them, and while the poll shows more people prefer spell slots, there obviously isn't that many people who have actively participated in the thread, to do more than just vote, and those that have PM'd me are split. What I may do is run a few "test adventures," to see if people like them, in practice, unless a few more people, who are actually planning to play, say they want slots.
My thoughts are spell slots as they seem simpler and easier to keep track of. I’m also pretty bad at keeping track of stuff.
If I ever get into a pbp please make sure you add the underscore to my name when I get PMed.
Characters (Links!):
Amzar Starshade - Odyssey Of Greatness
Faelin Nighthollow - 7th Sojourn
Dallas Hullbreaker - Legacy of Iggwilv
Ok. It seems that the majority of players want to stick to spell slots, as they're easier, so, we shall do that, as I want the game to be fun, and what works for players. Have you gotten your character ready?
Character: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/135019530
Used point buy as well.
If I ever get into a pbp please make sure you add the underscore to my name when I get PMed.
Characters (Links!):
Amzar Starshade - Odyssey Of Greatness
Faelin Nighthollow - 7th Sojourn
Dallas Hullbreaker - Legacy of Iggwilv
Afternoon, This is my first time attempting to play a game on the forums and I am not familiar with the etiquette. Would love to play in your game.
Character concept; Wood Elf Ranger-beast master. More beast, and wild then elf. He has come accustom to life on the fringes of society. He was born mute, only able to grunt, and sign what he wished to communicate. The squalor of the city had no time for him, his parents, also starving in the squalor, abandoned him when he was a baby unable to see a future for him in society. But the creatures of the cities, and the creatures just beyond the city walls welcomed him and his unnatural attachment to them. For decades he lived on the forest, caves, and the edges of society stealing but ideas to survive, and stealing items needed for survival.
In his 50's, having lost count of years, in the wilds, age means little, while staying in one of his dark caves, home to his bear friend Brown. He had a visitor, a small creature, with wings and a glow of green. Her laugher was light and shrill like that of the bats in his other caves. She gave the boy a name, Ullr, something until now he had no need for. Brown and Ullr, welcomed her into the cave, and gave her what little food and comfort he had. She in turn gave him the ability to speak, while he understood several spoken and written languages for 50 plus years the first words he spoke were "Why?" She gave him more then the power to speak he was given strength and magic to control. This she gave to him, with a promise he would serve her. Ullr, elated by this power, and that he could speak agreed immediately.
It has been six years from that day in the cave, and for six years he refined his powers, and his ability to speak. Each year she would have a simple task for him, and each year he would do it without question. The plans and schemes of the Fey were beyond the young Elves comprehension.
www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/christopherscottc_134946271.pdf
Hi. My plan for this is to be an open campaign. I'm just putting the final touches for the start, and barring unforeseen circumstances, will launch this weekend. You're welcome to join in.
We are the "troubled pcs," with everyone having some sort of personal issues from our backgrounds, with exploring sometimes mature themes. By that, I mean things like trafficking, forced prostitution, etc. The focus will be on how such things impact the characters and how they act, now, and how they feel about encountering slavers, and other such evils.
Loosely, I want each PC to have some sort of connection to the orphanage, which doubled as a hub for "renting out the children." At the least, each PC, over their years, came across a few of the different children, and heard about the orphanage that rented or sold children. Each one has some sort of "patron," who guides them to the orphanage.
Officially, on the front, they are adventuring, to raise their fortunes, to care for the rest of the kids. Unofficially, they are tracking down the traffickers, and to bring justice to them. We are "morally gray" in our methods, and will be assigned tasks by the various patrons, to do their buddings in the various planes.
Since the majority of players have requested to keep to spell slots, that's what we'll use. Still waiting on some feedback, regarding starting feats.
Interested. I'm wanting an Echo Knight. Option's not available on DNDB; customized sheet offline. Hope that ok? I may look, starting at L4, to go Hexblade, for Hex Warrior, so I can focus on CHA, and do a ghost lancer, though I think I'll focus Echo.
He'd be a V. Human, so if ya go for 2 feats, that'd be great for this build!
Not sure if I'd want to multisubclass, but if others do, should be interesting.
I've played one game with spell points, and I think it'd be great...although focusing on Echo Knight, I'd not really do much with them, and IDK if SP works well with a Warlock. Either way's good.
plz let me play i have a character i've been working on that has similar traumatic themes, A half fighter who was a product of slavery and his wood elf mother died, Melruin or Mel and the backstory could be changed to fit this narrative.
Basic fighter i think maybe i could multiclass with rouge.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sheet-pdfs/60nes_135501244.pdf