I'm recruiting players willing to playtest "The Truth Beneath the Surface" another short quest I've developed.
Characters start at level 4 and (via milestone advancement) will reach level 5 upon completion of the quest. The quest takes place in Rassalantar, in the Forgotten Realms. We will Play-by-Post in a dedicated thread of this forum, no Discord. Given typical PbP times, I imagine playing the quest from start to finish will take us a few months. I ask those who apply to be able to post indicatively at least once a day during this period (or if you can't post during the weekend, try at least to post once a day from Monday to Friday). Real life happens, I know - and I'll decide your character's actions, if I need to keep things moving and you're unable to post - but let's try to make this the exception, not the rule. Experts and novices alike are welcome - just be nice to one another, for we're here to have fun and enjoy our time together.
I'm also asking you players to be kind of 'heroes' here - that is, courageous, tolerant and patient, because:
1) The quest could still have room for improvement (see spoiler for any details)
The official campaigns, if you've played any before, are written by people who do it for work - people free to devote their entire working time to just that. And when they're released, that campaigns have already been playtested - and corrected if necessary. The quest developed by me, on the contrary, was developed by me alone - and (believe me, with immense enthusiasm, but also) with much less time available, since I do other things for a living... So, even if, in my opinion, I I'm now submitting a finished product - and I've done my best to make it interesting and fun to play - I'm here to ask you to playtest it exactly to find out whether I'm right or not (and to allow me to improve it if I can). It is therefore possible (as much as I hope not) that we come across some critical issues (challenges that are too easy or too difficult, situations in which perhaps we realize that I should add a few more hints - because otherwise we don't quite understand what to do - or maybe, conversely, where I should put less hints, because the smarter ones feel too 'guided', or... whatever).
2) At the end of this quest, not happy with having put your characters in trouble for months, I will try to further abuse your patience (see spoiler for any details)
After we finish playing the quest, I will ask you for feedback on how the quest was in you opinion, what you liked and disliked, suggestions to improve it and so on. It won't be a long interview... and, to tell the truth, if you don't answer me I won't be able to force you - you can ignore me with impunity - but since the purpose of all this, in addition to the fun, is the playtest, for me the final feedback would be really valuable (and mind, no need to invent anything, 'I have no particular idea to improve the product' is feedback perhaps not very useful to me, but perfectly valid still).
Like all 'heroes', however, at the end of your efforts you will also have a 'treasure' (see spoiler for any details)
If you persevere to the conclusion of the quest (no ghosting) and provide me the requested feedback after the conclusion, you can have, if you wish, the honor of being explicitly mentioned among the playtesters of the product - either by real name, or by nickname, or both - and that of receiving a copy in PDF of the finished product signed by me! Would you ever dare to dream of something like this? 😉
OK, if you agree to all this, well, here is how to apply (you can do it with multiple posts - no need to do all at once; just you'll need to do all, eventually, to finalize application):
A) Roll or assign you character's Ability Scores: you can either Roll here (4d6 drop the lowest, DO NOT reroll 1's) or use Point Buy; one choice excludes the other! If you roll, then you have to keep what you rolled, you can't switch to Point Buy if you don't like the rolls.
B) Provide your character's: Name: Race/Subrace: Class/Subclass: Physical appearance: Personality, character, ideals:
The character (as I already stated) starts at level 4; you will have starting equipment + 100Gp (which you can either keep to spend during the adventure, or use in the creation phase to buy more equipment). We will use 2014 rules for this campaign, not 2024, because this version of the module is developed for the old rules (I had started developing the module before the new rules came out). Maybe later I will also produce the version for the new rules - or maybe not.
C) Prepare a Backstory, with as many or as few details as you like, but which must indicate why the character comes to explore the ruins of Rassalantar's Keep. Not much is known about the ruins - except that the dungeons are (at least partly) flooded (which will certainly complicate exploration a bit) and that there is (somewhere) a permanent teleportation circle that allowed the Blackstaff, from Waterdeep, to send aid or messages. But since the Keep was founded long ago by the hero Rassalantar, it is reasonable to expect that treasures or arcane secrets may remain in the dungeons (if someone took the trouble to create a permanent teleportation circle there, they may have left other magical wonders as well). Or the character may want to explore the dungeon to prove something to themselves or to others. Or the character may be a student of history or an admirer of the ancient warrior hero Rassalantar and want to search the dungeon for information about him (since information about him is exceptionally sketchy - officially almost nothing is known). Or the character may have been convinced by a tiefling paladin to accompany her on a rescue mission - to look for a boy who, for reasons yet to be discovered, has (spontaneously) abandoned his family and home and disappeared into the ruins. Details about the village of Rassalantar are in spoiler, if you are interested:
The small community consisted of six walled farms. They centered around a spring-fed pond which drained into a stream and emptied to the east into the Stump Bog, a sprawling, desolate marsh haunted by monsters. To the west of the farmhouses, a narrow patch of trees known as Keep Woods masked the ruins of Rassalantar's Keep, and to the east of the pond was the Sleeping Dragon Inn.
Rassalantar's Keep is now a set of ruins, but once served as a fortress for the warrior Rassalantar. Within the dungeon was a permanent teleportation circle that was used by the Blackstaff to communicate with Rassalantar. Over the time, most of the keep's stones were dissembled and used for construction in nearby settlements. All that was left was the underground cellar and dungeons, both of which had flooded.
D) Roleplay your character's arrival in Rassalantar or their preparation for the quest! (Just a post to let me 'see' your character, what they look like, how they behave… and let me understand the motivations that drive them to the quest...)
I think I'll leave the selection open for not much time, since I just need a few players (I already have several other players among those who participated in my previous initiative of this same kind) - however I'll let you know when I close the recruitment.
Of course, if you have any questions just ask, I'll try to answer them.
Have a nice day and I hope we can play together soon!
Don't sell yourself short, nor raise the professionals too high. In your enthusiasm to put this together, you have certainly spent a significant amount of time. The professionals have practice and experience on their side, so they tend to write these things quicker, but they are also working to meet deadlines. Your deadline was when you thought it was close enough.
I mean, it could still suck completely! But unless you are lying to yourself, you wouldn't have posted this if it was that kind of bad.
After several playtests (and iterative improvements), the professionals then pass the work on to professional editors, who frequently still miss typos, misspellings, and writing errors.
Congratulations on getting this quest to the point you are willing to seek feedback. Good on you for being willing to accept critiques from faceless people on the internet. We can be really cruel just because.
B) Name: Iris Hexencrow, The Enlightened. Race/Subrace: Human Variant. Class/Subclass: Wizard School of Divination. Physical appearance: Iris is a 168 cm human with long purple hair. Her eyes are golden, and seemingly shine of their own light if someone were to pay enough attention to her. She appears to be in her late 30s. That said, she's very much... Scrawny. Her eyes always seem to have bags beneath, and her complexion seems to be as pale as a cadaver. She's always wearing her trusty pair of round glasses, and her own nightdress alongside your usual night cap. Personality, character, ideals: Iris seems to be... Very lethargic. Since she has been struck with that damn curse, she has been struggling to get by, day by day, trying her best to recover her mastery over the Weave. She's very determined, and driven towards her goals, however... There's only so much her body can do. She still tries her best, as going to get back to where she was before is all she could ever ask for.
C) As hinted throughout the character sheet, Iris was once a very prestigious Wizard back in her home, Waterdeep. She had published many volumes and tomes regarding Divination, held a quite remarkable position in the city's Academy, and even managed to get some important clients around the city. At the highest point in her life, however, she seemingly had caught the unwanted attention of someone who didn't think she really deserved any of that, and so... A terrible curse fell upon her. One of which had brought her to ruin in the span of a couple days. The spell made her incredibly sleepy at all times, and prone to fall asleep at any given time. During the first few days, it was almost unbearable. She kept passing out and losing stuff she always brought around with extreme care. With people in the city taking the golden opportunity in front of their eyes, any stuff that the wizard lost got stolen, and slowly her own memry started to fail her, bringing her back down to the beginning of her own magic carreer.
Angry, she decided she must do anything in her power to dispel the curse, and not only that! She must find who brought that terrible curse upon her and bring them to justice!
But before any of that, she needs to stop by several places in the hope of finding a remedy for her curse. That is when she heard about Rassalantar's Keep. She wants to test her own limits, and hopefully find something that may help her to get rid of the curse once and for all!
So that is why she is now there, despite her terrible, terrible curse.
D) Iris didn't take any account of how much time it took her to get to the village. Has it been days? Weeks? Months? Hours? She didn't know. The travel was incredibly hazy due to her curse putting her to sleep continuously. When she was awake, everything still seemed too foggy to engrave any memory in her brain, which struggled a lot to keep up with what was going on. Using her quarterstaff to help her walk, she had made her way to the local Inn.
«Sleeping Dragon's Inn, huh...?»
The woman sighed a bit. That dragon and her truly shared something in common. Sleeping. She entered the in and made her way to the counter, dragging her feet a bit.
«Ah... Excuse me... Innkeeper...? I am here for the... Quest at the Keep... I was looking to... Get a room... For the time it... Will... Take...»
She mumbled a bit, as then she planted her face onto the floor, falling asleep. Gods, this curse had been acting up for the whole travel! How was she going to get into that damn Keep and come out in one piece like this?!
Upon coming back to her senses, she had found herself in one of the rooms of the inn. Well, that was reassuring. Her stuff was all there, even her spellbook filled with a very wonky handwriting and many puddles of ink and drool as she fell asleep many times while writing anything that she remembered from before the curse. With a sigh of relief, she made her way downstairs to talk with the innkeeper and apologize for her little scene she had caused. She then finds out she had been out for three full days and they were all worried sick that she had died. Embarrassed, she still makes her due payment and asks to be patient with her. She also told them that she, herself, was going to try her best to not make anything like that happen. After all, what kind of adventurer falls asleep continuously like that?!
This is it then! I apologize if there are any mistakes here and there! It's quite late over here, and English isn't my first language either, so yeah!!! Let me know if you have any questions, I'm looking forward to play this quest!
EDIT: I used the pointbuy for the initial draft! Edited it to fit what I actually wanted to do.
It had been a week since Kel had undergone the curse- He used to be a mighty dragonborn fighter who could fight great beasts but due to his jelousy and prideful nature he underestimated a transfiguration wizard who transformed Kel, the prince into a lowly kobold with a different name one that fit his new nature, a Mudscale. Stabby (his new first name) would awake over the week of his transformation his memory had been hazy, was anything real? He would ask himself as he found himself in the sleeping dragons inn, his noble status ripped from him literally.
He would stumble into a human girl while walking in backwards looking at all the sights, he hadnt imagined how hard it was to be tiny. He would look at the human he had bumped into (Iris) and stumble backwards. He hated being so clumsy and weak, he wished everything could go back to normal. He wouldnt apologise-
Don't sell yourself short, nor raise the professionals too high. ...
Congratulations on getting this quest to the point you are willing to seek feedback. Good on you for being willing to accept critiques from faceless people on the internet. We can be really cruel just because.
...
Thanks hustonjj, I will try to take your advice to heart and not err on the side of 'selling myself short' anymore. Actually, I have a high opinion of myself, I generally put a lot of effort into everything I do, and the previous module that others have playtested was very well received. But it is also true that in the previous case the playtest led me to change something - so I wanted to warn you that here we will play something that, in all likelihood, can still be improved.
Again from my previous experience, no one was 'cruel' in the final feedback... What can I say? Maybe I'm nice! 😉 But anyway, even if it were to happen, in this context I am focused on improving what I have done, so even if I receive some 'cruel' feedback in the end, I will not regret it anyway and I will try to focus on the improvement ideas that will be offered to me.
I've never played D&D in this way (PbP) but I do enjoy writing about my characters, and I have a lot of time on my hands at work, so perhaps this could be a viable avenue for some much needed distraction. I know the world of Faerun better than most established campaign settings so I feel like this playtest could be a good fit. I'd like a little more information about how PbP works and what to expect. Could you hit me up on Discord for a brief discourse? I don't want to fill your thread up with my questions. Thanks in advance!
B) Provide your character's: Name: Lord Elias Cerwyn Race/Subrace: Human Class/Subclass: College of Lore Bard
Physical appearance:
Lord Elias Cerwyn is a tall, slender man, his once-dark hair now a flowing cascade of soft gray, matching the full beard that frames his kind, weathered face. His blue eyes, sharp with intellect yet gentle with warmth, gleam with the wisdom of years lived in service to both family and knowledge. His posture, though aging, still carries the grace of a noble, with a quiet dignity that speaks of a life well-lived. His smile, though soft and often reserved, has a warmth that instantly puts others at ease, reflecting the quiet strength and unwavering devotion of a man who has seen both the burdens and joys of life. Personality, character, ideals:
Elias is a man of deep wisdom, boundless curiosity, and unwavering devotion. His life has been one of duty—every decision made in service to his noble house, every sacrifice for the sake of his family's honor. A scholar at heart, he has spent decades collecting knowledge, preserving history, and weaving truths into stories, believing that wisdom is the foundation upon which true legacy is built. Though his wit is sharp and his tongue quick, he has always carried himself with the dignity of a nobleman, using his words to inspire rather than to wound.
Despite his love for knowledge, he has often placed his own desires second to the needs of his house. Now, with time slipping away, Elias feels a longing for something more—a final chapter written by his own hand, a tale that will ensure his name is remembered not just as a dutiful lord, but as a legend in his own right. Though age has weathered him, his spirit remains strong, his heart still filled with a yearning to explore, to experience, to leave behind something greater than duty—a true legacy of wisdom, adventure, and story. He finds his greatest joy in shaping young minds, passing on knowledge, and igniting the flames of curiosity in those willing to listen. Now, he sets forth on his last journey, determined to craft a tale worth telling for generations to come.
C) In preparation for his final adventure, Elias has immersed himself in the ancient art of mapmaking, eager to chart new territories and uncover hidden secrets. His latest obsession is the mysterious ruins of Rassalantar's Keep, a place steeped in both legend and forgotten history. Elias has poured over every scrap of information he could find, piecing together old tales and ancient texts to better understand the place. Along with his desire for knowledge, he has heard of a young boy who has gone missing near the ruins, and his sense of duty compels him to seek out the child and offer whatever help he can. Of course, the thrill of discovery and the possibility of uncovering treasure are also strong draws for a man eager to leave behind a legacy not only of wisdom but of adventure. As he prepares to set out, Lord Elias is ready for whatever challenges await—his mind sharp, his heart full of purpose, and his determination to make his final journey a tale worth telling.
As the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows over the crumbled remnants of Rassalantar's Keep, Lord Elias Cerwyn and his daughter, Lady Elara, arrived at the edge of the forsaken ruin. The air was thick with the scent of moss and decay, and the wind carried whispers of a forgotten time. Elias, tall and composed, stepped forward with his usual measured grace, though his movements carried the faint tremor of age. His long gray hair, windswept and untamed, fluttered about his face as he surveyed the eerie ruins, his blue eyes gleaming with the thrill of discovery. His hand gripped the map he had spent months crafting, a testament to his determination, though it fluttered slightly as the wind tugged at it.
Behind him, Lady Elara's gaze was filled with concern. She had grown increasingly uneasy with her father's recent recklessness, especially after he had begun speaking more of his legacy than his health. His distractedness, his fervor for what lay ahead, had not gone unnoticed. Her eyes, dark and full of worry, followed him closely, as if trying to read the man she had known all her life but now found distant and consumed by something greater than himself.
"Father," she called softly, her voice laced with both love and apprehension. "Please, be careful. This place... it feels wrong."
Lord Elias paused for a moment, his smile warm yet distant. "Fear not, my dear," he said gently, his tone carrying the same reassurance it had always held. "There is much to learn here, and much to find. It’s only the echoes of the past that haunt this place, not danger. And I am not as frail as you think."
But Elara’s eyes remained doubtful as she watched him. She could see the spark of recklessness in him, a fire that had never been so strong before. It was as if the weight of his mortality had stirred something deep within him—a need to chase what might slip through his fingers...
Hello! It’s been some time since I played D&D aha. Not terribly long (a year or so), but still. I’d love to try out PbP since I’ve always been a really active long-form text roleplayer.
A) I used point-buy; his sheet can be found here on D&D Beyond.
13;14;11;12;8;17
B) Name: Halian “Hells” Race/Subrace: Tiefling Class/Subclass: Rouge thief
Hells is a tall, lean man well into his adulthood with tanned, sunspeckled red skin and dark, short hair. He sports an average build that is often described as wiry and compact, lending to his long limbs and lightfooted-nature. Two horns slope above his brow and curl around his head like a facismile crown- one of which bears a deep cut near its base, half an inch or so deep (which he often will wedge his dagger into for holding when he requires the use of both hands, and on numerous occasions it has lead to him dropping a blade dangerously near his foot). His hair is a dark expresso brown, parted to one side and very nearly shaven on the other. A scar cuts his right brow. His nose is hooked, and a darker stripe crosses from cheek to cheek. His chin, neck, and the undersides of his limbs sport a slightly faded yellow where the sun has yet to darken. Hells is often grinning or else sporting a smug look, making his ever-green dark eyes crinkle. His garb is traditional leathers, a dark cloak draped over his shoulders in a mimicry of the aristocracy’s heavy fur capes, and a tarnished chain around his neck holding twin rings of well-kept silver.
Personality, Character, Ideals + backstory: A more detailed recapture of his backstory can be found in the notes section of his sheet, but for brevity’s sake I’ll summarize: Hells was, as most tieflings are, shunned in his hometown and in his younger years grew a resentment for the more grounded races. The height of his adolescence resulted in the formation of a small gang of tieflings with himself and two friends that eventually grew out of control and became much less a community and much more akin to a hateful insurgency group. Hells left soon after, and made his coin instead as a mercenary and hired blade. After a job where he was hired an emissary and priestess, Imogen, the pair fell in love and were wed. After a few years of comfortable life, Hells’ familiar doubt crept in and with the subtle whispers and guidance of his old co-leader and friend, Casmeros, Hells was overwhelmed, killed his wife and fled the settlement while his old gang made their attack. Still, he sees her. Her, smiling from white teeth and a slit throat. Haunting him like a faded memory. Hells is a man on the run from both himself and the fear of anyone knowing his grave sin, Hells is a creature of masks. He is ruthless and efficient, but sarcastic, smarmy and playful as well. Hells deflects with playful jabs and jokes, paints himself as a realist, and leans into the ‘cowardly rouge’ stereotype with a candid sort of smugness. He is both incredibly serious and inexplicably not, a man of duality and deciet so deeply ingrained in his core. Guilt is hidden under a veneer of self-assuredness, and he almost takes pride in the skeptical gazes cast his way. Despite all of this, and despite the way he likes to be percieved, Hells is on the hunt for absolution. Because maybe, just maybe, if the gods can forgive him he won’t wake in cold sweat remembering her face, and knowing his misery is own fault.
Roleplay Sample:
”Where did that lady say to meet?” Mumbled the mottled red man as he surveyed the , a crossbow bolt rolling between index and thumb as he pressed the pointed cone of its tip to his bottom lip. Redemption, as sickly sweet a word as it is, was perhaps his last chance at anything real and meaningful. His tail looped and curled, passing behind his calves like the sword of Damocles. A guillotine, an axe. An end. How much longer until the death blow, he wondered, and untill he could consider himself a new man. How much longer indeed. It wasn’t often, in his travels, that Hells crossed paths with another tiefling (that wasn’t with steel glinting between them as he was pointed to his next slaughter-for-coin, anyway.) A cleric, no less. He let out a breath of laughter to himself, hiking down the small hill he had crested, towards the inn laid neatly below. Gods and devils, where do the ironies end?
Those thoughts were for a later, more responsible Hells, however. Now he was within sight of an inn- and where there were inns, there was often beer and other various spirits in which he could drown himself. Maybe a good nights sleep was possible. Another laugh.
Hells scraped the crossbow bolt against his teeth one last time, humming, before twirling it over his fingers and tucking it neatly into his quiver (where it did not belong) so it could rattle around with the wooden shafted arrows that had seen very little use now that he had that marvel of modern technology- the hand crossbow that cost him an arm and a leg -tucked neatly at his side. He had been wandering for the most part. Following words on the wind, you could say. Adventuring. Yes, he liked that word. He was adventuring. And it had lead him here, to these walled-in farms and lone inn. It had lead him to meet the cleric and her story of the boy who ran. Of watery keeps hidden under rubble, and of, quite likely, treasure. He considered it a sign of the gods, or perhaps his own greed, and supposed that a redemption story had to start somewhere. If he was ever going to stop seeing her smiling when he turned his head, a flicker of a memory, or her call in his ears— (“Tall man…”) —when he lay alone in the night then he had to start somewhere. And here was definitely somewhere.
Yes. Somewhere.
And somewhere, thank the gods, had an inn. An an inn that- he prayed -had alcohol.
It had been a week since Kel had undergone the curse- He used to be a mighty dragonborn fighter who could fight great beasts but due to his jelousy and prideful nature he underestimated a transfiguration wizard who transformed Kel, the prince into a lowly kobold with a different name one that fit his new nature, a Mudscale. Stabby (his new first name) would awake over the week of his transformation his memory had been hazy, was anything real? He would ask himself as he found himself in the sleeping dragons inn, his noble status ripped from him literally.
He would stumble into a human girl while walking in backwards looking at all the sights, he hadnt imagined how hard it was to be tiny. He would look at the human he had bumped into (Iris) and stumble backwards. He hated being so clumsy and weak, he wished everything could go back to normal. He wouldnt apologise-
I can't access the sheet! Can you edit it's permissions, please? You probably forgot to make it public.
I've never played D&D in this way (PbP) but I do enjoy writing about my characters, and I have a lot of time on my hands at work, so perhaps this could be a viable avenue for some much needed distraction. I know the world of Faerun better than most established campaign settings so I feel like this playtest could be a good fit. I'd like a little more information about how PbP works and what to expect. Could you hit me up on Discord for a brief discourse? I don't want to fill your thread up with my questions. Thanks in advance!
Disc - qalsip1977_99382
I don't have Discord but I'll write a private message to you and I'll answer your questions to the best of my abilities.
His parents died quite early in his life, due to circumstances that Tilvus never understood or found out about (DM can decide what happened here and tie in with story if they want; I don't have anything in mind). Tilvus was left alone, young, and scared in the city. Despite incredible odds, Tilvus managed to survive. Not through honest means, of course; he learned to steal, lie, cheat, and kill from a very young age, aided by his affable nature and charisma. That life became natural to Tilvus, and made him quite appealing as a recruit for the local thieves guild. Eventually, Tilvus managed to secure a comfortable living, and a solid reserve of money to fall back on.
Of course, however, that kind of living doesn't last. In a routine assassination, he was careless and was caught before he could escape. All of a sudden, he found himself barred in a jail cell and was nearly executed; only his quick feet and clever escape saved him that fate. Tilvus hated the feeling of being disarmed, defenseless, and weak. Thus, he aspired to never be under such circumstances again. He perfected his craft and methods of stealth, deception, and subterfuge. However, he still wasn't satisfied. He wanted power; not only through his own vessel, his body (though that was important as well), but also over others. He wanted money, a title, and a safety net to fall back on.
But first, power through his vessel. His mind. Something that could never be taken away from him, a hidden dagger in his boot that could never be stolen. After extensive research--or rather, after paying someone else to do extensive research, he heard of a way to unlock psionic powers. (this paragraph is a wip, will finish later)
He soon got his first taste of power with his rising to the top of the thieves guild, and said power became an addiction. He enjoyed control immensely, and sought out to increase his influence. Seeking a challenge, to improve his reputation, and to unlock the secrets within the dungeon--Tilvus threw a hood over his head, packed a bag with essentials, and set out towards Rassalantar, having heard rumors of secrets and arcane magic hidden in its chambers.
I was wondering if I would be able to play a CE character for this one, but totally willing to rework. My character would be cunning, and willing to work with and even manipulate good players to suit his needs. He enjoys power for power's sake, knowledge for knowledge's sake, and doesn't really care about deaths of others. He doesn't really enjoy hurting others , he just doesn't care. Tilvus would be affable and friendly, with a high Charisma stat, and generally cooperative--but constantly trying to push his own agenda and become more powerful and/or influential in the world. I would specifically make a conscious effort to not be a disruptive or bad player in general; that includes needlessly killing NPCs (he cares about his reputation), hurting or sabotaging the party (they're helping him get what he wants). Something he might not do would be going on adventures without a personal incentive (if it's the "right thing to do), though an important distinction is that improving his reputation is enough of a personal incentive to get Tilvus to do something. I think I've pretty much outlined the roleplay style I would use with my CE player. Again, if you aren't okay with this (which I totally understand), then I'm totally willing to rework Tilvus to make him a good character.
Name: Woodrow "Wood" Flatbane Race/Subrace: human, variant Class/Subclass: fighter - champion Physical appearance: 6'2 280 lbs looks to be close to 60 (only 46 though) working the dad bod, hair white/balding Personality, character, ideals: simple man, not a shut in, likes to work and talk about old times
Woodrow "Wood" Flatbane was born and raised in Waterdeep. He was a founding member of the Baker's Half Dozen adventures group and by his mid twenties amassed a small fortune while exploring north in the Ten Towns area as well as one kidnapping recovery from Underdark. It was in Underdark he lost the love of his life, Laurel Silverwing, a half elven mage and the most beautiful woman he had ever known. Her lose hit the group hard. Once back at Waterdeep, one by one, for one reason or another, his friends left town. Wood moved to Rassalantar's Hommlet, used what wealth he still had and built a simple house with an attached smithy. For the last twenty or so years he's been one of a handful of metal workers in the area. Most of his work is centered around farm life, but every now and then an adventure and party will pass through needed repairs. He'll share stories of the old days in between hammer blows.
Recently Wood was visited by the Wormwoods who lived back toward the big city. Their boy had gone missing and what info they could gather he was last seen heading to the old keep runes. Marlow Wormwood remembered the Baker's Half Dozen from back in the day and has come to ask me if I'd have a look for him. Wood agreed of course. The next day he pull the dust cover sea chest out of the attic and opened it for the first time in almost twenty years. Pulled his gear out, made adjustments as needed and headed to the tavern for a drink before heading out.
Thank you for your consideration. I'd be more than glad to make any changes you'd like.
... Again, if you aren't okay with this (which I totally understand), then I'm totally willing to rework Tilvus to make him a good character.
I've thought about it a bit, but I think an evil character is too much of a risk of causing trouble - despite the player's best intentions. There could be a number of situations where their evilness could be discovered (either by their own actions, or even just by magical investigations) and if the rest of the party is instead oriented towards good, this could cause difficulties and complicate the collaboration between the characters.
So yes, I regret not having specified this before (I only didn't do so because I hadn't thought of the eventuality) but I would prefer that we avoid evil characters.
...Recently Wood was visited by the Wormwoods who lived back toward the big city. Their boy had gone missing and what info they could gather he was last seen heading to the old keep runes. Marlow Wormwood remembered the Baker's Half Dozen from back in the day and has come to ask me if I'd have a look for him. Wood agreed of course. The next day he pull the dust cover sea chest out of the attic and opened it for the first time in almost twenty years. Pulled his gear out, made adjustments as needed and headed to the tavern for a drink before heading out.
Thank you for your consideration. I'd be more than glad to make any changes you'd like.
Great improvisation on the missing boy. I had intentionally not given too much information, because I wanted to have it provided by the paladin I had mentioned, but in fact since Woodrow has been living in Rassalantar for a while, it is plausible that he himself is aware of the story.
Let's say then that he knows that the missing boy is the son of Kara Sashar, the attractive and fascinating wheelwright, not by chance nicknamed ‘Tarsakh Flower’. She is now distraught with grief and worry, because her son Mival Loznhosk, whom she lovingly raised alone, with great affection and dedication, after the child's father had abandoned her even before the little one was born and who has recently come of age, has inexplicably abandoned the house, one night, to head towards the ruins...
That doesn't change much - especially it doesn't change the fact that Woodrow may have been asked to intervene!
As for Woodrow's equipment, however, I see that you included some magic items (such as the moon-touched weapon and the shoeld of crows). These should not be there, because, while not particularly powerful, they are not part of the Starting Gear and are not easily "purchasable".
Apart from these two details, everything seems fine to me.
A) Roll or assign you character's Ability Scores: Quoted above.
B) Provide your character's: Koran's Character Sheet - D&D Beyond Name: Koran Race/Subrace: Wood Elf Class/Subclass: Monk of the Open Palm Physical appearance: As a young elf, Koran actually looks much like a late teenage human child, with pointy ears. He's carrying more muscle than most young elves, but he isn't "cut" like a bodybuilder. His bright red hair and amber eyes are almost as striking to humans as the fact his skin is the color of persimmon bark. He's reasonably outfit for the road, though there's no sign of armor, and only a shortbow visible for weaponry. Personality, character, ideals: Koran is curious. He is looking to learn more about the world and the people in it. He tends to be cheerful, optimistic, and relatively open. He keeps others' secrets but works not to have any himself (not that he's perfected this bit). He was taught that people help each other, and he moves to do so as he finds opportunity, but he tries not to desert one project for another.
C) Koran has been wandering, learning what he can of the greater world, the people in it, and how far he can stretch and test his own capabilities. He's collected some notes about his wanderings, and a few stories, and he intends to collect many more before he considers himself through with his wanderings. Not long after reaching Rassalantar's Hommlet, Koran met a tiefling who wanted assistance trying to find a lost human child. A chance to learn a bit more about the varieties of tieflings in the world and help a desperate mother? Seemed a custom-made errand for the young monk's further education.
(Will there be a campaign channel for this? Ive posted and wrote for my character already but it would be good to have one to keep all the characters in.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hi, dear fellow players!
I'm recruiting players willing to playtest "The Truth Beneath the Surface" another short quest I've developed.
Characters start at level 4 and (via milestone advancement) will reach level 5 upon completion of the quest.
The quest takes place in Rassalantar, in the Forgotten Realms.
We will Play-by-Post in a dedicated thread of this forum, no Discord. Given typical PbP times, I imagine playing the quest from start to finish will take us a few months. I ask those who apply to be able to post indicatively at least once a day during this period (or if you can't post during the weekend, try at least to post once a day from Monday to Friday). Real life happens, I know - and I'll decide your character's actions, if I need to keep things moving and you're unable to post - but let's try to make this the exception, not the rule.
Experts and novices alike are welcome - just be nice to one another, for we're here to have fun and enjoy our time together.
I'm also asking you players to be kind of 'heroes' here - that is, courageous, tolerant and patient, because:
1) The quest could still have room for improvement (see spoiler for any details)
The official campaigns, if you've played any before, are written by people who do it for work - people free to devote their entire working time to just that. And when they're released, that campaigns have already been playtested - and corrected if necessary.
The quest developed by me, on the contrary, was developed by me alone - and (believe me, with immense enthusiasm, but also) with much less time available, since I do other things for a living... So, even if, in my opinion, I I'm now submitting a finished product - and I've done my best to make it interesting and fun to play - I'm here to ask you to playtest it exactly to find out whether I'm right or not (and to allow me to improve it if I can). It is therefore possible (as much as I hope not) that we come across some critical issues (challenges that are too easy or too difficult, situations in which perhaps we realize that I should add a few more hints - because otherwise we don't quite understand what to do - or maybe, conversely, where I should put less hints, because the smarter ones feel too 'guided', or... whatever).
2) At the end of this quest, not happy with having put your characters in trouble for months, I will try to further abuse your patience (see spoiler for any details)
After we finish playing the quest, I will ask you for feedback on how the quest was in you opinion, what you liked and disliked, suggestions to improve it and so on. It won't be a long interview... and, to tell the truth, if you don't answer me I won't be able to force you - you can ignore me with impunity - but since the purpose of all this, in addition to the fun, is the playtest, for me the final feedback would be really valuable (and mind, no need to invent anything, 'I have no particular idea to improve the product' is feedback perhaps not very useful to me, but perfectly valid still).
Like all 'heroes', however, at the end of your efforts you will also have a 'treasure' (see spoiler for any details)
If you persevere to the conclusion of the quest (no ghosting) and provide me the requested feedback after the conclusion, you can have, if you wish, the honor of being explicitly mentioned among the playtesters of the product - either by real name, or by nickname, or both - and that of receiving a copy in PDF of the finished product signed by me! Would you ever dare to dream of something like this? 😉
OK, if you agree to all this, well, here is how to apply (you can do it with multiple posts - no need to do all at once; just you'll need to do all, eventually, to finalize application):
A) Roll or assign you character's Ability Scores: you can either Roll here (4d6 drop the lowest, DO NOT reroll 1's) or use Point Buy; one choice excludes the other! If you roll, then you have to keep what you rolled, you can't switch to Point Buy if you don't like the rolls.
B) Provide your character's:
Name:
Race/Subrace:
Class/Subclass:
Physical appearance:
Personality, character, ideals:
The character (as I already stated) starts at level 4; you will have starting equipment + 100Gp (which you can either keep to spend during the adventure, or use in the creation phase to buy more equipment).
We will use 2014 rules for this campaign, not 2024, because this version of the module is developed for the old rules (I had started developing the module before the new rules came out). Maybe later I will also produce the version for the new rules - or maybe not.
C) Prepare a Backstory, with as many or as few details as you like, but which must indicate why the character comes to explore the ruins of Rassalantar's Keep. Not much is known about the ruins - except that the dungeons are (at least partly) flooded (which will certainly complicate exploration a bit) and that there is (somewhere) a permanent teleportation circle that allowed the Blackstaff, from Waterdeep, to send aid or messages. But since the Keep was founded long ago by the hero Rassalantar, it is reasonable to expect that treasures or arcane secrets may remain in the dungeons (if someone took the trouble to create a permanent teleportation circle there, they may have left other magical wonders as well). Or the character may want to explore the dungeon to prove something to themselves or to others. Or the character may be a student of history or an admirer of the ancient warrior hero Rassalantar and want to search the dungeon for information about him (since information about him is exceptionally sketchy - officially almost nothing is known). Or the character may have been convinced by a tiefling paladin to accompany her on a rescue mission - to look for a boy who, for reasons yet to be discovered, has (spontaneously) abandoned his family and home and disappeared into the ruins.
Details about the village of Rassalantar are in spoiler, if you are interested:
The small community consisted of six walled farms. They centered around a spring-fed pond which drained into a stream and emptied to the east into the Stump Bog, a sprawling, desolate marsh haunted by monsters. To the west of the farmhouses, a narrow patch of trees known as Keep Woods masked the ruins of Rassalantar's Keep, and to the east of the pond was the Sleeping Dragon Inn.
Rassalantar's Keep is now a set of ruins, but once served as a fortress for the warrior Rassalantar. Within the dungeon was a permanent teleportation circle that was used by the Blackstaff to communicate with Rassalantar. Over the time, most of the keep's stones were dissembled and used for construction in nearby settlements. All that was left was the underground cellar and dungeons, both of which had flooded.
D) Roleplay your character's arrival in Rassalantar or their preparation for the quest! (Just a post to let me 'see' your character, what they look like, how they behave… and let me understand the motivations that drive them to the quest...)
I think I'll leave the selection open for not much time, since I just need a few players (I already have several other players among those who participated in my previous initiative of this same kind) - however I'll let you know when I close the recruitment.
Of course, if you have any questions just ask, I'll try to answer them.
Have a nice day and I hope we can play together soon!
Don't know, yet, if I'll apply, but. . ..
Don't sell yourself short, nor raise the professionals too high. In your enthusiasm to put this together, you have certainly spent a significant amount of time. The professionals have practice and experience on their side, so they tend to write these things quicker, but they are also working to meet deadlines. Your deadline was when you thought it was close enough.
I mean, it could still suck completely! But unless you are lying to yourself, you wouldn't have posted this if it was that kind of bad.
After several playtests (and iterative improvements), the professionals then pass the work on to professional editors, who frequently still miss typos, misspellings, and writing errors.
Congratulations on getting this quest to the point you are willing to seek feedback. Good on you for being willing to accept critiques from faceless people on the internet. We can be really cruel just because.
I may be back.
Ability scores: 16 14 11 17 13 11
Wow. Nice rolls!
Hello!!! I'd like to join in the playtest! Here are the required stuff from the post!
A) I used Pointbuy to get stats!
Str: 8; Dex: 12; Con: 13+1; Int: 15+1; Wis: 14; Cha: 10.
B) Name: Iris Hexencrow, The Enlightened.
Race/Subrace: Human Variant.
Class/Subclass: Wizard School of Divination.
Physical appearance: Iris is a 168 cm human with long purple hair. Her eyes are golden, and seemingly shine of their own light if someone were to pay enough attention to her. She appears to be in her late 30s. That said, she's very much... Scrawny. Her eyes always seem to have bags beneath, and her complexion seems to be as pale as a cadaver. She's always wearing her trusty pair of round glasses, and her own nightdress alongside your usual night cap.
Personality, character, ideals: Iris seems to be... Very lethargic. Since she has been struck with that damn curse, she has been struggling to get by, day by day, trying her best to recover her mastery over the Weave. She's very determined, and driven towards her goals, however... There's only so much her body can do. She still tries her best, as going to get back to where she was before is all she could ever ask for.
C) As hinted throughout the character sheet, Iris was once a very prestigious Wizard back in her home, Waterdeep. She had published many volumes and tomes regarding Divination, held a quite remarkable position in the city's Academy, and even managed to get some important clients around the city. At the highest point in her life, however, she seemingly had caught the unwanted attention of someone who didn't think she really deserved any of that, and so... A terrible curse fell upon her. One of which had brought her to ruin in the span of a couple days. The spell made her incredibly sleepy at all times, and prone to fall asleep at any given time. During the first few days, it was almost unbearable. She kept passing out and losing stuff she always brought around with extreme care. With people in the city taking the golden opportunity in front of their eyes, any stuff that the wizard lost got stolen, and slowly her own memry started to fail her, bringing her back down to the beginning of her own magic carreer.
Angry, she decided she must do anything in her power to dispel the curse, and not only that! She must find who brought that terrible curse upon her and bring them to justice!
But before any of that, she needs to stop by several places in the hope of finding a remedy for her curse. That is when she heard about Rassalantar's Keep. She wants to test her own limits, and hopefully find something that may help her to get rid of the curse once and for all!
So that is why she is now there, despite her terrible, terrible curse.
D) Iris didn't take any account of how much time it took her to get to the village. Has it been days? Weeks? Months? Hours? She didn't know. The travel was incredibly hazy due to her curse putting her to sleep continuously. When she was awake, everything still seemed too foggy to engrave any memory in her brain, which struggled a lot to keep up with what was going on. Using her quarterstaff to help her walk, she had made her way to the local Inn.
«Sleeping Dragon's Inn, huh...?»
The woman sighed a bit. That dragon and her truly shared something in common. Sleeping. She entered the in and made her way to the counter, dragging her feet a bit.
«Ah... Excuse me... Innkeeper...? I am here for the... Quest at the Keep... I was looking to... Get a room... For the time it... Will... Take...»
She mumbled a bit, as then she planted her face onto the floor, falling asleep. Gods, this curse had been acting up for the whole travel! How was she going to get into that damn Keep and come out in one piece like this?!
Upon coming back to her senses, she had found herself in one of the rooms of the inn. Well, that was reassuring. Her stuff was all there, even her spellbook filled with a very wonky handwriting and many puddles of ink and drool as she fell asleep many times while writing anything that she remembered from before the curse. With a sigh of relief, she made her way downstairs to talk with the innkeeper and apologize for her little scene she had caused. She then finds out she had been out for three full days and they were all worried sick that she had died. Embarrassed, she still makes her due payment and asks to be patient with her. She also told them that she, herself, was going to try her best to not make anything like that happen. After all, what kind of adventurer falls asleep continuously like that?!
This is it then! I apologize if there are any mistakes here and there! It's quite late over here, and English isn't my first language either, so yeah!!! Let me know if you have any questions, I'm looking forward to play this quest!
EDIT: I used the pointbuy for the initial draft! Edited it to fit what I actually wanted to do.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/141431817
It had been a week since Kel had undergone the curse- He used to be a mighty dragonborn fighter who could fight great beasts but due to his jelousy and prideful nature he underestimated a transfiguration wizard who transformed Kel, the prince into a lowly kobold with a different name one that fit his new nature, a Mudscale. Stabby (his new first name) would awake over the week of his transformation his memory had been hazy, was anything real? He would ask himself as he found himself in the sleeping dragons inn, his noble status ripped from him literally.
He would stumble into a human girl while walking in backwards looking at all the sights, he hadnt imagined how hard it was to be tiny. He would look at the human he had bumped into (Iris) and stumble backwards. He hated being so clumsy and weak, he wished everything could go back to normal. He wouldnt apologise-
Thanks hustonjj, I will try to take your advice to heart and not err on the side of 'selling myself short' anymore. Actually, I have a high opinion of myself, I generally put a lot of effort into everything I do, and the previous module that others have playtested was very well received. But it is also true that in the previous case the playtest led me to change something - so I wanted to warn you that here we will play something that, in all likelihood, can still be improved.
Again from my previous experience, no one was 'cruel' in the final feedback... What can I say? Maybe I'm nice! 😉 But anyway, even if it were to happen, in this context I am focused on improving what I have done, so even if I receive some 'cruel' feedback in the end, I will not regret it anyway and I will try to focus on the improvement ideas that will be offered to me.
I've never played D&D in this way (PbP) but I do enjoy writing about my characters, and I have a lot of time on my hands at work, so perhaps this could be a viable avenue for some much needed distraction. I know the world of Faerun better than most established campaign settings so I feel like this playtest could be a good fit. I'd like a little more information about how PbP works and what to expect. Could you hit me up on Discord for a brief discourse? I don't want to fill your thread up with my questions. Thanks in advance!
Disc - qalsip1977_99382
A) I just used point buy on DDB. Link to sheet:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/141467538/2S6E79
B) Provide your character's:
Name: Lord Elias Cerwyn
Race/Subrace: Human
Class/Subclass: College of Lore Bard
Physical appearance:
Lord Elias Cerwyn is a tall, slender man, his once-dark hair now a flowing cascade of soft gray, matching the full beard that frames his kind, weathered face. His blue eyes, sharp with intellect yet gentle with warmth, gleam with the wisdom of years lived in service to both family and knowledge. His posture, though aging, still carries the grace of a noble, with a quiet dignity that speaks of a life well-lived. His smile, though soft and often reserved, has a warmth that instantly puts others at ease, reflecting the quiet strength and unwavering devotion of a man who has seen both the burdens and joys of life.
Personality, character, ideals:
Elias is a man of deep wisdom, boundless curiosity, and unwavering devotion. His life has been one of duty—every decision made in service to his noble house, every sacrifice for the sake of his family's honor. A scholar at heart, he has spent decades collecting knowledge, preserving history, and weaving truths into stories, believing that wisdom is the foundation upon which true legacy is built. Though his wit is sharp and his tongue quick, he has always carried himself with the dignity of a nobleman, using his words to inspire rather than to wound.
Despite his love for knowledge, he has often placed his own desires second to the needs of his house. Now, with time slipping away, Elias feels a longing for something more—a final chapter written by his own hand, a tale that will ensure his name is remembered not just as a dutiful lord, but as a legend in his own right. Though age has weathered him, his spirit remains strong, his heart still filled with a yearning to explore, to experience, to leave behind something greater than duty—a true legacy of wisdom, adventure, and story. He finds his greatest joy in shaping young minds, passing on knowledge, and igniting the flames of curiosity in those willing to listen. Now, he sets forth on his last journey, determined to craft a tale worth telling for generations to come.
C) In preparation for his final adventure, Elias has immersed himself in the ancient art of mapmaking, eager to chart new territories and uncover hidden secrets. His latest obsession is the mysterious ruins of Rassalantar's Keep, a place steeped in both legend and forgotten history. Elias has poured over every scrap of information he could find, piecing together old tales and ancient texts to better understand the place. Along with his desire for knowledge, he has heard of a young boy who has gone missing near the ruins, and his sense of duty compels him to seek out the child and offer whatever help he can. Of course, the thrill of discovery and the possibility of uncovering treasure are also strong draws for a man eager to leave behind a legacy not only of wisdom but of adventure. As he prepares to set out, Lord Elias is ready for whatever challenges await—his mind sharp, his heart full of purpose, and his determination to make his final journey a tale worth telling.
D) Link to image of Elias - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P0pwUDrFanOrPxyx6ixJ1KTU1NvYhyUu/view?usp=drive_link
As the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows over the crumbled remnants of Rassalantar's Keep, Lord Elias Cerwyn and his daughter, Lady Elara, arrived at the edge of the forsaken ruin. The air was thick with the scent of moss and decay, and the wind carried whispers of a forgotten time. Elias, tall and composed, stepped forward with his usual measured grace, though his movements carried the faint tremor of age. His long gray hair, windswept and untamed, fluttered about his face as he surveyed the eerie ruins, his blue eyes gleaming with the thrill of discovery. His hand gripped the map he had spent months crafting, a testament to his determination, though it fluttered slightly as the wind tugged at it.
Behind him, Lady Elara's gaze was filled with concern. She had grown increasingly uneasy with her father's recent recklessness, especially after he had begun speaking more of his legacy than his health. His distractedness, his fervor for what lay ahead, had not gone unnoticed. Her eyes, dark and full of worry, followed him closely, as if trying to read the man she had known all her life but now found distant and consumed by something greater than himself.
"Father," she called softly, her voice laced with both love and apprehension. "Please, be careful. This place... it feels wrong."
Lord Elias paused for a moment, his smile warm yet distant. "Fear not, my dear," he said gently, his tone carrying the same reassurance it had always held. "There is much to learn here, and much to find. It’s only the echoes of the past that haunt this place, not danger. And I am not as frail as you think."
But Elara’s eyes remained doubtful as she watched him. She could see the spark of recklessness in him, a fire that had never been so strong before. It was as if the weight of his mortality had stirred something deep within him—a need to chase what might slip through his fingers...
Hells.
Hello! It’s been some time since I played D&D aha. Not terribly long (a year or so), but still. I’d love to try out PbP since I’ve always been a really active long-form text roleplayer.
A) I used point-buy; his sheet can be found here on D&D Beyond.
13;14;11;12;8;17
B) Name: Halian “Hells”
Race/Subrace: Tiefling
Class/Subclass: Rouge thief
Hells is a tall, lean man well into his adulthood with tanned, sunspeckled red skin and dark, short hair. He sports an average build that is often described as wiry and compact, lending to his long limbs and lightfooted-nature. Two horns slope above his brow and curl around his head like a facismile crown- one of which bears a deep cut near its base, half an inch or so deep (which he often will wedge his dagger into for holding when he requires the use of both hands, and on numerous occasions it has lead to him dropping a blade dangerously near his foot). His hair is a dark expresso brown, parted to one side and very nearly shaven on the other. A scar cuts his right brow. His nose is hooked, and a darker stripe crosses from cheek to cheek. His chin, neck, and the undersides of his limbs sport a slightly faded yellow where the sun has yet to darken. Hells is often grinning or else sporting a smug look, making his ever-green dark eyes crinkle. His garb is traditional leathers, a dark cloak draped over his shoulders in a mimicry of the aristocracy’s heavy fur capes, and a tarnished chain around his neck holding twin rings of well-kept silver.
Personality, Character, Ideals + backstory:
A more detailed recapture of his backstory can be found in the notes section of his sheet, but for brevity’s sake I’ll summarize: Hells was, as most tieflings are, shunned in his hometown and in his younger years grew a resentment for the more grounded races. The height of his adolescence resulted in the formation of a small gang of tieflings with himself and two friends that eventually grew out of control and became much less a community and much more akin to a hateful insurgency group. Hells left soon after, and made his coin instead as a mercenary and hired blade. After a job where he was hired an emissary and priestess, Imogen, the pair fell in love and were wed. After a few years of comfortable life, Hells’ familiar doubt crept in and with the subtle whispers and guidance of his old co-leader and friend, Casmeros, Hells was overwhelmed, killed his wife and fled the settlement while his old gang made their attack. Still, he sees her. Her, smiling from white teeth and a slit throat. Haunting him like a faded memory. Hells is a man on the run from both himself and the fear of anyone knowing his grave sin, Hells is a creature of masks. He is ruthless and efficient, but sarcastic, smarmy and playful as well. Hells deflects with playful jabs and jokes, paints himself as a realist, and leans into the ‘cowardly rouge’ stereotype with a candid sort of smugness. He is both incredibly serious and inexplicably not, a man of duality and deciet so deeply ingrained in his core. Guilt is hidden under a veneer of self-assuredness, and he almost takes pride in the skeptical gazes cast his way. Despite all of this, and despite the way he likes to be percieved, Hells is on the hunt for absolution. Because maybe, just maybe, if the gods can forgive him he won’t wake in cold sweat remembering her face, and knowing his misery is own fault.
Roleplay Sample:
”Where did that lady say to meet?” Mumbled the mottled red man as he surveyed the , a crossbow bolt rolling between index and thumb as he pressed the pointed cone of its tip to his bottom lip. Redemption, as sickly sweet a word as it is, was perhaps his last chance at anything real and meaningful. His tail looped and curled, passing behind his calves like the sword of Damocles. A guillotine, an axe. An end. How much longer until the death blow, he wondered, and untill he could consider himself a new man. How much longer indeed. It wasn’t often, in his travels, that Hells crossed paths with another tiefling (that wasn’t with steel glinting between them as he was pointed to his next slaughter-for-coin, anyway.) A cleric, no less. He let out a breath of laughter to himself, hiking down the small hill he had crested, towards the inn laid neatly below. Gods and devils, where do the ironies end?
Those thoughts were for a later, more responsible Hells, however. Now he was within sight of an inn- and where there were inns, there was often beer and other various spirits in which he could drown himself. Maybe a good nights sleep was possible. Another laugh.
Hells scraped the crossbow bolt against his teeth one last time, humming, before twirling it over his fingers and tucking it neatly into his quiver (where it did not belong) so it could rattle around with the wooden shafted arrows that had seen very little use now that he had that marvel of modern technology- the hand crossbow that cost him an arm and a leg -tucked neatly at his side. He had been wandering for the most part. Following words on the wind, you could say. Adventuring. Yes, he liked that word. He was adventuring. And it had lead him here, to these walled-in farms and lone inn. It had lead him to meet the cleric and her story of the boy who ran. Of watery keeps hidden under rubble, and of, quite likely, treasure. He considered it a sign of the gods, or perhaps his own greed, and supposed that a redemption story had to start somewhere. If he was ever going to stop seeing her smiling when he turned his head, a flicker of a memory, or her call in his ears— (“Tall man…”) —when he lay alone in the night then he had to start somewhere. And here was definitely somewhere.
Yes. Somewhere.
And somewhere, thank the gods, had an inn. An an inn that- he prayed -had alcohol.
he/him/his ——— rosenrot
I can't access the sheet! Can you edit it's permissions, please? You probably forgot to make it public.
I don't have Discord but I'll write a private message to you and I'll answer your questions to the best of my abilities.
Let's give it a go shall we,
Ability scores: 16 14 15 18 11 14
Name: Tilvus (no last name)
Species: Tabaxi
Class: Rogue, Soulknife
Ability Scores: Ability scores: 14 11 13 8 9 15
Background: Criminal
Backstory (hidden for length):
Tilvus was born at a very young age. Obviously.
His parents died quite early in his life, due to circumstances that Tilvus never understood or found out about (DM can decide what happened here and tie in with story if they want; I don't have anything in mind). Tilvus was left alone, young, and scared in the city. Despite incredible odds, Tilvus managed to survive. Not through honest means, of course; he learned to steal, lie, cheat, and kill from a very young age, aided by his affable nature and charisma. That life became natural to Tilvus, and made him quite appealing as a recruit for the local thieves guild. Eventually, Tilvus managed to secure a comfortable living, and a solid reserve of money to fall back on.
Of course, however, that kind of living doesn't last. In a routine assassination, he was careless and was caught before he could escape. All of a sudden, he found himself barred in a jail cell and was nearly executed; only his quick feet and clever escape saved him that fate. Tilvus hated the feeling of being disarmed, defenseless, and weak. Thus, he aspired to never be under such circumstances again. He perfected his craft and methods of stealth, deception, and subterfuge. However, he still wasn't satisfied. He wanted power; not only through his own vessel, his body (though that was important as well), but also over others. He wanted money, a title, and a safety net to fall back on.
But first, power through his vessel. His mind. Something that could never be taken away from him, a hidden dagger in his boot that could never be stolen. After extensive research--or rather, after paying someone else to do extensive research, he heard of a way to unlock psionic powers. (this paragraph is a wip, will finish later)
He soon got his first taste of power with his rising to the top of the thieves guild, and said power became an addiction. He enjoyed control immensely, and sought out to increase his influence. Seeking a challenge, to improve his reputation, and to unlock the secrets within the dungeon--Tilvus threw a hood over his head, packed a bag with essentials, and set out towards Rassalantar, having heard rumors of secrets and arcane magic hidden in its chambers.
I was wondering if I would be able to play a CE character for this one, but totally willing to rework. My character would be cunning, and willing to work with and even manipulate good players to suit his needs. He enjoys power for power's sake, knowledge for knowledge's sake, and doesn't really care about deaths of others. He doesn't really enjoy hurting others , he just doesn't care. Tilvus would be affable and friendly, with a high Charisma stat, and generally cooperative--but constantly trying to push his own agenda and become more powerful and/or influential in the world. I would specifically make a conscious effort to not be a disruptive or bad player in general; that includes needlessly killing NPCs (he cares about his reputation), hurting or sabotaging the party (they're helping him get what he wants). Something he might not do would be going on adventures without a personal incentive (if it's the "right thing to do), though an important distinction is that improving his reputation is enough of a personal incentive to get Tilvus to do something. I think I've pretty much outlined the roleplay style I would use with my CE player. Again, if you aren't okay with this (which I totally understand), then I'm totally willing to rework Tilvus to make him a good character.
Please sign here. And don't read the fine print.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/141482520/hM4EAo
Name: Woodrow "Wood" Flatbane
Race/Subrace: human, variant
Class/Subclass: fighter - champion
Physical appearance: 6'2 280 lbs looks to be close to 60 (only 46 though) working the dad bod, hair white/balding
Personality, character, ideals: simple man, not a shut in, likes to work and talk about old times
Woodrow "Wood" Flatbane was born and raised in Waterdeep. He was a founding member of the Baker's Half Dozen adventures group and by his mid twenties amassed a small fortune while exploring north in the Ten Towns area as well as one kidnapping recovery from Underdark. It was in Underdark he lost the love of his life, Laurel Silverwing, a half elven mage and the most beautiful woman he had ever known. Her lose hit the group hard. Once back at Waterdeep, one by one, for one reason or another, his friends left town. Wood moved to Rassalantar's Hommlet, used what wealth he still had and built a simple house with an attached smithy. For the last twenty or so years he's been one of a handful of metal workers in the area. Most of his work is centered around farm life, but every now and then an adventure and party will pass through needed repairs. He'll share stories of the old days in between hammer blows.
Recently Wood was visited by the Wormwoods who lived back toward the big city. Their boy had gone missing and what info they could gather he was last seen heading to the old keep runes. Marlow Wormwood remembered the Baker's Half Dozen from back in the day and has come to ask me if I'd have a look for him. Wood agreed of course. The next day he pull the dust cover sea chest out of the attic and opened it for the first time in almost twenty years. Pulled his gear out, made adjustments as needed and headed to the tavern for a drink before heading out.
Thank you for your consideration. I'd be more than glad to make any changes you'd like.
I've thought about it a bit, but I think an evil character is too much of a risk of causing trouble - despite the player's best intentions. There could be a number of situations where their evilness could be discovered (either by their own actions, or even just by magical investigations) and if the rest of the party is instead oriented towards good, this could cause difficulties and complicate the collaboration between the characters.
So yes, I regret not having specified this before (I only didn't do so because I hadn't thought of the eventuality) but I would prefer that we avoid evil characters.
Great improvisation on the missing boy. I had intentionally not given too much information, because I wanted to have it provided by the paladin I had mentioned, but in fact since Woodrow has been living in Rassalantar for a while, it is plausible that he himself is aware of the story.
Let's say then that he knows that the missing boy is the son of Kara Sashar, the attractive and fascinating wheelwright, not by chance nicknamed ‘Tarsakh Flower’. She is now distraught with grief and worry, because her son Mival Loznhosk, whom she lovingly raised alone, with great affection and dedication, after the child's father had abandoned her even before the little one was born and who has recently come of age, has inexplicably abandoned the house, one night, to head towards the ruins...
That doesn't change much - especially it doesn't change the fact that Woodrow may have been asked to intervene!
As for Woodrow's equipment, however, I see that you included some magic items (such as the moon-touched weapon and the shoeld of crows). These should not be there, because, while not particularly powerful, they are not part of the Starting Gear and are not easily "purchasable".
Apart from these two details, everything seems fine to me.
A) Roll or assign you character's Ability Scores: Quoted above.
B) Provide your character's: Koran's Character Sheet - D&D Beyond
Name: Koran
Race/Subrace: Wood Elf
Class/Subclass: Monk of the Open Palm
Physical appearance: As a young elf, Koran actually looks much like a late teenage human child, with pointy ears. He's carrying more muscle than most young elves, but he isn't "cut" like a bodybuilder. His bright red hair and amber eyes are almost as striking to humans as the fact his skin is the color of persimmon bark. He's reasonably outfit for the road, though there's no sign of armor, and only a shortbow visible for weaponry.
Personality, character, ideals: Koran is curious. He is looking to learn more about the world and the people in it. He tends to be cheerful, optimistic, and relatively open. He keeps others' secrets but works not to have any himself (not that he's perfected this bit). He was taught that people help each other, and he moves to do so as he finds opportunity, but he tries not to desert one project for another.
C) Koran has been wandering, learning what he can of the greater world, the people in it, and how far he can stretch and test his own capabilities. He's collected some notes about his wanderings, and a few stories, and he intends to collect many more before he considers himself through with his wanderings. Not long after reaching Rassalantar's Hommlet, Koran met a tiefling who wanted assistance trying to find a lost human child. A chance to learn a bit more about the varieties of tieflings in the world and help a desperate mother? Seemed a custom-made errand for the young monk's further education.
(Will there be a campaign channel for this? Ive posted and wrote for my character already but it would be good to have one to keep all the characters in.