Due to the amazing applicants that have been submitted, Recruitment is Closed.
Hello fellow adventurers. My name is Cromusz and I will be the Dungeon Master for this campaign known as The Joys of Balance. The setting will be in a custom world set in the Renaissance period where there is a strong fascination with discovery and adventure.
Years of peace have allowed the region to prosper both in trade and quality of life. Villages have been able to grow and expand thanks to an abundance of natural resources and birth rates have never been higher. There has been little need for conflict as most townsfolk are able to live in excess of what their needs are thanks to governments that have been established to manage production and maintain the infrastructure of the towns. Due to the higher populations, people are often able to pursue livelihoods that don't focus directly on necessity and lean more toward arts and discovery.
Finding work to do hasn't been a struggle lately. Most people around town have had small tasks they're looking to hire people to complete. These jobs are normally things like deliveries, hunting, and sometimes exploration of the nearby regions. Most of the jobs are rather low risk so the pay isn't that large. While this doesn't allow adventuring folk to amass large amounts of coin, it does provide easier work without all the risks.
It is these jobs that have led you here to Holden Heights. With it's nearly 350 inhabitants, the town sits along a major trade route between the Lowlands and the Highlands. The main draw to this town is the large pulley system that has been designed to ease the burden of lifting and lowering the goods along the giant cliff face that divides the regions. Due to the high amount of trade passing through, the town has a wide range of vendors and shops setup to provide for everything a traveler could need.
Character Creation:
Races: I'm open to all races. If you have questions about using a certain race, let me know.
Attributes: Roll 4d6 and drop the lowest die. Do this 7 times taking whichever 6 of those you'd like. If the total for all dice is 70 or less, you may start over with a fresh reroll of all attributes. If the dice hate you, you may use the standard array.
Classes: I'm open to all officially published classes and subclasses. Due to a high number of monks already applying, no new monks are allowed.
Alignment: Characters should be Neutral or Good.
Starting level: We'll be starting at the dreaded level 1. I have faith in you.
Backstory: This is very important for me as I like to bring people's backstories into the main plot through fun hooks and nods. Please have at least a few paragraphs talking about where your character is from and what their goals in life are. Since this is a custom setting, we can work together on this.
Players should be available to post at least once a day Monday through Friday between 7am Eastern and 5pm Eastern. This window of time means that if you are unable to post during that time because it's when you sleep or when you're not able to get to the keyboard, this campaign probably isn't for you. It is okay if you're going on vacation or holiday. Just let me know in advance and we can work out what your character will do while you're away. Posting on weekends will not be required.
All dice rolls will be done here on the forums using the fancy dice roller they've made. Off Topic discussions will be held in a Private Message thread with all players. Player specific/secret things will be handled with direct PMs between the player and the DM.
I love when people really get into their characters and the setting. To "apply" to play in this PbP, please submit a response to the following question:
What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives?
THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS WILL BE 9/13/19 .
Due to the amazing applicants that have been submitted, Recruitment is Closed. The selection process is underway. Thank you all!
I will select between 5 and 8 players assuming there are that many applicants. The game will start on 9/16/19.
Will update post with character info once they are made.
Will happily accept those rolls. Hot damn.
Quentin L'ouen Race: Human (Variant) Class: Wizard Alignment: Neutral Good Background: Archaeologist
Backstory: While many would dream of the future and things to come Quentin has always been fascinated, if not obsessed, with years gone by. History was one of the only subjects he would not fall asleep when lectured on and feverishly committed any details to memory. The lineages of kings and queens, the rise and falls of empires, revolts and the rising up of the common people. Everything about the history of nations and their sovereigns entranced him. Especially when learning of court wizards who would advise their kings in matters arcane and Magocracies where magic commanded everything.
This spurred Quentin to apply to the nearest mage academy and learn the ways of manipulating the primal forces of the world. The more he learned of magic and the rituals established by those who came before, the more his knack for history prompted him to delve deeper into how these processes were developed. What experiments were conducted in order refine the pulling of power from the elemental planes? Why is it possible to enter someone's mind and urge them to act in a way? How is it possible to conjur creatures across planes of existence with no harm to them? It was never enough for Quentin to know the how of a spell and be able to execute it, but he always yearned for the why and the where this knowledge come from.
He has committed himself to being one who finds these answers. He has tempered his body as well as his mind in order to facilitate delving into the dark and dangerous areas of the world so that he can locate tomes of arcane masters long forgotten. He dreams of finding artifacts wielded by empresses and kings, made by the grandest craftsmen of arcane yore. While everyone looks to the future and the promising bounty it holds Quentin looks to the past hoping to dig up things long forgotten.
What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? Balance for Quentin has become keeping both his mind and body sharp and well maintained. He has become so focused on his goals to delve into the ancient places and secrets of the world he's allowed his personal relationships to stagnate. His family while proud of his academic accomplishments think him eccentric. His peers find him odd when he'd rather engage in intense exercises rather than spend his off hours relaxing. Save for his mentor, Clint, he has no real friends to speak of. No one he feels understands him. So he has set out into the world taking up the life of an adventurer in order to find the hidden places and the artifacts within to prove himself right, and to those that would doubt him.
Name: Judge Race: Warforged Class: Paladin Background: City Watch
Backstory: Judge was created as an experiment by a wizard in artificial life. It worked. He was gifted to the city, who installed him as a simple guardsman. Judge had other ideas. Judge took his time and built trust, and rose in the ranks, eventually become a investigator and guardsman. It was his devotion to justice and learning the truth that got him the nickname, "Judge", which he took on as a badge of honor. He felt strongly enough about his convictions that he eventually took vows as a paladin of [Insert God of Justice]. His life was nearly ruined when a minor investigation led him to suspect a fellow watchman of corruption, and led him afoul of a powerful noble family. He was framed of the corruption himself, and when it seemed his world had turned against him, he set out into the world until things cooled down and he could prove his innocence.
Balance: Balance is when all things fall into a well ordered pattern. Everything is neat and in its place, the just are rewarded, and the rulebreakers thwarted. This world may never truly be balanced, but it is my job to put as much right as I can.
Hi! This sounds *right* up my alley. I work, at a computer, M-F, 7:30-5:00, but I can easily find time during the day to make at least one post. Here's my character - since I'm thinking goblin, I'm willing to work on backstory to make my little guy fit in your campaign setting more properly. I understand the gobbo's can be a tricky proposition sometimes.
What does balance mean to your character and how do they find balance in their life? Knok doesn't consciously seek balance as a concrete concept. He honestly doesn't consciously seek much of anything, outside of his basic needs, but he does understand that he walks a precarious line between being a goblin and a Not Us. He likes the Not Us's, and wants to remain as one, so he makes a concerted effort to mimic their ways, to the best of his ability. He tries to pattern his thoughts after how believes they think; he apes their dress, their speech, their fighting styles. But at the end of the day, he's still a slave to his baser nature, and it's apparent to any who interact with him. He's a imitation of a human fighter. He's a imitation of civilized person in society. But Knok doesn't care about how he comes off to others if it means that he gets to live with the Not Us's. Balancing who he wants to be with who he is, that's Knok's ticket to a better life than he had with the other goblins, and he aims to keep it that way..
Race: Goblin Class: Fighter (likely Battle Master when the time comes) Alignment: Neutral Background: Outlander Ability Scores:914141313107
Backstory: Like most goblins, Knok grew up on the fringes of civilized society. He, along with his brutish kin would raid, pillage, and burn the homes of the Tall Ones, the Not Us Small Ones, and all the other Not Us races. But Knok always wondered why it was that he and his friends lived in caves, huts, and burrows, while the Not Us's lived in large, well-built houses. One time, Knok even saw a Tall One house that was made entirely of stone! With big, big, big walls around it so that no tree would fall and knock it down or kill the goblin living inside it! And no bear was going to decide to move into it and eat the goblins who were living there, either. Old Milk-Eye called it a "catskull," which Knok thought was a very dumb dumb name for a house, but Old Milk-Eye was very, very old and very, very wise, so Knok didn't say that out loud.
And the FOOD! Oh, the food. Knok really didn't enjoy having to eat whatever his tribe could find in the woods, which was often whatever a bear hadn't bothered to eat, or whatever could be found under a fallen log, or whatever could be found when you turned over a large rock. The Not Us's had whole fields of animals that they could eat any time they wanted, and entire fields of plants that they could pull up and just eat. Any time. Not Knok, and not the other goblins. Overall, Knok was pretty sure that the Tall Ones and Not Us Small Ones lived a much better life than goblins did. When he said this to Old Milk-Eye, Old Milk-Eye rapped Knok on the head with his club and told him to stop thinking. Thinking is bad for goblins, because they might start acting on those thoughts, and then they'll be no better than the Not Us's. Knok thought this was awfully silly, and then he realized that was a thought too, so maybe Knok isn't all that different from the Not Us's, after all?
All that idle thinking and wondering that Knok did paid off one day when he was hunting near the human settlement of Holden Heights. Knok was wondering what would happen if he just walked into town and asked to live there, and eat their good foods, and smell the good smells, and live in a good house when he felt a terrible pain in his left foot. Looking down, Knok realized he'd stepped in bear trap, which Knok instinctively understood was a Bad Thing for two reasons. One, it hurt Knok a lot. Two, it meant there might actual bears around, and that almost bothered Knok worse than the pain did.
It was while trying to pry his leg out of the teeth of the sharp, shiny, metal bear trap that Knok looked up and found himself face to face with a Not Us Small One. It introduced itself as something called an "Oppenholdt," then as a gnome. Knok knew what gnomes were, but he'd never met an "Oppenholdt" before. Gnomes were sworn enemies of goblins, that's what Old Milk-Eye said, but this Oppenholdt gnome didn't necessarily seem all that dangerous to Knok, so Knok didn't attack it immediately. This turned out to be a very good thing for Knok, because the Oppenholdt looked down at Knok's injured, trapped leg and said, in very poorly accented Goblin, "Well now, we'll have to see about getting you out of that nasty mess you've caught yourself in, won't we?" and then the Oppenholdt gnome put one of it's hands on the trap, said something in a language Knok didn't understand, and the trap sprung open. The gnome caught Knok as he fell, and then said something else in that weird language before Knok found himself floating in the air, and being dragged behind the Oppenholdt, straight into Holden Heights, and into one of those nice houses that Knok had long thought about living in. Knok thought that if getting caught in a bear trap was all it took get one of these nice houses, he would've done it sooner. Then the Oppenholdt reset the bone in Knok's lower leg, and he passed out from the pain.
A few months later, after living with Oppenholdt in Holden Heights, and learning to speak Gnomish and Common, Knok realized that he'd been pretty dumb before. He was still pretty dumb now, but he'd been really dumb before. Well, dumb's not the right word. Oppenholdt explained that Knok couldn't be blamed for not knowing things he'd never had a chance to learn. That sounded pretty good to Knok. That' with other things that Oppenholdt taught him, made Knok think that Not Us life must be even better than Knok thought it was, back when he was an Uncivilized goblin. Knok decided he wanted to stay with the Not Us's. Oppenholdt agreed, and thought that was a great idea.
His gnome friend thought that it might be good for Knok to learn some practical skills. Maybe even Magic like Oppenholdt. Oppenholdt tried to teach Knok some of his Magic, but Knok thought it was dumb to use Spells to open things since swords and stones worked just as well. And why use Magic to make it harder for a sword to hit you when you could just wear armor. Or not get hit in the first place. Needless to say, Knok and Magic did not get along. Knok liked his trusty scimitar and shield. They might be "gross" and "foul-smelling" as Oppenholdt said, but they were reliable, and more importantly, they made sense to Knok. And that's how Knok came to be Oppenholdt's bodyguard on his expeditions outside the boundaries of Holden Heights. Knok did this for many years, protecting his wizard friend as he gathered herbs, and mosses, and guano, and mushrooms, and all sorts of things that Knok used to eat, but that Oppenholdt used to make Magic. It was a very exciting time.
Then Oppenholdt said that it might be time for Knok to try to "branch out." Knok was not a tree, so this seemed a strange thing for Oppenholdt to tell Knok to do. He said so. Oppenholdt explained that he just meant that maybe Knok was ready to make a life for himself. The gnome would still be around, would still be Knok's friend, but wouldn't Knok like to do something for himself? Knok thought about this for a few moments. He would like to do something for himself. So Knok picked up his scimitar, his shield, and the rest of his belongings and stepped out into the first day of being Knok the Goblin But Also Kind of the Not Us, Too. He was ready to find adventure of his very own, with other Not Us's, He was a Not Us, too.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Character Name:Rzharkey Race: Githzerai Class: Monk (Query at the end) Alignment: Neutral Good Background: Far Traveller Backstory: Rzharkey is of the Gith, an ancient and alien race that is very distant from many forms of the world. His culture consists of him living in the distant realm of limbo, where nothing escapes the wraps of chaos save that controlled by a truly mastered mind. Young and new to this world, Rzharkey still has much to learn and master before he can truly be one with his people in limbo, and as such has been sent out to the prime material plane to experience the world. Armed with very little, some basic food reserves and a robe of his people, he began his travel. He was fortunate in his first encounter, a farming family that were cautious at first, but understanding once they found that Rzharkey meant no harm. There they managed to teach him the common tongue and some of their basic customs. After a few months of staying with them and assisting in the farming, he eventually decided it was time to move on. The farming family told Rzharkey of a trade town known as Holding Heights, where folk of all creed, culture, and colour traverse through. There Rzharkey would be able to experience many people, and learn much to take on about the world. Fresh-faced about all the creatures there, Rzharkey will have to used what little has been learnt so far to distinguish friend from foe, truth from false, and what is the true way... What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? Balance is about keeping your self from straying too far one way or the other. There is good, but also bad. There is light, but also darkness. There is chaos, but within there is also law. Balance is a way to keep yourself from falling too far one way or another, and when the scales tip too far one way, it is good to ensure that something aids in moving towards the perfect centre. This is an ethic to self-enlightenment.
Ability scores: 914131212178
Query: There are a bunch of cool monks, and I quite like the latest Unearthed Arcana entry of the Way of the Astral Self. The concept is one who has learnt to master the "chaos" around them and manifest it into their astral body, bringing the arms etc. into play. If not, there are plenty of other archetypes that would fit the character that I can pick from based on how the first two levels go.
Edit: Noticed the mention about "too many monks" for recruitment. Happy to change characters if required.
Character Name:Jonathan Narthel Race: Human Class: Barbarian Alignment: Lawful Neutral Background: Noble Ability Scores:9161414171218 Backstory: Jonathan Narthel is thirdborn in the Narthel household, behind his elder brother and sister. His family owns some parcels of land and some mining areas, which his brother is set to inherit when his parents eventually retire. His sister has been off at an academy for several years at this point with the intent of becoming a seasoned spellcaster. His brother has his hands full learning the family trade and being a business mastermind. This leaves Jonathan as the odd child out. He isn't as witty and charming as his brother, nor as sharp-minded and cunning as his sister. He does, however, enjoy one thing the other two did not learn. That is the art of fencing. His father was trained in the art of fencing as a young man, and that is what he aspires to learn. Jonathan, while still fairly young and inexperienced, was eager to learn how to fence. He has been taught the basics by a hired instructor, but has it in his head that he will be a great swordsman regardless of tutoring. Deciding to head out into the world without any further training, he has decided to set out and do some "in the field" practice. Perhaps he can sign up as one of those adventurer types, find a place that is in trouble often and give him a chance to hone those blunt skills properly. He left a message with the house staff that he was headed out on a journey of self-discovery, and would not be back for a while. So far his journey has been an interesting one. He left with a decent amount of money, enough for at least a year of steady living, but is now down to his last 20 gold. This has impacted his thoughts on how to live outside of the comfort of a family name, as it only took a month to nearly run out of money, and now he is having to live like the locals, hiring small tavern rooms and work for his money. It's going to be something he will get used to as he follows a trade caravan into Holding Heights, hoping to get a chance to prove himself as well as perhaps get out of this "gutter" of a position he is currently in. (Effectively, I like the idea of the barbarian rage being a "battle stance", where he is focused so much on the fight that everything else is blocked out. So his skill has yet to be learnt, perhaps in a future multiclass, but for now he is ready to test his mettle against ne'er-do-wells and vagabonds.) (Also to note: spent 5gp on buying a shield.) What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? The balance in Jonathan's life comes in two ways, one with his money, the other with satisfaction. He is quickly learning that one does not necessarily equate to the other, as since he's left home he doesn't really have the position to ask for more money right off of the bat. However, it can buy you a nice meal, and occasionally a nice night out, which does fill that emptiness occasionally. There is also the balance of the law vs. the lawless. Being from a family of affluent merchants, he knows that handling the law is important. Keep within its parameters and ensure you profit somehow. Also, that those who directly oppose law are generally people to be wary of and/or oppose.
Query: There are a bunch of cool monks, and I quite like the latest Unearthed Arcana entry of the Way of the Astral Self. The concept is one who has learnt to master the "chaos" around them and manifest it into their astral body, bringing the arms etc. into play. If not, there are plenty of other archetypes that would fit the character that I can pick from based on how the first two levels go.
I would be fine with this. Make sure to answer the question at the bottom of the original post.
Character Name: Paren Raethran Race: Wood Elf Class: Paladin Alignment: Chaotic Good Background: Criminal/Spy Backstory:
Growing up poor Paren turned to crime at a young age to survive. Caught and released on petty charges a number of times he kept stealing, until one day he was discovered in a house by the homeowner. During the tussle the homeowner was injured. Seeing this Paren took to hiding in the woods, wracked by the guilt that he had caused harm.
It was here that he felt a pull, calling him deeper into the forest. As he walked deeper into the forest the pull became a voice. Eventually the voice became a figure, leading him deeper still. Eventually the figure stopped at a grove with an obelisk in the middle. The figure disappeared and in his place was a old human warrior, bearing the symbol of a tree with a spear on his shield.
The man introduced himself as Cleg and said the Lugh had told him a new warrior would be coming. Fearing for his safety if he returned to the city, Paren agreed to stay and learn. Eventually he embraced the faith of Lugh, learning to speak to him and how he wanted him to protect the forest. Eventually Cleg passed on, leaving Paren to the task of guarding an ever increasing amount of groves, as other followers left and no one came to replace them.
Question:Balance for Paren means a return of the people to a proper respect for nature. Charged with the protection of the groves by Lugh, Paren would look for a way to lead people back to a proper balance between nature and the development happening in the cities. Paren finds balance in his life by sitting in nature and communing with Lugh.
Backstory: Falaine has always had a fascinating with other cultures, she's spent time with a tribe of Hunter gatherers, matched wits with a firbolg clan leader, traveled with an orc war party, but she never lets her experiences dampen her sense of wonder.
Hey latest foray has been into the city, where she has had a difficult time finding hospitality given the jaded nature of the metropolitan people. Very few are interested in being excited about where they live and she often finds herself as a social pariah or tourist.
She is a woman of simple needs, but one of those is exploration and adventure, so she is always looking for a group to travel with.
Balance to Falaine means equal rights and opportunity for everything. Everything deserves respect and everyone deserves a shot.
Huh, I'm interested in applying but not sure how likely it is I'll get in and don't want to waste an app, how many players are being selected and when does selection end?
Also hey Gronk and Bwadle! And Goodrail, Charwoman as well! You guys did say that it's common to see people you've played with before :P
THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS WILL BE 9/13/19. I will select between 5 and 8 players assuming there are that many applicants. The game will start on 9/16/19.
I AM NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICANTS. I am currently in the selection process and will send DMs to those that are in the party. Thank you all for the interest!
Haha. I noticed that as well. Once the application process gets closer to the end, I may request some class changes if I think it will help certain players get into the game. I don't mind multiple of the same class, but I find diversity can be a bit more fun.
The application process continues until a week from today. At that time, I will go through the applicants and select the players to form the party. We will do somewhat of a Session 0 where we'll establish how your characters know each other and go over any shared history you'd like to entertain. We'll also go over the religion and how deities will come into play in the campaign. If you're character has interest in religion, feel free to PM me and we can work on creating a god appropriate to the setting that will work with your character choice.
Future applicants, do not worry about party composition when creating your characters. I do believe we have the monk slot covered so it may be best to avoid creating another monk going forward. If you have any questions about any part of the process, let me know and we'll work it out.
I will be submitting a character soon. I'm new to the forums, but I did my good share of pbp in the old WotC forums (before they shut down the pbp section there, years ago now). If you'll have a newbie to the forums, I'll be starting to roll up a character now!
Ability scores: 1215141791112
Well the setting seems perfectly suited for a (future Glamour College) Bard.
Race: Human (Variant) Class: Bard (likely Glamour College when the time comes) Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Background: Charlatan
Backstory: Some heroes are thrust into adventure by an epic calamity that threatened their family, or were Chosen by this or that deity. Not so for Finan. As far as he knows, at least. No, Finan's story has a very simple beginning. He got bored. The thing you must know about Finan is he is as ugly as the underside of a rock after a particularly wet summer. Rumors used to go around his home town that there must have been some Troll blood in his recent family history, or that his parents found him in the woods, some vile offspring of an Orc and an Ogre with a bit of Elf sprinkled in the mix to explain his fair skin. But no, Finan is just a Human. A particularly ugly specimen, but still Human.
With that genetic 'blessing', Finan developed a unique talent for people. A casual word dropped here, a perfectly timed joke there, and he would have folks wound around his finger. Not to dance as puppets, that wasn't his goal, but to have them accept him as just another normal kid. It meant he could play along, even be the unofficial leader of his group of friends, and receive kind smiles from the grownups rather than sneers and shouts. Only later, when traveling the world, would he start to use his skills to his personal advantage. Just to secure a good meal, a warm bed and perhaps a soft girl or two when the mood struck him. No more, no less.
But yes, bored. He grew up in a small village, you see, and he would hang on the lips of traveling merchants as they told tales of faraway kingdoms, of bandits hiding in the bushes and of monsters creeping in the forests. Staying in the village, becoming a farmer or learning a local craft, marry one of the girls he'd known his entire life? Good grief. No, that wasn't for Finan. He was meant for the world. To die a glorious death, or spin tales of his wild adventures when he was old, sitting in the corner of some glum inn in one of the big cities. Actually, he'd had his eye on this one girl, Chalica Brenstorm, and he could have imagined growing old with her. She was adventurous too, always eager to run off and play, to climb trees and fight imaginary battles with sticks they found lying in the mud. He still remembered her laughter echoing through the forest. But her dreams were similar to his, and as she was two years older, in her restlessness she could not wait for him. She left almost a year before he did. Sometimes he still dreamed of her. He'd make sure he had a girl in his arms the following night.
On his travels he picked up some skill with a couple of musical instruments from bands of gypsies or the same traveling merchants he'd met when he was younger. He learned his skill with words was more than just that, that he'd developed an innate sense for the arcane which he could spin to confuddle strangers on the road, or make craftsmen believe he would be worth taking on as a paid apprentice. It was exciting, to be out on the road, with nothing but his own hands, feet and mouth to live by. Sure, he got chased out of town a couple of times, but a quick disguise and he'd be back the same day, earning coin from another unsuspecting victim, until he decided himself it was time to move on.
What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? 'Take only what you need.' The words still rang in his head, clear as day. It were the words of the leader of the first group of gypsies he'd come across after leaving his home. 'The wolf cannot live if he eats all the hares in the field, all the deer in the forest. So we must not take all the gold the village can give us, leave some for them to survive.' Of course, the next day they parted ways, with their wagons laden with everything that wasn't boarded down or locked behind doors in the village where they had stayed overnight. Chairs, tables, chickens, pigs, even the spades and other tools not locked in sheds. But Finan still hears the message clear in his mind. Take what you need, leave the rest. Be like the wolf. Fatten up before winter strikes.
Due to the amazing applicants that have been submitted, Recruitment is Closed.
Hello fellow adventurers. My name is Cromusz and I will be the Dungeon Master for this campaign known as The Joys of Balance. The setting will be in a custom world set in the Renaissance period where there is a strong fascination with discovery and adventure.
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Character Creation:
Players should be available to post at least once a day Monday through Friday between 7am Eastern and 5pm Eastern. This window of time means that if you are unable to post during that time because it's when you sleep or when you're not able to get to the keyboard, this campaign probably isn't for you. It is okay if you're going on vacation or holiday. Just let me know in advance and we can work out what your character will do while you're away. Posting on weekends will not be required.
All dice rolls will be done here on the forums using the fancy dice roller they've made. Off Topic discussions will be held in a Private Message thread with all players. Player specific/secret things will be handled with direct PMs between the player and the DM.
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How I will choose players.
I love when people really get into their characters and the setting. To "apply" to play in this PbP, please submit a response to the following question:
THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS WILL BE 9/13/19 .Due to the amazing applicants that have been submitted, Recruitment is Closed. The selection process is underway. Thank you all!
I will select between 5 and 8 players assuming there are that many applicants. The game will start on 9/16/19.
Rolling for Ability scores: 7 10 12 16 13 17 15
Will update post with character info once they are made.
Will happily accept those rolls. Hot damn.
Quentin L'ouen
Race: Human (Variant)
Class: Wizard
Alignment: Neutral Good
Background: Archaeologist
Backstory: While many would dream of the future and things to come Quentin has always been fascinated, if not obsessed, with years gone by. History was one of the only subjects he would not fall asleep when lectured on and feverishly committed any details to memory. The lineages of kings and queens, the rise and falls of empires, revolts and the rising up of the common people. Everything about the history of nations and their sovereigns entranced him. Especially when learning of court wizards who would advise their kings in matters arcane and Magocracies where magic commanded everything.
This spurred Quentin to apply to the nearest mage academy and learn the ways of manipulating the primal forces of the world. The more he learned of magic and the rituals established by those who came before, the more his knack for history prompted him to delve deeper into how these processes were developed. What experiments were conducted in order refine the pulling of power from the elemental planes? Why is it possible to enter someone's mind and urge them to act in a way? How is it possible to conjur creatures across planes of existence with no harm to them? It was never enough for Quentin to know the how of a spell and be able to execute it, but he always yearned for the why and the where this knowledge come from.
He has committed himself to being one who finds these answers. He has tempered his body as well as his mind in order to facilitate delving into the dark and dangerous areas of the world so that he can locate tomes of arcane masters long forgotten. He dreams of finding artifacts wielded by empresses and kings, made by the grandest craftsmen of arcane yore. While everyone looks to the future and the promising bounty it holds Quentin looks to the past hoping to dig up things long forgotten.
What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? Balance for Quentin has become keeping both his mind and body sharp and well maintained. He has become so focused on his goals to delve into the ancient places and secrets of the world he's allowed his personal relationships to stagnate. His family while proud of his academic accomplishments think him eccentric. His peers find him odd when he'd rather engage in intense exercises rather than spend his off hours relaxing. Save for his mentor, Clint, he has no real friends to speak of. No one he feels understands him. So he has set out into the world taking up the life of an adventurer in order to find the hidden places and the artifacts within to prove himself right, and to those that would doubt him.
Ability scores: 8 16 11 15 5 11 10
Back and ready to DM and chew bubblegum. And I'm alllll outta bubblegum.
Ability scores: 5 15 14 13 15 9 11
Name: Judge
Race: Warforged
Class: Paladin
Background: City Watch
Backstory: Judge was created as an experiment by a wizard in artificial life. It worked. He was gifted to the city, who installed him as a simple guardsman. Judge had other ideas. Judge took his time and built trust, and rose in the ranks, eventually become a investigator and guardsman. It was his devotion to justice and learning the truth that got him the nickname, "Judge", which he took on as a badge of honor. He felt strongly enough about his convictions that he eventually took vows as a paladin of [Insert God of Justice].
His life was nearly ruined when a minor investigation led him to suspect a fellow watchman of corruption, and led him afoul of a powerful noble family. He was framed of the corruption himself, and when it seemed his world had turned against him, he set out into the world until things cooled down and he could prove his innocence.
Balance: Balance is when all things fall into a well ordered pattern. Everything is neat and in its place, the just are rewarded, and the rulebreakers thwarted. This world may never truly be balanced, but it is my job to put as much right as I can.
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Adewild: Shadows and Light 2
Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
Rolling ability scores, will post character later today.
Ability scores: 13 13 14 17 12 18 13
Hi! This sounds *right* up my alley. I work, at a computer, M-F, 7:30-5:00, but I can easily find time during the day to make at least one post. Here's my character - since I'm thinking goblin, I'm willing to work on backstory to make my little guy fit in your campaign setting more properly. I understand the gobbo's can be a tricky proposition sometimes.
What does balance mean to your character and how do they find balance in their life? Knok doesn't consciously seek balance as a concrete concept. He honestly doesn't consciously seek much of anything, outside of his basic needs, but he does understand that he walks a precarious line between being a goblin and a Not Us. He likes the Not Us's, and wants to remain as one, so he makes a concerted effort to mimic their ways, to the best of his ability. He tries to pattern his thoughts after how believes they think; he apes their dress, their speech, their fighting styles. But at the end of the day, he's still a slave to his baser nature, and it's apparent to any who interact with him. He's a imitation of a human fighter. He's a imitation of civilized person in society. But Knok doesn't care about how he comes off to others if it means that he gets to live with the Not Us's. Balancing who he wants to be with who he is, that's Knok's ticket to a better life than he had with the other goblins, and he aims to keep it that way..
Knok Gnome-friend
Race: Goblin
Class: Fighter (likely Battle Master when the time comes)
Alignment: Neutral
Background: Outlander
Ability Scores: 9 14 14 13 13 10 7
Backstory: Like most goblins, Knok grew up on the fringes of civilized society. He, along with his brutish kin would raid, pillage, and burn the homes of the Tall Ones, the Not Us Small Ones, and all the other Not Us races. But Knok always wondered why it was that he and his friends lived in caves, huts, and burrows, while the Not Us's lived in large, well-built houses. One time, Knok even saw a Tall One house that was made entirely of stone! With big, big, big walls around it so that no tree would fall and knock it down or kill the goblin living inside it! And no bear was going to decide to move into it and eat the goblins who were living there, either. Old Milk-Eye called it a "catskull," which Knok thought was a very dumb dumb name for a house, but Old Milk-Eye was very, very old and very, very wise, so Knok didn't say that out loud.
And the FOOD! Oh, the food. Knok really didn't enjoy having to eat whatever his tribe could find in the woods, which was often whatever a bear hadn't bothered to eat, or whatever could be found under a fallen log, or whatever could be found when you turned over a large rock. The Not Us's had whole fields of animals that they could eat any time they wanted, and entire fields of plants that they could pull up and just eat. Any time. Not Knok, and not the other goblins. Overall, Knok was pretty sure that the Tall Ones and Not Us Small Ones lived a much better life than goblins did. When he said this to Old Milk-Eye, Old Milk-Eye rapped Knok on the head with his club and told him to stop thinking. Thinking is bad for goblins, because they might start acting on those thoughts, and then they'll be no better than the Not Us's. Knok thought this was awfully silly, and then he realized that was a thought too, so maybe Knok isn't all that different from the Not Us's, after all?
All that idle thinking and wondering that Knok did paid off one day when he was hunting near the human settlement of Holden Heights. Knok was wondering what would happen if he just walked into town and asked to live there, and eat their good foods, and smell the good smells, and live in a good house when he felt a terrible pain in his left foot. Looking down, Knok realized he'd stepped in bear trap, which Knok instinctively understood was a Bad Thing for two reasons. One, it hurt Knok a lot. Two, it meant there might actual bears around, and that almost bothered Knok worse than the pain did.
It was while trying to pry his leg out of the teeth of the sharp, shiny, metal bear trap that Knok looked up and found himself face to face with a Not Us Small One. It introduced itself as something called an "Oppenholdt," then as a gnome. Knok knew what gnomes were, but he'd never met an "Oppenholdt" before. Gnomes were sworn enemies of goblins, that's what Old Milk-Eye said, but this Oppenholdt gnome didn't necessarily seem all that dangerous to Knok, so Knok didn't attack it immediately. This turned out to be a very good thing for Knok, because the Oppenholdt looked down at Knok's injured, trapped leg and said, in very poorly accented Goblin, "Well now, we'll have to see about getting you out of that nasty mess you've caught yourself in, won't we?" and then the Oppenholdt gnome put one of it's hands on the trap, said something in a language Knok didn't understand, and the trap sprung open. The gnome caught Knok as he fell, and then said something else in that weird language before Knok found himself floating in the air, and being dragged behind the Oppenholdt, straight into Holden Heights, and into one of those nice houses that Knok had long thought about living in. Knok thought that if getting caught in a bear trap was all it took get one of these nice houses, he would've done it sooner. Then the Oppenholdt reset the bone in Knok's lower leg, and he passed out from the pain.
A few months later, after living with Oppenholdt in Holden Heights, and learning to speak Gnomish and Common, Knok realized that he'd been pretty dumb before. He was still pretty dumb now, but he'd been really dumb before. Well, dumb's not the right word. Oppenholdt explained that Knok couldn't be blamed for not knowing things he'd never had a chance to learn. That sounded pretty good to Knok. That' with other things that Oppenholdt taught him, made Knok think that Not Us life must be even better than Knok thought it was, back when he was an Uncivilized goblin. Knok decided he wanted to stay with the Not Us's. Oppenholdt agreed, and thought that was a great idea.
His gnome friend thought that it might be good for Knok to learn some practical skills. Maybe even Magic like Oppenholdt. Oppenholdt tried to teach Knok some of his Magic, but Knok thought it was dumb to use Spells to open things since swords and stones worked just as well. And why use Magic to make it harder for a sword to hit you when you could just wear armor. Or not get hit in the first place. Needless to say, Knok and Magic did not get along. Knok liked his trusty scimitar and shield. They might be "gross" and "foul-smelling" as Oppenholdt said, but they were reliable, and more importantly, they made sense to Knok. And that's how Knok came to be Oppenholdt's bodyguard on his expeditions outside the boundaries of Holden Heights. Knok did this for many years, protecting his wizard friend as he gathered herbs, and mosses, and guano, and mushrooms, and all sorts of things that Knok used to eat, but that Oppenholdt used to make Magic. It was a very exciting time.
Then Oppenholdt said that it might be time for Knok to try to "branch out." Knok was not a tree, so this seemed a strange thing for Oppenholdt to tell Knok to do. He said so. Oppenholdt explained that he just meant that maybe Knok was ready to make a life for himself. The gnome would still be around, would still be Knok's friend, but wouldn't Knok like to do something for himself? Knok thought about this for a few moments. He would like to do something for himself. So Knok picked up his scimitar, his shield, and the rest of his belongings and stepped out into the first day of being Knok the Goblin But Also Kind of the Not Us, Too. He was ready to find adventure of his very own, with other Not Us's, He was a Not Us, too.
Knok Gnome-friend | Goblin Fighter (Eldritch Knight) 3 | The Joys of Balance
Ability scores: 8 11 14 10 13 11 14
will edit with character stuff after
Ability scores: 12 13 15 14 11 15 15
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/YoFizz/characters/16139767
Gash - Lvl14 Goblin Wizard - The High Court of the Aasimar Queen
Appreciating all of the interest. Let me know if you have any questions about getting the basis for the character created.
For ability scores, make sure you don't use the reroll 1's script.
Rolling abilities Ability scores: 12 16 14 7 12 6 11
Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisys in Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
Character Name: Rzharkey
Race: Githzerai
Class: Monk (Query at the end)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Background: Far Traveller
Backstory: Rzharkey is of the Gith, an ancient and alien race that is very distant from many forms of the world. His culture consists of him living in the distant realm of limbo, where nothing escapes the wraps of chaos save that controlled by a truly mastered mind. Young and new to this world, Rzharkey still has much to learn and master before he can truly be one with his people in limbo, and as such has been sent out to the prime material plane to experience the world. Armed with very little, some basic food reserves and a robe of his people, he began his travel.
He was fortunate in his first encounter, a farming family that were cautious at first, but understanding once they found that Rzharkey meant no harm. There they managed to teach him the common tongue and some of their basic customs. After a few months of staying with them and assisting in the farming, he eventually decided it was time to move on. The farming family told Rzharkey of a trade town known as Holding Heights, where folk of all creed, culture, and colour traverse through. There Rzharkey would be able to experience many people, and learn much to take on about the world. Fresh-faced about all the creatures there, Rzharkey will have to used what little has been learnt so far to distinguish friend from foe, truth from false, and what is the true way...
What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? Balance is about keeping your self from straying too far one way or the other. There is good, but also bad. There is light, but also darkness. There is chaos, but within there is also law. Balance is a way to keep yourself from falling too far one way or another, and when the scales tip too far one way, it is good to ensure that something aids in moving towards the perfect centre. This is an ethic to self-enlightenment.
Ability scores: 9 14 13 12 12 17 8
Query: There are a bunch of cool monks, and I quite like the latest Unearthed Arcana entry of the Way of the Astral Self. The concept is one who has learnt to master the "chaos" around them and manifest it into their astral body, bringing the arms etc. into play. If not, there are plenty of other archetypes that would fit the character that I can pick from based on how the first two levels go.
Edit: Noticed the mention about "too many monks" for recruitment. Happy to change characters if required.
Character Name: Jonathan Narthel
Race: Human
Class: Barbarian
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Background: Noble
Ability Scores: 9 16 14 14 17 12 18
Backstory: Jonathan Narthel is thirdborn in the Narthel household, behind his elder brother and sister. His family owns some parcels of land and some mining areas, which his brother is set to inherit when his parents eventually retire. His sister has been off at an academy for several years at this point with the intent of becoming a seasoned spellcaster. His brother has his hands full learning the family trade and being a business mastermind. This leaves Jonathan as the odd child out. He isn't as witty and charming as his brother, nor as sharp-minded and cunning as his sister. He does, however, enjoy one thing the other two did not learn. That is the art of fencing. His father was trained in the art of fencing as a young man, and that is what he aspires to learn.
Jonathan, while still fairly young and inexperienced, was eager to learn how to fence. He has been taught the basics by a hired instructor, but has it in his head that he will be a great swordsman regardless of tutoring. Deciding to head out into the world without any further training, he has decided to set out and do some "in the field" practice. Perhaps he can sign up as one of those adventurer types, find a place that is in trouble often and give him a chance to hone those blunt skills properly. He left a message with the house staff that he was headed out on a journey of self-discovery, and would not be back for a while.
So far his journey has been an interesting one. He left with a decent amount of money, enough for at least a year of steady living, but is now down to his last 20 gold. This has impacted his thoughts on how to live outside of the comfort of a family name, as it only took a month to nearly run out of money, and now he is having to live like the locals, hiring small tavern rooms and work for his money. It's going to be something he will get used to as he follows a trade caravan into Holding Heights, hoping to get a chance to prove himself as well as perhaps get out of this "gutter" of a position he is currently in.
(Effectively, I like the idea of the barbarian rage being a "battle stance", where he is focused so much on the fight that everything else is blocked out. So his skill has yet to be learnt, perhaps in a future multiclass, but for now he is ready to test his mettle against ne'er-do-wells and vagabonds.)
(Also to note: spent 5gp on buying a shield.)
What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? The balance in Jonathan's life comes in two ways, one with his money, the other with satisfaction. He is quickly learning that one does not necessarily equate to the other, as since he's left home he doesn't really have the position to ask for more money right off of the bat. However, it can buy you a nice meal, and occasionally a nice night out, which does fill that emptiness occasionally.
There is also the balance of the law vs. the lawless. Being from a family of affluent merchants, he knows that handling the law is important. Keep within its parameters and ensure you profit somehow. Also, that those who directly oppose law are generally people to be wary of and/or oppose.
Current Player In: The Guild as Elsara Deepmoon
I would be fine with this. Make sure to answer the question at the bottom of the original post.
Character Name: Paren Raethran
Race: Wood Elf
Class: Paladin
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Background: Criminal/Spy
Backstory:
Growing up poor Paren turned to crime at a young age to survive. Caught and released on petty charges a number of times he kept stealing, until one day he was discovered in a house by the homeowner. During the tussle the homeowner was injured. Seeing this Paren took to hiding in the woods, wracked by the guilt that he had caused harm.
It was here that he felt a pull, calling him deeper into the forest. As he walked deeper into the forest the pull became a voice. Eventually the voice became a figure, leading him deeper still. Eventually the figure stopped at a grove with an obelisk in the middle. The figure disappeared and in his place was a old human warrior, bearing the symbol of a tree with a spear on his shield.
The man introduced himself as Cleg and said the Lugh had told him a new warrior would be coming. Fearing for his safety if he returned to the city, Paren agreed to stay and learn. Eventually he embraced the faith of Lugh, learning to speak to him and how he wanted him to protect the forest. Eventually Cleg passed on, leaving Paren to the task of guarding an ever increasing amount of groves, as other followers left and no one came to replace them.
Question: Balance for Paren means a return of the people to a proper respect for nature. Charged with the protection of the groves by Lugh, Paren would look for a way to lead people back to a proper balance between nature and the development happening in the cities. Paren finds balance in his life by sitting in nature and communing with Lugh.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Sidewinder51/characters/14060099
Gronk in Bastion, Kingdom of Medrin Elixisys in Talaveroth (Team 2) Uthal in Lost Continent of Theviranne
8 13 17 12 13 13 5
Character name: Falaine
Race and class: Changeling Druid
Alignment: TN
Background: Sage
Backstory: Falaine has always had a fascinating with other cultures, she's spent time with a tribe of Hunter gatherers, matched wits with a firbolg clan leader, traveled with an orc war party, but she never lets her experiences dampen her sense of wonder.
Hey latest foray has been into the city, where she has had a difficult time finding hospitality given the jaded nature of the metropolitan people. Very few are interested in being excited about where they live and she often finds herself as a social pariah or tourist.
She is a woman of simple needs, but one of those is exploration and adventure, so she is always looking for a group to travel with.
Balance to Falaine means equal rights and opportunity for everything. Everything deserves respect and everyone deserves a shot.
Huh, I'm interested in applying but not sure how likely it is I'll get in and don't want to waste an app, how many players are being selected and when does selection end?
Also hey Gronk and Bwadle! And Goodrail, Charwoman as well! You guys did say that it's common to see people you've played with before :P
I AM NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICANTS. I am currently in the selection process and will send DMs to those that are in the party. Thank you all for the interest!
*Creates Monk*
See 400 monk applications
*Goes back to Character Builder*
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Adewild: Shadows and Light 2
Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
Haha. I noticed that as well. Once the application process gets closer to the end, I may request some class changes if I think it will help certain players get into the game. I don't mind multiple of the same class, but I find diversity can be a bit more fun.
The application process continues until a week from today.At that time, I will go through the applicants and select the players to form the party. We will do somewhat of a Session 0 where we'll establish how your characters know each other and go over any shared history you'd like to entertain. We'll also go over the religion and how deities will come into play in the campaign. If you're character has interest in religion, feel free to PM me and we can work on creating a god appropriate to the setting that will work with your character choice.Future applicants,do not worry about party composition when creating your characters. I do believe we have the monk slot covered so it may be best to avoid creating another monk going forward. If you have any questions about any part of the process, let me know and we'll work it out.The Application Process Has Ended
I will be submitting a character soon.
I'm new to the forums, but I did my good share of pbp in the old WotC forums (before they shut down the pbp section there, years ago now). If you'll have a newbie to the forums, I'll be starting to roll up a character now!
Ability scores: 12 15 14 17 9 11 12
Well the setting seems perfectly suited for a (future Glamour College) Bard.
Finan Caible
Race: Human (Variant)
Class: Bard (likely Glamour College when the time comes)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Background: Charlatan
Backstory: Some heroes are thrust into adventure by an epic calamity that threatened their family, or were Chosen by this or that deity. Not so for Finan. As far as he knows, at least. No, Finan's story has a very simple beginning. He got bored.
The thing you must know about Finan is he is as ugly as the underside of a rock after a particularly wet summer. Rumors used to go around his home town that there must have been some Troll blood in his recent family history, or that his parents found him in the woods, some vile offspring of an Orc and an Ogre with a bit of Elf sprinkled in the mix to explain his fair skin. But no, Finan is just a Human. A particularly ugly specimen, but still Human.
With that genetic 'blessing', Finan developed a unique talent for people. A casual word dropped here, a perfectly timed joke there, and he would have folks wound around his finger. Not to dance as puppets, that wasn't his goal, but to have them accept him as just another normal kid. It meant he could play along, even be the unofficial leader of his group of friends, and receive kind smiles from the grownups rather than sneers and shouts. Only later, when traveling the world, would he start to use his skills to his personal advantage. Just to secure a good meal, a warm bed and perhaps a soft girl or two when the mood struck him. No more, no less.
But yes, bored. He grew up in a small village, you see, and he would hang on the lips of traveling merchants as they told tales of faraway kingdoms, of bandits hiding in the bushes and of monsters creeping in the forests. Staying in the village, becoming a farmer or learning a local craft, marry one of the girls he'd known his entire life? Good grief. No, that wasn't for Finan. He was meant for the world. To die a glorious death, or spin tales of his wild adventures when he was old, sitting in the corner of some glum inn in one of the big cities.
Actually, he'd had his eye on this one girl, Chalica Brenstorm, and he could have imagined growing old with her. She was adventurous too, always eager to run off and play, to climb trees and fight imaginary battles with sticks they found lying in the mud. He still remembered her laughter echoing through the forest. But her dreams were similar to his, and as she was two years older, in her restlessness she could not wait for him. She left almost a year before he did. Sometimes he still dreamed of her. He'd make sure he had a girl in his arms the following night.
On his travels he picked up some skill with a couple of musical instruments from bands of gypsies or the same traveling merchants he'd met when he was younger. He learned his skill with words was more than just that, that he'd developed an innate sense for the arcane which he could spin to confuddle strangers on the road, or make craftsmen believe he would be worth taking on as a paid apprentice. It was exciting, to be out on the road, with nothing but his own hands, feet and mouth to live by. Sure, he got chased out of town a couple of times, but a quick disguise and he'd be back the same day, earning coin from another unsuspecting victim, until he decided himself it was time to move on.
What does balance mean to your character and how does your character find balance in their lives? 'Take only what you need.' The words still rang in his head, clear as day. It were the words of the leader of the first group of gypsies he'd come across after leaving his home. 'The wolf cannot live if he eats all the hares in the field, all the deer in the forest. So we must not take all the gold the village can give us, leave some for them to survive.'
Of course, the next day they parted ways, with their wagons laden with everything that wasn't boarded down or locked behind doors in the village where they had stayed overnight. Chairs, tables, chickens, pigs, even the spades and other tools not locked in sheds. But Finan still hears the message clear in his mind. Take what you need, leave the rest. Be like the wolf. Fatten up before winter strikes.
Lynn-Marie Verine-Wintercleaver, Human Bloodhunter - Adventures in Esyldien
Finan Caible, Human Bard - Joys of Balance
Yroc Grumbak, Orc Fighlock - Pizazz's ToA
Arell Peroan, Half-Elf Warlonk - Scattered Gods
ESC! | 10|33|5~