I am looking to go with level 3s, standard array, starting equipment, you can pick classes and races from the Standard books, UA content etc. We are going to be starting in Waterdeep, I tend to prefer playing with eldritch horror and moral grey areas so to give you an idea of for the start, your characters from whatever their backgrounds or professions are down on their luck, they have bills, debts and run out of options. They have turned to the Butchers, a gang and organisation that were previously run by the Butcher Brothers, dealing in racketeering, kidnapping, theft and smuggling they eventually made a name for themselves and established themselves quite nicely in Waterdeep. As with most things in life eventually one of the brothers was arrested and imprisoned, the other brother died of his injuries and so the mantle fell to his daughter, affectionately known as Lizzie. Lizzie has proven to be every bit as ruthless, cunning and brutal as he father and dear uncle, our story will begin with the party sitting at her table.
Someone once said that in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. It was apt that this should cross your mind now, debt lay behind you, death in front and no discernible way of getting out of either. Times had been hard and despite trying you barely had the coin to live from day to day, in desperation you had turned to Lizzie or Madam if you didn’t want to lose a finger.
Lizzie was a formidable even while dressed in her finery, she expected manners, pleasantries and the finer things in life, which was perfectly reasonable until you take into account that you were in a tavern she owned off the waterfront and she was about as far from nobility as you could get. Elizabeth Butcher was the daughter of Butcher crime family, she had brutally put down anyone in her way, taking the family business in an iron grip and turning it into a fearsome and profitable enterprise.
The tavern has an attempt at sophistication and opulence that clashes with the rundown surroundings, you find yourselves sitting along a table with Lizzie at the head, a gnome plays the harp in the corner, the decor was off the latest tastes among the social elite. And you, dressed in your best clothes had been given the honor of an audience, you had thought you might get an odd job or bit of work off one of her lackeys but not this.
Delicately finishing her meal, Lizzie dabs her mouth with a napkin before snapping her fingers. As a servant clears the table and serve coffee to those at the table Lizzie says “It’s quite fortuitous that you should happen to be looking for employment at this time, I do in fact have a job that requires discretion, it’s mostly transportation of some packages for which you will be paid handsomely on completion”.
Definitely interested, will edit with fleshed out character later.
Had a question, you mentioned morally grey, I'm assuming L/G might be an issue, or do you think it could work for your campaign?
Name: Caslech Alignment: C/G Race: Tiefling, Standard Class: Warlock, Celestial, Pact of the Tome Background: Acolyte Backstory: Abandoned as a baby on the temple steps, Caslech was raised by the temple, with reluctance due to his race. As he grew up, he was assigned mostly cleaning tasks, and while cleaning one of the temples subterranean storerooms, he came across an ancient scroll detailing a ritual intended to help enact the will of the gods on earth. Thinking this was a great idea, he showed it to the high priest, who ordered him to destroy it, labeling it as heresy. Instead, Caslech performed the ritual and fled the temple. He signed up for the first job he found, assuming it was the will of his patron.
Urmus is a Bugbear Rogue - He's been living in waterdeep (mostly in the shadows), he learned a trick thanks to a former employer who forced him to shave every single hair in his body, he obviously hated that but there wasn't much he could do to avoid it. His former employer had a theory that maybe he could pass as a half-orc or something that wouldn't cause alarm to the city watch (and he always wanted to do that to a bugbear) after applying some bandages here and there Urmus looked OK-ish to live in the city and so he did.
People never really paid any attention to him or to what he was because it was clear that it was a short tempered criminal that it was better to avoid provoking. His first encounter with Lizzie cost him a finger, but at least learned to avoid doing that mistake again, he's known a bit in the city and employment hasn't been terrible, but he wants something more interesting.
Backstory: Having her family wiped out from some unknown evil in the underdark Night fled to Waterdeep to seek out a living as she researches who killed her family so she can possibly get revenge and a spot back in the hierarchy. Needless to say life on the surface is hard so she has sided with the "Butchers" to eek out a living. And then when on of the brothers died and the other was arrested again she was devastated as her new adopted family started to crumble around her. Then she met and witness the atrocity that was Lizzie and hope sprung eternal for her again. Night definitely chose the right group to gain power and wealth once more and looks forward to this meeting with Lizzie.
Dart is a man who devoted his life to the study of humanoid anatomy and non-magical healing. Though it all started with the best of intentions, his study eventually lead him to dissecting bodies, which he could only obtain by purchasing them from the poor, or stealing them from fresh graves. His research became a sort of mania and he went into debt financing his secret laboratory. He'd gone in search Madam Butcher's organization hoping they could reach some sort of mutually agreeable arrangement where he would dispose of any corpse they happened to make, and he'd receive financial support.
Character Name: Vappa Race: Lizardfolk Class: Monk Background: Acolyte Description/Backstory:
Vappa had not even hatched when his nest was invaded by a rival Lizardfolk tribe. His mother, sister and a few other hatchlings were the only to survive, fleeing deeper into the harsh swamps. Soon after he hatched, Vappa realized that this tribe of less than twenty was already struggling to feed those who couldn't feed themselves. Vappa took after his sister to become a hunter to feed his family, but he was too young. An alligator three times his size was about to swallow him whole, but then his savior came; an elder human woman, went by Karisha, wandering the swamps in hopes for shelter, rescued Vappa and killed the alligator with ease. Vappa, eager and desperate to help his family any way he could, pleaded with the woman to teach him her skills. She agreed. The training took the better part of Vappa's young adult life, including to read, write and speak Common which was, admittedly, much more egregious. When he was in his early twenties, Karisha declared that his training was complete and opted to leave, but not before she told Vappa about the human lands. She said if he wished to put his skills to the test and provide for his family, he should go there to accept missions for coin. Vappa said goodbye to his family, promising that he would return with money and supplies to rebuild the tribe.
Backstory: Ramious sits on the bar stool, staring down at the four empty shot glasses, and half empty tankard on the filthy and worn oaken bar. He flexes his scar crossed hand, a trickle of blood oozing between his fingers to drop onto the wood. The whistles of the city watch were getting closer, and the wreckage of broken tables, smashed tankards, and splintered chairs behind him tell the whole story. His nose is broken, blood fills his nasal passages so he breaths heavily through his mouth, wincing at his right swollen eye as he blinks. His tongue runs along his teeth, but he seems not to have lost any more. A dull thrum runs through his thick head. Why does this always happen to him? He can barely remember why the fight started. Behind him, a man helps another limp out the front door. Four more bodies lay on the ground. The bar behind him might as well represent the opportunities in his life. Nothing in his life left intact after his rage takes hold, just broken dreams and crushed hope. Once he'd been a respectable soldier in the army. That ended when he was dishonourably discharged and had spent six months in jail for hitting a 'superior' officer. The word superior was still like poison on his tongue. From there things had gone down hill. A year later he'd lost money, taken loans, failed to pay them, and fallen in with worse and worse people, doing worse and worse jobs around town. He'd come in here to be paid for a job. He should be half way back to his apartment with a sack of coin to help pay down his debt. Now he had nothing, and would be lucky to get home at all tonight. He knew the difference between right and wrong. He wanted to do the right thing. It's just, everything he did always ended up coming out wrong. And his anger. Well, that always ruined everything. He scrounged through his pocket and dug out two copper, pushing them across the bar top. The tender was cowering beneath, a crossbow in hand. This beer wasn't Ramious'. Well....it hadn't been a few minutes before. Was now. He chugged back the rest and then pushed himself up and made for the side door. Lizzy wasn't going to like this one bit. He spat a gob of bloody saliva on the floor as he made his way out into the night.
A middle son gone bad, Bob left his working class roots behind and started hanging with the bad crowd as a teen, fighting and thieving. He rapidly grew in size,.later, Working as a bouncer at various clubs and places of ill repute, Bob has earned a reputation as one of the stronger and more reliable bouncers. Unfortunately he bounced the wrong drunk out of his last working spot and has been blacklisted. He has been looking for a job and was tipped off by a friend from his old crew, and ended up this table. Generally an honorable man, he is of course still part of the dark underground. Generally doesn't use weapons, preferring quick action and using his hands to grapple, disarm, and pound his enemies.
Malxire grew up on the streets of Waterdeep, running with the other boys. Looking for trouble, because that was how they got food to eat. Malxire was not the quickest of boys, and often ended up being the one to take the beating for whatever for or goods had been taken to help them survive another day. Malxire did not have any family beside these boys, at least none that anyone had ever mentioned. Still, he felt at home in the streets. One afternoon, Malxire's group had stolen some fresh bread and a flagon of ale from off the porch of a priests residence while he had gone back inside to fetch something. Malxire had turned to run, but a giant hand held him in place. Father Ingham had not punished him, as expected, but sat him down and feed him a large meal. Over the coming months, Malxire often returned to Father Ingham's steps for a meal. Usually when they days had been long and the food had been scarce. As Malxire sat at Father Ingham's feet eating, he would listen to stories. Later he would come to know that these were the teachings of Helm. As the nights grew longer, Malxire and his friends had become emboldened by the growing shadows. A daring raid into the quiet confines of a bakery, closed for the night should have been an easy way to get food, but the baker and his family lived in an adjoining house. A noise had startled Malxire and he turned to strike the person who had discovered them with his club. As the body fell, he realised that it was the baker's daughter; about the same age as Malxire and beautiful. Stunned by what he had done, Malxire ran. He did not return to Father Ingham. The priest would never forgive him for what he had done. Still occasionally he would creep in the shadows, listening in to Father Ingham's prayers. Often they were for his missing friend who had gone astray. With guilt wracking him though, Malxire could never feel comfortable fully in the priests presence.
Halakosh was born to a poor, single human mother, just barely managing to scrape by and provide for her and her child. Growing up, he received guidance from a spiritual voice that visited him in his sleep, but when he told people about this, everyone thought him crazy, except his mother. This caused him to be a bit of a loner growing up, but he didn't care. He wanted to get out of the slums, and make a name for himself, so he started studying the ways of an artificer. While studying the arts of an alchemist, he was struck by an idea that his spirit proposed to him. Shortly after this revelation, at the age of 17, he set out to create this invention. He worked 3 jobs for over a year, dividing his time between his many jobs and working on his secret project. Shortly after his 19th birthday, he finally completed his prototype. It had taken everything he had, but it was finally done. He had created the first ever crossbow bolt potion flask! It was a slightly-larger than normal crossbow bolt, that was hollow inside with a removable tip. Just remove the tip, and you can drink bit of the potion stored inside! Unfortunately, despite how much he tried, he bombed. Big. For some reason, nobody wanted to fund his project. It destroyed him, and desperate to make money he took up work as a self-hired handyman, always trying to come up with the next big thing. While working this way, he was recruited by the Butchers, who were interested in his... unique skill set.
Tomat was a dragonborn paladin in service of the great dragon. When a plague wiped out his home village he lost his faith and entered a fighting pit. He won 7 fights that night barely saving his opponents from death thanks to his healing skills. The butchers saw and didn't like how the lack of kills messed up the betting, when he held his own against getting jumped he was hired.
Good/neutral lawful/chaotic it depends on the circumstances and day.
I am looking to go with level 3s, standard array, starting equipment, you can pick classes and races from the Standard books, UA content etc. We are going to be starting in Waterdeep, I tend to prefer playing with eldritch horror and moral grey areas so to give you an idea of for the start, your characters from whatever their backgrounds or professions are down on their luck, they have bills, debts and run out of options. They have turned to the Butchers, a gang and organisation that were previously run by the Butcher Brothers, dealing in racketeering, kidnapping, theft and smuggling they eventually made a name for themselves and established themselves quite nicely in Waterdeep. As with most things in life eventually one of the brothers was arrested and imprisoned, the other brother died of his injuries and so the mantle fell to his daughter, affectionately known as Lizzie. Lizzie has proven to be every bit as ruthless, cunning and brutal as he father and dear uncle, our story will begin with the party sitting at her table.
Someone once said that in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. It was apt that this should cross your mind now, debt lay behind you, death in front and no discernible way of getting out of either. Times had been hard and despite trying you barely had the coin to live from day to day, in desperation you had turned to Lizzie or Madam if you didn’t want to lose a finger.
Lizzie was a formidable even while dressed in her finery, she expected manners, pleasantries and the finer things in life, which was perfectly reasonable until you take into account that you were in a tavern she owned off the waterfront and she was about as far from nobility as you could get. Elizabeth Butcher was the daughter of Butcher crime family, she had brutally put down anyone in her way, taking the family business in an iron grip and turning it into a fearsome and profitable enterprise.
The tavern has an attempt at sophistication and opulence that clashes with the rundown surroundings, you find yourselves sitting along a table with Lizzie at the head, a gnome plays the harp in the corner, the decor was off the latest tastes among the social elite. And you, dressed in your best clothes had been given the honor of an audience, you had thought you might get an odd job or bit of work off one of her lackeys but not this.
Delicately finishing her meal, Lizzie dabs her mouth with a napkin before snapping her fingers. As a servant clears the table and serve coffee to those at the table Lizzie says “It’s quite fortuitous that you should happen to be looking for employment at this time, I do in fact have a job that requires discretion, it’s mostly transportation of some packages for which you will be paid handsomely on completion”.
Point buy or roll?
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Adewild: Shadows and Light 2
Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
point buy would be fine mate
Definitely interested, will edit with fleshed out character later.
Had a question, you mentioned morally grey, I'm assuming L/G might be an issue, or do you think it could work for your campaign?
Name: Caslech
Alignment: C/G
Race: Tiefling, Standard
Class: Warlock, Celestial, Pact of the Tome
Background: Acolyte
Backstory: Abandoned as a baby on the temple steps, Caslech was raised by the temple, with reluctance due to his race. As he grew up, he was assigned mostly cleaning tasks, and while cleaning one of the temples subterranean storerooms, he came across an ancient scroll detailing a ritual intended to help enact the will of the gods on earth. Thinking this was a great idea, he showed it to the high priest, who ordered him to destroy it, labeling it as heresy. Instead, Caslech performed the ritual and fled the temple. He signed up for the first job he found, assuming it was the will of his patron.
You can certainly try, it would certainly make things interesting to see a L/G character having to war with what he is having to do to make ends meet.
Hello! I'd like to play Urmus: https://ddb.ac/characters/18027557/CMSokW
Urmus is a Bugbear Rogue - He's been living in waterdeep (mostly in the shadows), he learned a trick thanks to a former employer who forced him to shave every single hair in his body, he obviously hated that but there wasn't much he could do to avoid it. His former employer had a theory that maybe he could pass as a half-orc or something that wouldn't cause alarm to the city watch (and he always wanted to do that to a bugbear) after applying some bandages here and there Urmus looked OK-ish to live in the city and so he did.
People never really paid any attention to him or to what he was because it was clear that it was a short tempered criminal that it was better to avoid provoking. His first encounter with Lizzie cost him a finger, but at least learned to avoid doing that mistake again, he's known a bit in the city and employment hasn't been terrible, but he wants something more interesting.
.
@Templar32 - Multi-classing should be alright, if you have an angle you want to go for with RP that needs it.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/18031848/EiBBV2
Drow Wizard named Night
Backstory: Having her family wiped out from some unknown evil in the underdark Night fled to Waterdeep to seek out a living as she researches who killed her family so she can possibly get revenge and a spot back in the hierarchy. Needless to say life on the surface is hard so she has sided with the "Butchers" to eek out a living. And then when on of the brothers died and the other was arrested again she was devastated as her new adopted family started to crumble around her. Then she met and witness the atrocity that was Lizzie and hope sprung eternal for her again. Night definitely chose the right group to gain power and wealth once more and looks forward to this meeting with Lizzie.
.
Name: Dr. Dorbert "Dart" Dartano
Race: Human (Variant)
Class: Thief (Inquisitive)
Link: https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Burl/characters/18025615
Dart is a man who devoted his life to the study of humanoid anatomy and non-magical healing. Though it all started with the best of intentions, his study eventually lead him to dissecting bodies, which he could only obtain by purchasing them from the poor, or stealing them from fresh graves. His research became a sort of mania and he went into debt financing his secret laboratory. He'd gone in search Madam Butcher's organization hoping they could reach some sort of mutually agreeable arrangement where he would dispose of any corpse they happened to make, and he'd receive financial support.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Goodrail/characters/5154916
Character Name: Vappa
Race: Lizardfolk
Class: Monk
Background: Acolyte
Description/Backstory:
Vappa had not even hatched when his nest was invaded by a rival Lizardfolk tribe. His mother, sister and a few other hatchlings were the only to survive, fleeing deeper into the harsh swamps. Soon after he hatched, Vappa realized that this tribe of less than twenty was already struggling to feed those who couldn't feed themselves. Vappa took after his sister to become a hunter to feed his family, but he was too young. An alligator three times his size was about to swallow him whole, but then his savior came; an elder human woman, went by Karisha, wandering the swamps in hopes for shelter, rescued Vappa and killed the alligator with ease. Vappa, eager and desperate to help his family any way he could, pleaded with the woman to teach him her skills. She agreed. The training took the better part of Vappa's young adult life, including to read, write and speak Common which was, admittedly, much more egregious. When he was in his early twenties, Karisha declared that his training was complete and opted to leave, but not before she told Vappa about the human lands. She said if he wished to put his skills to the test and provide for his family, he should go there to accept missions for coin. Vappa said goodbye to his family, promising that he would return with money and supplies to rebuild the tribe.
Character Name: Ramious
Race: Half-orc
Class: Fighter / Barbarian / Rogue
Background: Soldier
Backstory: Ramious sits on the bar stool, staring down at the four empty shot glasses, and half empty tankard on the filthy and worn oaken bar. He flexes his scar crossed hand, a trickle of blood oozing between his fingers to drop onto the wood. The whistles of the city watch were getting closer, and the wreckage of broken tables, smashed tankards, and splintered chairs behind him tell the whole story. His nose is broken, blood fills his nasal passages so he breaths heavily through his mouth, wincing at his right swollen eye as he blinks. His tongue runs along his teeth, but he seems not to have lost any more. A dull thrum runs through his thick head. Why does this always happen to him? He can barely remember why the fight started. Behind him, a man helps another limp out the front door. Four more bodies lay on the ground. The bar behind him might as well represent the opportunities in his life. Nothing in his life left intact after his rage takes hold, just broken dreams and crushed hope. Once he'd been a respectable soldier in the army. That ended when he was dishonourably discharged and had spent six months in jail for hitting a 'superior' officer. The word superior was still like poison on his tongue. From there things had gone down hill. A year later he'd lost money, taken loans, failed to pay them, and fallen in with worse and worse people, doing worse and worse jobs around town. He'd come in here to be paid for a job. He should be half way back to his apartment with a sack of coin to help pay down his debt. Now he had nothing, and would be lucky to get home at all tonight. He knew the difference between right and wrong. He wanted to do the right thing. It's just, everything he did always ended up coming out wrong. And his anger. Well, that always ruined everything. He scrounged through his pocket and dug out two copper, pushing them across the bar top. The tender was cowering beneath, a crossbow in hand. This beer wasn't Ramious'. Well....it hadn't been a few minutes before. Was now. He chugged back the rest and then pushed himself up and made for the side door. Lizzy wasn't going to like this one bit. He spat a gob of bloody saliva on the floor as he made his way out into the night.
Character Sheet
What's the difference between a Wizard and a Sorcerer?
Class.
Name: Morgan Silver.
Race: Hobgoblin (if allowed) or Variant Human if not
Class: Fighter 1 / Wizard 2
Alignment: LE
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/DragonDenn/characters/18074466
https://ddb.ac/characters/14690917/ZzyIyT
Name: Bob
Race: Variant Human
Class: Fighter 2 / Rogue 1, Criminal background
Alignment: N
A middle son gone bad, Bob left his working class roots behind and started hanging with the bad crowd as a teen, fighting and thieving. He rapidly grew in size,.later, Working as a bouncer at various clubs and places of ill repute, Bob has earned a reputation as one of the stronger and more reliable bouncers. Unfortunately he bounced the wrong drunk out of his last working spot and has been blacklisted. He has been looking for a job and was tipped off by a friend from his old crew, and ended up this table. Generally an honorable man, he is of course still part of the dark underground. Generally doesn't use weapons, preferring quick action and using his hands to grapple, disarm, and pound his enemies.
Name: Malxire RasasvadaRace: Half-ElfClass: Sorcerer (3) Divine SoulAlignment: CNBackground: UrchinBackstory:Malxire grew up on the streets of Waterdeep, running with the other boys. Looking for trouble, because that was how they got food to eat. Malxire was not the quickest of boys, and often ended up being the one to take the beating for whatever for or goods had been taken to help them survive another day. Malxire did not have any family beside these boys, at least none that anyone had ever mentioned. Still, he felt at home in the streets. One afternoon, Malxire's group had stolen some fresh bread and a flagon of ale from off the porch of a priests residence while he had gone back inside to fetch something. Malxire had turned to run, but a giant hand held him in place. Father Ingham had not punished him, as expected, but sat him down and feed him a large meal. Over the coming months, Malxire often returned to Father Ingham's steps for a meal. Usually when they days had been long and the food had been scarce. As Malxire sat at Father Ingham's feet eating, he would listen to stories. Later he would come to know that these were the teachings of Helm. As the nights grew longer, Malxire and his friends had become emboldened by the growing shadows. A daring raid into the quiet confines of a bakery, closed for the night should have been an easy way to get food, but the baker and his family lived in an adjoining house. A noise had startled Malxire and he turned to strike the person who had discovered them with his club. As the body fell, he realised that it was the baker's daughter; about the same age as Malxire and beautiful. Stunned by what he had done, Malxire ran. He did not return to Father Ingham. The priest would never forgive him for what he had done. Still occasionally he would creep in the shadows, listening in to Father Ingham's prayers. Often they were for his missing friend who had gone astray. With guilt wracking him though, Malxire could never feel comfortable fully in the priests presence.Withdrawn
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Smart_TJ/characters/18119835
Name: Halakosh
Race; Kalashtar
Class: Artificer (3) Alchemist
Alignment: N
Background: Failed Merchant
Backstory:
Halakosh was born to a poor, single human mother, just barely managing to scrape by and provide for her and her child. Growing up, he received guidance from a spiritual voice that visited him in his sleep, but when he told people about this, everyone thought him crazy, except his mother. This caused him to be a bit of a loner growing up, but he didn't care. He wanted to get out of the slums, and make a name for himself, so he started studying the ways of an artificer. While studying the arts of an alchemist, he was struck by an idea that his spirit proposed to him. Shortly after this revelation, at the age of 17, he set out to create this invention. He worked 3 jobs for over a year, dividing his time between his many jobs and working on his secret project. Shortly after his 19th birthday, he finally completed his prototype. It had taken everything he had, but it was finally done. He had created the first ever crossbow bolt potion flask! It was a slightly-larger than normal crossbow bolt, that was hollow inside with a removable tip. Just remove the tip, and you can drink bit of the potion stored inside! Unfortunately, despite how much he tried, he bombed. Big. For some reason, nobody wanted to fund his project. It destroyed him, and desperate to make money he took up work as a self-hired handyman, always trying to come up with the next big thing. While working this way, he was recruited by the Butchers, who were interested in his... unique skill set.
So far this session I have hit my teammates twice, flat-out missed 3 times, and only hit the enemy twice. Trust me, you don't want to borrow my dice.
Tomat was a dragonborn paladin in service of the great dragon. When a plague wiped out his home village he lost his faith and entered a fighting pit. He won 7 fights that night barely saving his opponents from death thanks to his healing skills. The butchers saw and didn't like how the lack of kills messed up the betting, when he held his own against getting jumped he was hired.
Good/neutral lawful/chaotic it depends on the circumstances and day.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Tamu/characters/18134149
• Name: Shawn Drifter
• Race: Variant Human
• Class: Bard (3) Collages of Glamour
• Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
• Background: Entertainer
• Backstory: https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Tytwobp/characters/6219040
Right I am just having a look at the background s characters to get a party sorted out