Greetings Adventurers, I’m looking to try my hand at DMing a play-by-post campaign - starting with the Curse of Strahd. I am looking for 5-6 players that are able to embark on a long-term campaign.
I am relatively new to DMing (just under a year), but am committed to further improving and increasing my D&D knowledge. This campaign will primarily be RP-focused whilst pooling from the great depth of online CoS resources.
Ravenloft
Under raging storm clouds, a lone figure stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. The Count Strahd von Zarovich stares down a sheer cliff at the village below. A cold, bitter wind spins dead leaves about him, billowing his cape in the darkness.
Lightning splits the clouds overhead, casting stark white light across him. Strahd turns to the sky, revealing the angular muscles of his face and hands. His once handsome face is contorted by a tragedy darker than the night itself.
Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The winds howling increases as Strahd turns his gaze back to the village. Far below, yet not beyond his ken, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd’s face forms a smile as his plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they have come all according to his plan. He, the master of Ravenloft, will attend to them.
Another lightning flash rips through the darkness, its thunder echoing through the castle is towers. But Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind—or perhaps a lone wolf—fills the midnight air. The master of Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
General Information
Starting level is 1, milestone levelling.
Player Experience: All players welcome, regardless of experience.
Post Frequency: 1 Post/Day (please let me know if you are unable to meet this for any reason)
Campaign Thread will be predominantly be In Character (IC), PMs will generally be Out of Character (OOC)
Non-UA: I am a relatively new DM, not looking to over-complicate things with allowing UA. Most other official sources are allowed (including Eberron / Exandria races/classes, no Ravanica or Theros though please)
Roll for Stats: Re-roll any 1’s, Point Buy if unhappy with statblock (just let me know!)
Recruitment will run until the end of Saturday, 3rd October 2020
My Time Zone is UK (BST); players from all time zones welcome, just a heads up that most of my forum activity will be within BST hours
Adventure Hook
You awake to find yourself lying before a great gate. The night is cool and a thickset mist rolls over the path behind you. As your senses become more focused you find a backpack on the ground beside you, it contains your adventuring belongings.
You remember little of the night before; brief images of brightly clothed people dancing, drinking, and laughing stir in your mind but they are fractured and hazy at best. Trying to make sense of the memories swimming around your head you briefly recall mentions of a name, “Madam Eva”, though you do not know who or what that is.
A rustling sound pierces the immediate scene, you see other’s appearing from the mist, they look as confused as you feel. Could there have been other adventurers in a similar predicament to yourself? Might they know what happened? Or where you are?
Application
Name:
Race:
Class:
Background:
Backstory:
Character Sheet:
Please PM me if you have any questions / require clarifications.
Curse of Strahd is about the only module I haven't played that I want to play. :D
Here are my rolls for stats and I will amend this post later with an actual character: (Rolled with 1's always rerolled) Ability scores: 101316141513
Name: Sandu
Race: Human
Class: Warlock
Background: Inheritor
Backstory: Most of Sandu’s life is shaped by his questions regarding his origin. He was raised in a system of orphanages until it became too costly, after which he roamed far and wide doing odd jobs to survive. A keen mind combined with a cowardly streak kept Sandu out of trouble as he wandered in search of answers, his only clue to go on being a tiny silver icon of a raven. In his quest to find out more about his past, Sandu eventually turned to magic: an alluring prospect both to gain answers and, though he would be reluctant to admit, power. Power he had never had; power that would make him not depend on others; power that could force others to acknowledge him. Unfortunately, despite his intelligence and diligence Sandu proved unfit for the craft of wizardry and had to abandon his studies when it became apparent that he lacked the skills to weave magic. Forced back on the streets, Sandu lived as a vagabond until he hit rock bottom. He would spend the last of his coin at the tavern drinking himself into a stupor before signing up with the army the next day to die a nameless soldier fighting for something he did not care for. When he woke up, Sandu found himself lying before a great gate, an unfamiliar tingle of magic coursing through his fingertips and a bloodred ruby set into the eye of his raven icon that was not there before. (a bit less than I usually write but his backstory can still organically grow throughout the adventure) Backstory Inheritor:
Oh my, this would be perfect. Let's see what we get here...
Ability scores: 151313161614
Name: Darvin Suresk
Race: Protector Aasimar
Class: Paladin
Background: Acolyte
Backstory: For as long as he can remember, Darvin has felt a driving need to help others. His parents, recognizing the honor he had been blessed with in birth, surrendered him to the temple for training as soon as he was old enough. He grew up listening to the priests of Lathander and training with the clerics and paladins of the temple, and though he fully embraced the destiny he was born to he cherished every moment he was allowed to visit with his birth parents.
As he grew, he saw the struggles the common folk of the realm, and in his dreams his angelic guide often sent him visions urging him to help ease their burdens. He has dedicated his life to bringing hope to others, and giving aid to all those who are in need. Now released from his training at the temple, Darvin travels wherever the shadows have fallen to remind the people there that another dawn will come.
Backstory: My name is Alder Gray, and I was a soldier.
I joined the army to escape the poverty of my home. I had little prospects of anything but a life of backbreaking labor in the mines and an early death from black lung. The army would give me a shield, a sword, food, and money. It was the least difficult choice in my life. I am strong, and big, and have nothing approaching an education or noble bloodline and so I was immediately sent off to the infantry. They put a shield and sword in my hand and taught me how to work in a shield wall, to work with those on either side of me to hold back the enemy.
And then they sent me off to war.
I remember my first battle. I see it most every night in my dreams, along with all the others, a procession of scenes replaying the last few years of my life. We stood upon a ridge, shields locked together and looking down into the valley where a boiling horde of enemy soldiers were charging up towards us. I was terrified. I may have pissed myself, I don't really remember. I am a strong man, and I stood against the charge with my shield held firm, despite my terror. Spears and blades scraped against the metal and wood, and hands grasped and reached for me. I could see the wide eyes of the enemy in the gaps between shields, see the terror and bloodlust in their faces and wondered what my own face looked like.
And then my shield was gone, and my sword stabbed forward and ran a man through the chest. I had never killed anyone before. Never seen the life drain from their face, the sudden slackness of their bodies as their hearts stopped beating. I thought that it would be hard, that it would be horrifying and make me want to vomit the meager breakfast that I had been able to choke down. I was wrong.
As that first man slid jerkily from my sword and his blood splashed across my boots, I felt something rise up inside my chest. Something hot and vibrant and sour. My blood quickened like never before and I felt my expression changing into a grim, intense satisfaction. The next thing I remember I was in among them, wading through the press of enemy soldiers with a sword in either hand. Blood flew around me as I killed and rampaged, cleaving through flesh and bone and leather with wild, reckless abandon. I was vaguely aware that I was wounded, although I could not have told you how badly. I only knew that not all of the blood was my enemies and that only served to increase my frenzy.
Later, I stood before an officer in a flawless white jacket as he screamed at me for breaking formation and endangering everyone. He was right. I had done just that by disobeying orders and attacking in my rage. He threw around words like Courts Martial and treason and gallows. But the next day I was moved, taken from the stockade and placed in an entirely new company. There were no more shield walls now. There were axes and swords and massive hammers, all wielded by men and women like myself. Most of us towered head and shoulders above others of our races, and everyone of us carried a specific talent for carnage and destruction.
I spent the remainder of my career with those men and women, and others like them. We struck fast and hard at the enemy, demolishing blockades, assaulting command units, tearing down whatever was put in front of us with reckless, bloody abandon. And then they told me that I was too old. There were younger soldiers to take my place. I had no skill for command or organization, nothing that would recommend me for promotion. I had refused any suggestion of such a thing regardless. They gave me a severance and a ride back to my hometown and that was that.
But things had changed. The few people who I remembered did not recognize me, and I found quickly that I could barely communicate with these people let alone live amongst them again. I took to the road and never looked back. The money didn't last, of course, and every job I tried turned quickly sour. I broke a man who pushed himself onto women while cleaning in a tavern. I became frustrated and shattered part of a cart while working as a laborer, and I cannot count the number of supervisors or customers that I threatened with death or worse when they acted like the ****s they were.
And so I wander, doing what small jobs here and there I can, asking for coin when I cannot. The dreams of my battles haunts me at night, and my days are spent in a fog of depression and alcohol when I can afford it. My name is Alder Gray and I was a soldier.
Sounds cool! I'm concerned about pacing, will you keep things moving along, or will we end up waiting for one or two players to make a roll?
How about maps? Are you planning on using maps frequently for battles and narrative?
Good questions. I will attempt to keep things moving along, I know the frustration of waiting on responses - should the need arise I'll put timeframes on say initiative / combat roles, but hopefully it won't come to that.
Primarily I'd hope to use maps to avoid confusion as to distances / positionings. The module itself has a number of maps for locations, in addition there are additional resources I am pooling from. I currently use a program (Legendkeeper) which I've got as an effective encyclopedia of the module that I have been adding to / fleshing out and most things have maps / images associated with them. I myself quite like things visualised (characters / items / maps / etc) and as such incorporate that into my DMing.
I would be interested in playing if there's space!
Rolled Stats: 9 16 14 12 15 14
Name: Orianna
Race: Feral Winged Tiefling
Class: Rogue
Background: Far Traveller
Backstory:
Orianna was always curious, always trying to learn something new. Everyone thought she would be successfully running a business or studying at a university, but she never felt like she could settle on learning about one particular thing, so when she came of age she left to try to figure out what she wanted to make of her life. She travelled across the lands, and learned that she also had a knack for "borrowing" the things she needed to survive. She would target people who seemed to have more than enough food or money, usually taking just enough to get her to her next destination. She decided to try to make up for stealing by helping out any people she encountered along her journeys in any way she could.
Ioben is from a small village where his father worked as a forester, looking after the local baron's woods and hunting when needed. Ioben saw the riches of the baron's men as they came through the village and vowed to one day leave.
Upon gaining his majority, Ioben spoke to his parents about his wishes. After a heated argument, he stormed out of the house never to return.. Since then he has travelled as he can to seek his fortune, regularly finding himself dealing cards beside the fire of a merchant caravan or at the tables of random establishments.
His most recent memory was a successful evening of cards, a rare thing in recent days, then stumbling out of the tavern after a night of heavy drinking. He did not make it home, collapsing in an alleyway. When he woke up he found himself before an unknown gateway.
Note: Ioben is Lawful Evil, but I interpret this as looking out for his own concerns without caring about others, not going out of his way to harm others.
Raised in the woods between the Dales by her foster mother Mirelle, Cerise was taught the lore of the wilds and how to harness the magic that seemed to bubble up from her very soul. As she grew so did her desire to see more of the world. She departed her home with her foster mother's blessing and wide-eyed she made her way to the outside world to see what was out there.
Backstory: Kestrell Bardson is making the long journey home after completing his training to become a bard. A jolly, cheerful fellow, he always tries to improve the mood of people around him and make them laugh. He thought he stopped for the night at a misty inn, but can't seem to remember how he ended up in front of this gate. Maybe someone nearby knows?
Background: Knight of Torm (from Knight of the Order)
Backstory:
Born in a small village outside of Neverwinter, Valerie's Celestial nature did not show until she was 8 years old. Since she was the only Aasmiar in the village and the village had limited knowledge about the exotic races. The townfolks thought that she was an angel who was sent to protect the village. Though some thought otherwise. They afraid that she was a devil in disguise. Worrying about their daughter safety, her parents decided to take her to a temple in Neverwinter, hoping someone there could help their child.
Valerie was brought to the Temple of Torm. She was brought there when she was 9 years old. In there, she learned about literature, arts, and ideals of Torm, the god of courage and self0-sacrifice. With the teaching from the temple, she eventually grew into a compassionate and hopeful young one. At the age 18, she sworn oath to be a Paladin of Devotion, who gives her devotion to Torm, then joint the Knights of Torm. After years in the service for the Knight, Valerie was finally able to effort a small house in a district of Neverwinter for her parents, so that they did not have to travel far distance to visit her.
At the night of the yearly welcoming party, Valzes was in the tavern that she has been plenty of times, drinking and welcoming the newly joint fellow paladins. She felt a little dizzy after the first glass of wine, then she wake up in a place that she has never been before.
Hi, I would like to play. I am in GMT +1 time zone.
Ability scores: 121813121015
Name: Voria Wildweaver
Race: Goliath
Class: Arctic Druid
Background: Hermit
Backstory: Voria’s tribe lived near the Sea of Frozen Ice. Her family was made up of mostly fishermen and sailors, though there were a few pirates too. At an early age, Voria felt the call of the wild. After completing her chores for the day would leave and explore Icewind Dale. As she got older Voria would spend more and more time outside of her tribe She would explore and get to know the wildlife of the frozen land. In recent years she has taken to explore beyond the Dale and into the southern lands.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 11131491014
Name: Shadow trough the forest "Shadow"
Race: Tabaxi
Class: Ranger
Background: Outlander
Backstory:
The forest had always been her home. When she lived with her clan they would go exploring the dens forest around their home. She and the other children knew every trail, every tree and rock around them. Shadow couldn’t remember a time when the sounds of nature didn’t surround her. She was happy in her clan but the curiosity that was inherent in her people was strong in her and she needed to see new things, find new paths and learn new things. So she left and roamed the forest hunting, exploring and some times guiding explorers. It was on one of these trips she ran in to vampires for the first time. Shadows instincts told her at the first sight that these were undead creatures and her entire being rebelled at the sight and concept of them. It went against nature. From that day she made it a mission to always destroy the undead when ever she found them. On one of her rare visits to a small coastal town Shadow saw a ship full of exotic birds and animals in crates and cages. Her curiosity took over and she sneaked onboard to look at all the amazing animals. Before she realised what had happened the ship had set sail and she was trapped aboard. She was discovered by the dwarf businessmen that had hired the boat to ship his new products back home. He let Shadow come along in exchange for her teaching him about her home and her people. Now she finds herself stranded and alone in a strange land.
Backstory: Gillynn was the prince of the Raethran royal family, but when his uncle poisoned spice wine with a poison spiced wine and later married his mother after he manipulated her into thinking it was the royals enemies, believing the lies and not wanting to be alone she accepted his hand in marriage, meanwhile Gillynn was forced to stay for his mother’s shake after the royal advisor told him that they saw his uncle slipping the poison into his father’s wine before they met.
Heartbroken, he wanted nothing more than vengeance and he was a natural at magic, yet his teacher told him that hate and vengeance leads to the dark side, so he tried following the path of light and tried to persuade his mother what had happened but she didn’t believe him and this was when his uncle plotted to frame him for his father’s murder, but also get him out of the way in case he came for the throne. Knowing that the odds were stacked against him, he faked his death and stole an Airship, vowing he would one day get all the evidence he needed to prove his innocence and to save his mother from his uncle.
After he faked his death, he became a rogue and a thief who wants to learn of his uncle ties to the criminal underbelly, as well as who sold him the poison? what was the poison? what are his plans and can he hopefully stop him? Over the years he rescued an exiled houndfolk named Bork, who was being attacked by a group of marauders, the unlikely pair hit it off and he became his aid on their heists. One day one heist went terribly wrong with a rich merchant named Ezerath, they lost the paintings they stole and Ezerath took the airship for compensation, as well as saying that if duo can’t get the money that the paintings were worth together, then he will set his gorgon on Gillynn and turn him to stone, while Bork will remain a pet.
And it is here where we find the characters, wondering the land looking for jobs and drinking their sorrows away, as they try to think of a means to an end.
p.s: I’m also from the UK and have a GMT+1 time zone and sorry about the long bg, I’m new to this so unsure how much you have to write and how much you give away with your character 😂
He had near strangled the human child that had first screamed it in his face. They put him in chains after that, of course. Would have had him executed, but for Father. Not his real father, but his patron, the one whose word had stopped the killing before the hirsute babe was put to the sword like the rest. He was spared that fate, for a longer, crueler one: St. Andral’s Orphanage. His early years in that place had taught him many things: How to pick the lock on his manacles; how to move around unseen at night to steal a morsel from the cookhouse; and the true meaning of the word “monster”.
Seemingly against the odds, and though the orphanage showed him the path of darkness, he resisted its pull. Although his wit couldn’t hold even the basic tenets of religion or bookishness, he was able to find simple work - digging graves, pulling a plough for peasant farmers bereft of oxen, hauling timber from the forest. Nonetheless, the looks, the fear and the curse dogged his every waking moment, and most of his sleeping ones too.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 1281513128
Name: Lucimer
Race: Aasimar
Class: Fighter (planning Eldritch Knight or Battle Master); I find it's easier to make Fighters more interesting via post than in person
Background: Haunted One
Backstory: Lucimer, or "Luc" as his mother always called him, was born to a struggling, but happy couple. However, his father--a merchant marine--died when his ship was lost in a storm, when Luc was just three years old. His mother, struggling to provide for herself and Luc, found a new partner, a young, charming sailor. However, this sailor had a problem with drinking and gambling and soon sunk the family further into debt. A couple years later, the sailor abandoned Luc and his mother, leaving a ton of gambling debt. The magistrate reclaimed their house and kicked Luc and his mother to the street, at which time Luc's poor mother seemed broken and losing her mind. They lived on the street until winter, Luc's mother getting sicker and sicker. A kindly priest took them in, but she was too far gone for his meager healing to help. On her deathbed, she seemed to regain some of the fire Luc remembered from earlier, when she looked at Luc, grabbed his hands tightly enough to bruise, her nails digging into his hand drawing blood. Her eyes burned as she stared into Luc's soul, "Find him! Bind Him! Tie him to a pole and break his fingers to splinters, drag him to a hole-- until he wakes up screaming, clawing at the ceiling of his grave! Promise me!" As soon as Luc cried out, "I promise!" She expired. Luc spent the next 10 years drying his tears and working for the priest, doing odd jobs around the temple to earn his keep. He saw his mother's spirit everywhere, reminding him of her dying words. One day, while cleaning, he overheard a sailor asking for penance from the priest; the captain of his ship, known for wanton cruelty, seemed to fit the match of the sailor who had so cruelly treated and then abandoned Luc and his mother. Luc went to find the man, but the ship had already sailed, but he knew the shape of it and its name. He joined the queen's marines, learning to fight, to abandon fear, and seeking always for his revenge.
One night, a few years later, when he was on shore leave, Madame Eva approached him in the quiet corner of a busy tavern. She offered to read his fortune. "Heh," he said, "I'd rather you tell me where a certain sailor I seek is." Her eyes shone as she said, "That can happen."
The next thing he knew, he was waking up in the mists on the edge of Barovia, with no clue as to his whereabouts, and only his gear with him.
Fair warning I have never played DnD before but I am very eager to try it. Please if I am allowed to join forgive any foolishness on my part.
Using points buy
Name: Panvalor
Race: Air Genasi
Class: Bard
Background: Custom
Backstory: A free-spirited soul who even as a child longed to see the world Panvalor became enamoured with the idea of becoming a bard after listening to the tales of one as she and her band of adventurers rested in his home village on their way to another quest. Inspired by her tales of adventure, hidden knowledge and treasure he set out to learn as much of the craft as he could before eventually leaving the stifling chains of his village behind him to venture into the great unknown. Since then he has lived life as a leaf upon the wind allowing it to guide him to village halls and the courts of minor lords just as often as it compels him to join mercenary bands and bandit gangs. Whatever the path whether dark or light Panvalor is compelled to wander it in search of coin and to experience all that life can offer him. At all times however Panvalor has kept to his belief of personal freedom and the right to choose ones own path and as a result has always stood against those that would force others into slavery or who would stifle others from following their own journeys as he has.
The Call Of Strahd
About the DM / Campaign
Greetings Adventurers, I’m looking to try my hand at DMing a play-by-post campaign - starting with the Curse of Strahd. I am looking for 5-6 players that are able to embark on a long-term campaign.
I am relatively new to DMing (just under a year), but am committed to further improving and increasing my D&D knowledge. This campaign will primarily be RP-focused whilst pooling from the great depth of online CoS resources.
Ravenloft
General Information
Starting level is 1, milestone levelling.
Player Experience: All players welcome, regardless of experience.
Post Frequency: 1 Post/Day (please let me know if you are unable to meet this for any reason)
Campaign Thread will be predominantly be In Character (IC), PMs will generally be Out of Character (OOC)
Non-UA: I am a relatively new DM, not looking to over-complicate things with allowing UA. Most other official sources are allowed (including Eberron / Exandria races/classes, no Ravanica or Theros though please)
Roll for Stats: Re-roll any 1’s, Point Buy if unhappy with statblock (just let me know!)
Recruitment will run until the end of Saturday, 3rd October 2020
My Time Zone is UK (BST); players from all time zones welcome, just a heads up that most of my forum activity will be within BST hours
Adventure Hook
Application
Please PM me if you have any questions / require clarifications.
Many thanks for your consideration.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
Curse of Strahd is about the only module I haven't played that I want to play. :D
Here are my rolls for stats and I will amend this post later with an actual character:
(Rolled with 1's always rerolled)
Ability scores: 10 13 16 14 15 13
Name: Sandu
Race: Human
Class: Warlock
Background: Inheritor
Backstory:
Most of Sandu’s life is shaped by his questions regarding his origin. He was raised in a system of orphanages until it became too costly, after which he roamed far and wide doing odd jobs to survive. A keen mind combined with a cowardly streak kept Sandu out of trouble as he wandered in search of answers, his only clue to go on being a tiny silver icon of a raven. In his quest to find out more about his past, Sandu eventually turned to magic: an alluring prospect both to gain answers and, though he would be reluctant to admit, power. Power he had never had; power that would make him not depend on others; power that could force others to acknowledge him. Unfortunately, despite his intelligence and diligence Sandu proved unfit for the craft of wizardry and had to abandon his studies when it became apparent that he lacked the skills to weave magic. Forced back on the streets, Sandu lived as a vagabond until he hit rock bottom. He would spend the last of his coin at the tavern drinking himself into a stupor before signing up with the army the next day to die a nameless soldier fighting for something he did not care for. When he woke up, Sandu found himself lying before a great gate, an unfamiliar tingle of magic coursing through his fingertips and a bloodred ruby set into the eye of his raven icon that was not there before.
(a bit less than I usually write but his backstory can still organically grow throughout the adventure)
Backstory Inheritor:
Will be sent to the DM by pm.
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/36631415/CtqP5f
William Brackwater: Human Fighter - The Windward Isles
Tyrgram, the Butterfly Knight: Dwarf Warlock - Secret of Greenwold
Iòlinder Corrach: Half Elf War Cleric - Allansia Adventure
Valerius Sergius Publius: Dhampir Paladin - Vae Victus
Oh my, this would be perfect. Let's see what we get here...
Ability scores: 15 13 13 16 16 14
Name: Darvin Suresk
Race: Protector Aasimar
Class: Paladin
Background: Acolyte
Backstory: For as long as he can remember, Darvin has felt a driving need to help others. His parents, recognizing the honor he had been blessed with in birth, surrendered him to the temple for training as soon as he was old enough. He grew up listening to the priests of Lathander and training with the clerics and paladins of the temple, and though he fully embraced the destiny he was born to he cherished every moment he was allowed to visit with his birth parents.
As he grew, he saw the struggles the common folk of the realm, and in his dreams his angelic guide often sent him visions urging him to help ease their burdens. He has dedicated his life to bringing hope to others, and giving aid to all those who are in need. Now released from his training at the temple, Darvin travels wherever the shadows have fallen to remind the people there that another dawn will come.
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/36632610/4Oq6LQ
16 15 16 15 17 16
Name: Alder
Race: Human (variant)
Class: Barbarian
Background: Soldier
Backstory: My name is Alder Gray, and I was a soldier.
I joined the army to escape the poverty of my home. I had little prospects of anything but a life of backbreaking labor in the mines and an early death from black lung. The army would give me a shield, a sword, food, and money. It was the least difficult choice in my life. I am strong, and big, and have nothing approaching an education or noble bloodline and so I was immediately sent off to the infantry. They put a shield and sword in my hand and taught me how to work in a shield wall, to work with those on either side of me to hold back the enemy.
And then they sent me off to war.
I remember my first battle. I see it most every night in my dreams, along with all the others, a procession of scenes replaying the last few years of my life. We stood upon a ridge, shields locked together and looking down into the valley where a boiling horde of enemy soldiers were charging up towards us. I was terrified. I may have pissed myself, I don't really remember. I am a strong man, and I stood against the charge with my shield held firm, despite my terror. Spears and blades scraped against the metal and wood, and hands grasped and reached for me. I could see the wide eyes of the enemy in the gaps between shields, see the terror and bloodlust in their faces and wondered what my own face looked like.
And then my shield was gone, and my sword stabbed forward and ran a man through the chest. I had never killed anyone before. Never seen the life drain from their face, the sudden slackness of their bodies as their hearts stopped beating. I thought that it would be hard, that it would be horrifying and make me want to vomit the meager breakfast that I had been able to choke down. I was wrong.
As that first man slid jerkily from my sword and his blood splashed across my boots, I felt something rise up inside my chest. Something hot and vibrant and sour. My blood quickened like never before and I felt my expression changing into a grim, intense satisfaction. The next thing I remember I was in among them, wading through the press of enemy soldiers with a sword in either hand. Blood flew around me as I killed and rampaged, cleaving through flesh and bone and leather with wild, reckless abandon. I was vaguely aware that I was wounded, although I could not have told you how badly. I only knew that not all of the blood was my enemies and that only served to increase my frenzy.
Later, I stood before an officer in a flawless white jacket as he screamed at me for breaking formation and endangering everyone. He was right. I had done just that by disobeying orders and attacking in my rage. He threw around words like Courts Martial and treason and gallows. But the next day I was moved, taken from the stockade and placed in an entirely new company. There were no more shield walls now. There were axes and swords and massive hammers, all wielded by men and women like myself. Most of us towered head and shoulders above others of our races, and everyone of us carried a specific talent for carnage and destruction.
I spent the remainder of my career with those men and women, and others like them. We struck fast and hard at the enemy, demolishing blockades, assaulting command units, tearing down whatever was put in front of us with reckless, bloody abandon. And then they told me that I was too old. There were younger soldiers to take my place. I had no skill for command or organization, nothing that would recommend me for promotion. I had refused any suggestion of such a thing regardless. They gave me a severance and a ride back to my hometown and that was that.
But things had changed. The few people who I remembered did not recognize me, and I found quickly that I could barely communicate with these people let alone live amongst them again. I took to the road and never looked back. The money didn't last, of course, and every job I tried turned quickly sour. I broke a man who pushed himself onto women while cleaning in a tavern. I became frustrated and shattered part of a cart while working as a laborer, and I cannot count the number of supervisors or customers that I threatened with death or worse when they acted like the ****s they were.
And so I wander, doing what small jobs here and there I can, asking for coin when I cannot. The dreams of my battles haunts me at night, and my days are spent in a fog of depression and alcohol when I can afford it. My name is Alder Gray and I was a soldier.
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/25616518/RTOVlN
Sounds cool! I'm concerned about pacing, will you keep things moving along, or will we end up waiting for one or two players to make a roll?
How about maps? Are you planning on using maps frequently for battles and narrative?
PM on the way, Human/Cleric(Forge)
Good questions. I will attempt to keep things moving along, I know the frustration of waiting on responses - should the need arise I'll put timeframes on say initiative / combat roles, but hopefully it won't come to that.
Primarily I'd hope to use maps to avoid confusion as to distances / positionings. The module itself has a number of maps for locations, in addition there are additional resources I am pooling from. I currently use a program (Legendkeeper) which I've got as an effective encyclopedia of the module that I have been adding to / fleshing out and most things have maps / images associated with them. I myself quite like things visualised (characters / items / maps / etc) and as such incorporate that into my DMing.
DM - The Call of Strahd (CoS); Feyrealm Campaign, Chapter 0 - Bleak Prospect (BP), Chapter 1 - Destination Unknown (DU)
I would be interested in playing if there's space!
Rolled Stats: 9 16 14 12 15 14
Name: Orianna
Race: Feral Winged Tiefling
Class: Rogue
Background: Far Traveller
Backstory:
Orianna was always curious, always trying to learn something new. Everyone thought she would be successfully running a business or studying at a university, but she never felt like she could settle on learning about one particular thing, so when she came of age she left to try to figure out what she wanted to make of her life. She travelled across the lands, and learned that she also had a knack for "borrowing" the things she needed to survive. She would target people who seemed to have more than enough food or money, usually taking just enough to get her to her next destination. She decided to try to make up for stealing by helping out any people she encountered along her journeys in any way she could.
Character Sheet: Orianna
Willow Brand | Changeling Paladin 1
Stats Roll: Ability scores: 14 16 12 14 12 12
Name: Ioben Goldheart
Race: Half-Elf
Class: Rogue
Background: Gambler
Backstory:
Ioben is from a small village where his father worked as a forester, looking after the local baron's woods and hunting when needed. Ioben saw the riches of the baron's men as they came through the village and vowed to one day leave.
Upon gaining his majority, Ioben spoke to his parents about his wishes. After a heated argument, he stormed out of the house never to return.. Since then he has travelled as he can to seek his fortune, regularly finding himself dealing cards beside the fire of a merchant caravan or at the tables of random establishments.
His most recent memory was a successful evening of cards, a rare thing in recent days, then stumbling out of the tavern after a night of heavy drinking. He did not make it home, collapsing in an alleyway. When he woke up he found himself before an unknown gateway.
Character Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Sixfoot10/characters/36662090
Note: Ioben is Lawful Evil, but I interpret this as looking out for his own concerns without caring about others, not going out of his way to harm others.
Ability scores: 16 14 14 14 13 12
Ability scores: Ability scores: 13 18 14 12 7 13
Name: Cerise Bloomstone
Race: Human (Variant)
Class: Sorceror (Divine Soul)
Background: Outlander
Backstory: (WIP)
Raised in the woods between the Dales by her foster mother Mirelle, Cerise was taught the lore of the wilds and how to harness the magic that seemed to bubble up from her very soul. As she grew so did her desire to see more of the world. She departed her home with her foster mother's blessing and wide-eyed she made her way to the outside world to see what was out there.
Character Sheet:Character Sheet
Name: Megilindir
Race: High Elf
Class: Wizard
Background: Cloistered Scholar
Backstory: work in progress
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/36661176/6igYQv
Ability Scores: 11, 12, 14, 17, 14, 11
Ability Score: 16 13 10 15 13 14
Name: Valerie Ghalal
Race: Aasimar
Class: Oath of Devotion Paladin
Background: Knight of Torm (from Knight of the Order)
Backstory:
Born in a small village outside of Neverwinter, Valerie's Celestial nature did not show until she was 8 years old. Since she was the only Aasmiar in the village and the village had limited knowledge about the exotic races. The townfolks thought that she was an angel who was sent to protect the village. Though some thought otherwise. They afraid that she was a devil in disguise. Worrying about their daughter safety, her parents decided to take her to a temple in Neverwinter, hoping someone there could help their child.
Valerie was brought to the Temple of Torm. She was brought there when she was 9 years old. In there, she learned about literature, arts, and ideals of Torm, the god of courage and self0-sacrifice. With the teaching from the temple, she eventually grew into a compassionate and hopeful young one. At the age 18, she sworn oath to be a Paladin of Devotion, who gives her devotion to Torm, then joint the Knights of Torm. After years in the service for the Knight, Valerie was finally able to effort a small house in a district of Neverwinter for her parents, so that they did not have to travel far distance to visit her.
At the night of the yearly welcoming party, Valzes was in the tavern that she has been plenty of times, drinking and welcoming the newly joint fellow paladins. She felt a little dizzy after the first glass of wine, then she wake up in a place that she has never been before.
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/36675272/fLNECF
Hi, I would like to play. I am in GMT +1 time zone.
Ability scores: 12 18 13 12 10 15
Name: Voria Wildweaver
Race: Goliath
Class: Arctic Druid
Background: Hermit
Backstory: Voria’s tribe lived near the Sea of Frozen Ice. Her family was made up of mostly fishermen and sailors, though there were a few pirates too. At an early age, Voria felt the call of the wild. After completing her chores for the day would leave and explore Icewind Dale. As she got older Voria would spend more and more time outside of her tribe She would explore and get to know the wildlife of the frozen land. In recent years she has taken to explore beyond the Dale and into the southern lands.
Character Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Jilguera/characters/35764576
You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means
Ability scores: 11 13 14 9 10 14
Name: Shadow trough the forest "Shadow"
Race: Tabaxi
Class: Ranger
Background: Outlander
Backstory:
The forest had always been her home. When she lived with her clan they would go exploring the dens forest around their home. She and the other children knew every trail, every tree and rock around them. Shadow couldn’t remember a time when the sounds of nature didn’t surround her. She was happy in her clan but the curiosity that was inherent in her people was strong in her and she needed to see new things, find new paths and learn new things. So she left and roamed the forest hunting, exploring and some times guiding explorers. It was on one of these trips she ran in to vampires for the first time. Shadows instincts told her at the first sight that these were undead creatures and her entire being rebelled at the sight and concept of them. It went against nature. From that day she made it a mission to always destroy the undead when ever she found them. On one of her rare visits to a small coastal town Shadow saw a ship full of exotic birds and animals in crates and cages. Her curiosity took over and she sneaked onboard to look at all the amazing animals. Before she realised what had happened the ship had set sail and she was trapped aboard. She was discovered by the dwarf businessmen that had hired the boat to ship his new products back home. He let Shadow come along in exchange for her teaching him about her home and her people. Now she finds herself stranded and alone in a strange land.
Character Sheet: Shadow
Basina Fairfoot- Halfling paladin
Shadow through the forest (Shadow) - Tabaxi Ranger (beastmaster)
Ability Score: 14 12 14 13 11 12
Name: Gillynn Raethran
Race: Eladrin (Variant)
Class: Rogue
Background: Criminal
Backstory: Gillynn was the prince of the Raethran royal family, but when his uncle poisoned spice wine with a poison spiced wine and later married his mother after he manipulated her into thinking it was the royals enemies, believing the lies and not wanting to be alone she accepted his hand in marriage, meanwhile Gillynn was forced to stay for his mother’s shake after the royal advisor told him that they saw his uncle slipping the poison into his father’s wine before they met.
Heartbroken, he wanted nothing more than vengeance and he was a natural at magic, yet his teacher told him that hate and vengeance leads to the dark side, so he tried following the path of light and tried to persuade his mother what had happened but she didn’t believe him and this was when his uncle plotted to frame him for his father’s murder, but also get him out of the way in case he came for the throne. Knowing that the odds were stacked against him, he faked his death and stole an Airship, vowing he would one day get all the evidence he needed to prove his innocence and to save his mother from his uncle.
After he faked his death, he became a rogue and a thief who wants to learn of his uncle ties to the criminal underbelly, as well as who sold him the poison? what was the poison? what are his plans and can he hopefully stop him? Over the years he rescued an exiled houndfolk named Bork, who was being attacked by a group of marauders, the unlikely pair hit it off and he became his aid on their heists. One day one heist went terribly wrong with a rich merchant named Ezerath, they lost the paintings they stole and Ezerath took the airship for compensation, as well as saying that if duo can’t get the money that the paintings were worth together, then he will set his gorgon on Gillynn and turn him to stone, while Bork will remain a pet.
And it is here where we find the characters, wondering the land looking for jobs and drinking their sorrows away, as they try to think of a means to an end.
Character Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/BriennetheBarbarian/characters/36660736
p.s: I’m also from the UK and have a GMT+1 time zone and sorry about the long bg, I’m new to this so unsure how much you have to write and how much you give away with your character 😂
she / they
Ability scores: 15 13 17 10 17 8Using point buy.Name: Galqarin
Race: Bugbear
Class: Monk
Background: Urchin
Backstory:
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/36685561/IFOYlw
Timezone BST and able to post ~daily.
Ability scores: 12 8 15 13 12 8
Name: Lucimer
Race: Aasimar
Class: Fighter (planning Eldritch Knight or Battle Master); I find it's easier to make Fighters more interesting via post than in person
Background: Haunted One
Backstory: Lucimer, or "Luc" as his mother always called him, was born to a struggling, but happy couple. However, his father--a merchant marine--died when his ship was lost in a storm, when Luc was just three years old. His mother, struggling to provide for herself and Luc, found a new partner, a young, charming sailor. However, this sailor had a problem with drinking and gambling and soon sunk the family further into debt. A couple years later, the sailor abandoned Luc and his mother, leaving a ton of gambling debt. The magistrate reclaimed their house and kicked Luc and his mother to the street, at which time Luc's poor mother seemed broken and losing her mind. They lived on the street until winter, Luc's mother getting sicker and sicker. A kindly priest took them in, but she was too far gone for his meager healing to help. On her deathbed, she seemed to regain some of the fire Luc remembered from earlier, when she looked at Luc, grabbed his hands tightly enough to bruise, her nails digging into his hand drawing blood. Her eyes burned as she stared into Luc's soul, "Find him! Bind Him! Tie him to a pole and break his fingers to splinters, drag him to a hole-- until he wakes up screaming, clawing at the ceiling of his grave! Promise me!" As soon as Luc cried out, "I promise!" She expired. Luc spent the next 10 years drying his tears and working for the priest, doing odd jobs around the temple to earn his keep. He saw his mother's spirit everywhere, reminding him of her dying words. One day, while cleaning, he overheard a sailor asking for penance from the priest; the captain of his ship, known for wanton cruelty, seemed to fit the match of the sailor who had so cruelly treated and then abandoned Luc and his mother. Luc went to find the man, but the ship had already sailed, but he knew the shape of it and its name. He joined the queen's marines, learning to fight, to abandon fear, and seeking always for his revenge.
One night, a few years later, when he was on shore leave, Madame Eva approached him in the quiet corner of a busy tavern. She offered to read his fortune. "Heh," he said, "I'd rather you tell me where a certain sailor I seek is." Her eyes shone as she said, "That can happen."
The next thing he knew, he was waking up in the mists on the edge of Barovia, with no clue as to his whereabouts, and only his gear with him.
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/36683251/yZHJhy
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |