A fortnight ago, you and your mates, after a rather lengthy but profitable absence, returned to Waterdeep for some rest, recovery, and reacquainting with old friends. Since your arrival in the City of Splendors you cannot count the number of times you have heard about what the city folk are calling the Changing Island. Munching halfheartedly on your midday meal, you mentally sift through the strange list of things you have heard about this landmass that inexplicably appeared in the Sea of Swords roughly one month ago…
Shortly after the island was first spotted, the sea around it became covered by an unnaturally thick bank of fog. That fog never lifts, leaving the island in a perpetual gray twilight.
The water around the island is somehow different from the surrounding sea. No fish swim in this mysterious black water, which features a clear dividing line from the blue-green sea.
The island is unnaturally square and about six hundred feet across. A number of hills and valleys can be seen rising beyond the shore, but it’s impossible to make out details through the fog.
The Changing Island is so-named because those who pass by it have given a number of conflicting descriptions of it. Some say that the island is nothing but bare stone, featuring terraces of sharp, angular rock in white, red, black, and bronze. Others have talked of the island appearing as a pleasant green atoll of palm trees and plant life, with sandy beaches.
Most disturbingly, some witnesses have described the island as covered with bodies, as if the place were the site of some terrible battle. A large number of the fallen appeared to be armored soldiers of various races, but most were as naked as the day they were born.
A number of explorers have landed ships on the island, but none have returned to tell of what they found. Some ships that approached the island have vanished, while others have been found floating with their crews missing.
“And, of course, one of those half-witted explorers that hasn’t returned is my old friend Kivari!” you mutter aloud, startled by the sound of your own voice and the acute note of irritation it conveys. “Damnable wizard! His curiosity exceeds that of a thousand cats but his common sense is less than that of a fencepost.”
You push your bowl of stew away from you, gulp down the remaining contents of your tankard of ale, and exhale slowly and intently.
“What choice do I have? I shall have to go after the fool. No, WE shall go after the fool.”
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Hello, adventurers and storytellers.
I’m recruiting for an adventure, something well-reviewed and highly-rated that I found on the DMs Guild site. This is a dark fantasy with dark imagery, horror themes, and graphic descriptions. Additionally, this story contains madness mechanics for both NPCs and characters. Lastly, this combat-heavy adventure is set in the Sword Coast and will remain true to the lore of Faerûn.
Here are a few things you might wish to know about the character parameters before applying:
Race: Select from any of the nine races in Player’s Handbook or basic rules. Subraces of these nine, however, can be from other official sources (for example, the gem dragonborn subrace introduced in Fizban’s Treasury).
Class and subclass: All official ones are acceptable. Multi-classing (maximum of 2 classes) is permitted but the prerequisites must be met.
Level: All characters will begin this adventure at 11th level.
Ability scores: Generated by rolling six scores (4d6, drop lowest, reroll 1’s once). Do this three times and then choose the set you find most agreeable.
Feats: All characters possess one of the racial feats as explained in chapter 1 of Xanathar’s Guide to Everything.
Wealth, equipment, and magic items: These will be discussed and determined after all players have been selected.
So, if you’re interested, please submit the following information in this thread. There’s no need to create your character in full, but you’re welcome to roll ability scores if you wish. Scores can also be rolled up during full character creation as well. It’s your call.
Your character’s name, race, and class(es)
A few sentences that explain how your character forged a friendship with the wizard Kivari
A few sentences that explain how your character came to possess a particular rare magic item. N.B. This will be one of the magic items in your character’s inventory.
I’ll close down recruitment no later than 48 hours after this is posted, and I’ll check in regularly to answer any questions you might have. I apologize in advance for being unable to accept everyone who applies.
Your character’s name, race, and class(es): Yashi; Human; Fighter/Samurai
A few sentences that explain how your character forged a friendship with the wizard Kivari: Yashi on numerous occasions would travel with the Wizard Kivari as he explored the different regions along the Sword Coast. Yashi most recently traveled with Kivari as he did, what he called "research" on the dragons that have been reportedly living amongst the humans and other races. As it always seemed that the Wizard's unbound curiosity gets him into trouble, Yashi and his skills as a Samurai would protect the wizard in his pursuits and studies.
A few sentences that explain how your character came to possess a particular rare magic item. N.B. This will be one of the magic items in your character’s inventory. Yashi, in gratitude of his service, was given a prized katana Kazeshini, means "wind of death", a sword of sharpness. Yashi's exploits with the sword, his ability to strike down superior number of enemy soldiers, was one of the reasons he was sought out to protect the Wizard Kivari, and protect him on his exploits.
I know Kivari from going to school with him. We forged a bond by both being late on our very first day and getting scolded by the Magic Lore professor. We had to both sit at the last remaining free table at the back, and started talking about how at least we made an impression. Through the months and years, it became very obvious that Kivari had more of a hands-on approach to his research and experimentation, while I developed a more studious, read-first try-after method. Although different, these complemented each other rather well.
A few days after graduation, a package arrived for Kami. The label indicated that it came from Falkin, his war-obsessed uncle. Altough he did not openly advocate for violence, Falkin was known in the family as the militant one who has fought for his country before, and takes pride in it. The package contained an Elven Chain.
Kami, a pacifist, never thought the day would come that he needed to wear it. "But if there was ever an occasion to, this trip would be it," he thought.
Full character creation will be done if I get chosen to participate.
(Question: Do I get to pick what rare magic item I want? Or should I just tell you how I acquired "a" rare magic item and you tell me what it is later?) Post will be edited after I get the answer. Full character creation will be done if I get chosen to participate.
(Forgot about the other two, so here we go: Ability scores: 814131211135)
(aand, I also accidentally rolled a d20 instead of the third, and I can't edit it or it'll mess up all the other rolls, so here's the third! Ability scores: 13151312169)
(You what's funny! I also forgot to reroll 1s once for the set I'm choosing! Gosh, I'm just so good at using the dice roller function, aren't I? 41211)
(This is definitely no longer a placeholder, it's too crowded and I can't edit it or it'll be 'potentially manipulated')
Jem came to know the wizard when the two met in a bar, and they both engaged in a game of wits, and seeing that Jem was match, they became friends. Jem had gotten a flame tongue longsword by killing a guardian for the weapon on one of his adventures with the wizard
He came to know Kivari after his travels took him to where the wizard was studying. Korba himself had been trying to come to terms with the power that he found himself with through the magical blade which seemed to impart it's thoughts to him, and Kivari helped to him understand the nature of the Divine, and how they sometimes grant their powers to 'mere mortals'. Kivari seemed both jealous, as well as a bit off put on how someone could have such power without having to work for it. But the two formed a somewhat professional friendship, at least enough to mutually trust the other, which brought them together on numerous occasions though often for seemingly different purposes.
The item that Korba has was something found in an ancient tomb, which Kivari saw no use for, but Korba was instinctively drawn to. Kivari, knowing of it's value only academically, and knowing that Korba's 'friendship' would bring him more safety later on, allowed Korba to take it (though Korba would have regardless, he felt a compulsion to do so from his patron, and would have stopped at little to acquire this). ((I'll take some time to pick an item if chosen ^^ ))
I'm going to start with how he came across his magic item, because it led to his friendship with Kivari. Marlin used to be a simple clockmaker, until he came across an unusual item: a chunk of a bizarre black substance, which appeared in a flash near his shop as he was working. It was strange, exhibiting both crystalline and metallic properties at the same time, with the additional unusual property of fusing back to itself when it was broken apart then placed back together. Marlin decided to make a watch that integrated the substance into its design, because what else could he do with it? The watch was quite a fetching piece, with the only downside being that it completely froze Marlin in time when he turned it on. Marlin doesn't know if he spent a couple of days or a hundred years in that frozen place, but he eventually managed to escape by learning the workings of the bizarre watch, the design of which had shifted and changed from what Marlin had originally created, and using it to reverse his condition. Since then, Marlin has further studied the watch, expanding his chronurgical knowledge.
(Mechanically, I'm debating between making the watch an Ioun Stone of Supreme Intellect, so it can orbit him, or an Atlas of Endless Horizons, so it can be his focus. Flavour wise, the watch is a cool magic watch that Marlin turns the various knobs and dials on to cast his spells, as well as weaving in his own magical knowledge. Lore wise, the black substance that Marlin found is a chunk of one of the Black Obelisks in Forgotten Realms lore, created by the Weavers of Ancient Netheril, and capable of many chronurgical feats. One can be found in Tomb of Annihilation!)
After he freed himself from his suspended state, Marlin sought out someone with greater arcane knowledge than he to sort out the watch and help him strengthen his influence over its bizarre powers. This is when he met Kivari, and the two bonded over a shared interest in the arcane watch and the school of chronurgy. Kivari had less natural talent in the field than Marlin, likely due to Marlin's connection with the watch, but the knowledge gained was still important, even if it couldn't be practically applied via spells. Neither one of them has been able to replicate an effect with the strength of Marlin's original predicament, but they have still been able to achieve many chronurgical feats.
Some fun art I found that fits my vision of Marlin pretty closely. Though he's a bit less of an anime pretty boy, he's a bit more rough around the edges.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Hi. I'm familiar with DND in general, but I've never done a pbp before. I hope I can still be considered. :) I will use the third asi spread for my character.
Lillian Nishinoya is a multiclass Half-Elf Monk/Sorcerer, choosing Way of the Four Elements and Draconic Bloodline Fire.
How she befriended Kivari: Lillian was born to a fire genasi father and a wood elf mother and was often caught in the middle of being a mix of two different races. She never really fit in with other genasi, humans or elves and was discriminated by all races for her odd, crossbreed appearance. As such, she often caused mischief with her fiery powers when she was little, though she became more aware of the consequences of her actions afterwards. Though she has ingrained loved for martial arts in addition to her natural sorcerous powers, she is also an avid bookworm and with her mother and father's help, was able to enrol in the same academy that the wizard himself was studying. At first glance she saw him as a weirdo and kept turning down Kivari when he took interest in her talents due to his careless and confusing nature. His talents and his more controlled usage of fire sparked jealousy in the half-elf which in turn, led to a heated rivalry between them in terms of academics but not so much in combat as they had never displayed their skills towards each other yet.
One day, whilst fearing not to be shamed for her natural abilities, Lillian became extremely aggressive towards Kivari when he invited her to show his friends on what she can do and challenged him to a 1-on-1 duel. However, she lost after a hard-fought battle despite her combat experience and was preparing to accept humiliation for everything that she did and said to him. But instead, the wizard acknowledged Lillian as a formidable opponent even though he won, and complimented on the sorcerous techniques that even she could not control properly. Ever since that duel, Lillian never picked on Kivari again and even began to hang out with him as a friend. Kivari in return helped Lillian control her unstable powers and even stayed by her side when she was alone or at her worst. Lillian has since yet to repay Kivari for his kindness towards her despite all of the nasty remarks she made towards him.
How she was able to get her hands on a magic item: Lillian was one of the many students called to meet with Kivari so that he could hand out a magic item for them. She was the only person that he did not call out during the meeting and was infuriated at first, but when Kivari dismissed everyone but her, Lillian was shocked when she was given an amulet of health from him. Kivari then reveals that he trusts Lillian more than anyone else in the academy despite her previous outbursts against him. Although he was supposed to wear it, he entrusts Lillian with it should he be unable to return safely, but only on the promise that she does not break his promise and turn against his former allies if he's gone. Several weeks later, Kivari proved himself right when he did not return to greet Lillian or his friends at the academy. Not wanting to break this already repaired friendship, Lillian now wears the gift in exchange for the promise, though she knows that this would be the hardest responsibility that has been provided since her mother and father telling her to use her powers wisely in public. This may be the best form of repayment for being treated as a friend, rather than a nobody.
Pelaios has been a guardian and guide of wild, dangerous places for a long time. His conclave maintains a relationship with a few of the influential orders and people of Water deep, offering their services when needed.
It was in performance of such services that Pelaios first met Kivari, often involved in some harebrained scheme or half considered notion. Often, Pelaios was dragging the wizard from a slew of troubles he brought on himself, but in time it changed from a frustration to a bond forged in fire. This isn't the first time Pelaios has gone to rescue Kivari and it won't be the last.
Mirror of the Past - as luck would have it, more than one quest with Kivari was successful. The Mirror of the Past wasn't expected, and Kivari told Pelaios to keep it. He thought it might bring him a greater appreciation for the exploration of dank, dangerous and often cursed old tombs and castles at the edge of the known world.
As a traveling bard, Keahi has made a myriad of acquaintances from all around the lands of Faerûn. Her charming personality makes her a great drinking companion, but her sharp tounge has the odd habit of getting her landed in hot waters that come back to bite her in the ass. That being said, her skills in performance have caught the eyes of many, including those of a lovely noble lady up in the Northeast of Faerûn. The two had become quite close whilst Keahi had been entertaining the courts and upon her departure, the lady had given her a shining golden amulet (of health) and a sweet kiss on the cheek.
The tiefling has always been an adventurer at heart, looking to make a name for herself while also spreading joyful tunes across the realm. It's no surprise that she quickly took to an oddball wizard who's curiousity of the world mirrored her own. Keahi was entranced by his theories and magic, spending time to regale him with her own tales of far away cities. Despite not knowing each other for very long, the duo made time to share their newly aquired knowledge and ideas. Eventually, Keahi's entertainer spirit moved her away from the general lands where Kivari resided. He would be in for quite the surprise when a small bird, parchment tied to its leg, landed on his windowsill just over a week later. Unlike others who may have found Kivari's over-curiosity and lack of common sense to be airheaded at times, Keahi finds the wizard to be a great source of creative inspiration and looks forward to recieving his letters of reply.
(Her inventory is current full of items from the last campaign she was apart of. The sheet will be further edited if accepted into this campaign! Thanks for the consideration!)
How he came to know Kivari: Katar was the fourth child born to Thaedras and Atalya Naekian. All three eldest Naekian children all pursued magic in their own ways. His eldest brother, Vaeril, favoured books and went to school with Kivari’s grandfather (though Kivari’s wasn’t born at the time, his grandfather still a young man), and they soon became best friends. Kivari’s grandfather was often invited to the Naekian household. A few times, he brought volumes and manuscripts at request of Thaedras, attempting to inspire his youngest son’s interest in magic.
Of course, Katar saw little appeal pouring over the countless texts and treatises. And yet, Katar didn’t see why his unwillingness to study the books should prevent him from having the magical power he desired. There was always another way, and the answer came to him one day when he was in the temple, and he saw the joy on the priestess’ face when some young girls sang about how dedicated they were to their god, Belenus.
Perhaps it could be as simple as that.
As he entered his second century, Katar declared that he was to dedicate himself to the god of light and justice, Belenus. Devotion to a god seemed to be little more arduous than buttering up his own mother. All he had to do was say the right words, perform the right rituals, endure some very minor and fleeting discomforts, and in time he was bestowed the rank of Cleric of Belenus. And with that ordination came the gifts of divine magic.
A few years after, came the news Kivari’s grandfather had passed away. Vaeril was heartbroken. He was Kivari’s closest friend, so Vaeril asked his brother, Katar, to officiate the funeral for Kivari’s family. At the church of Belenus, that was where Katar first met Kivari, only a boy, tightly clutching his mother’s hand. Feeling guilty of all those books from Kivari’s grandfather left unread in his room, Katar went over and offered personal condolences to Kivari’s father. After that, he often visited Kivari with his brother Vaeril. He had enough natural charisma to easily befriend the little boy. During his visits, he would tell of stories of his travels. He brought the books and gifted them back to Kivari, watched him grow into a man, and went on the same path as his grandfather, to become a wizard.
It had been some time since he last saw Kivari. The visits became less and less frequent in the past decades. When Vaeril wrote to him telling him the news that Kivari had recently went missing, and himself too occupied with work to leave his studies, Katar agreed to help find him.
How he acquired the magic item: Katar knew, deep down, he was the not the most devout person. Sure, a fair face, a winning smile and a willingness to say the right words at the right time could get you almost anywhere in life. But were the gods truly that easily beguiled? Why was it that Belenus accepted his shallow, fairweather faith and allowed him to carry all the gifts that came with his position? Perhaps, somewhere deep inside, he asked these things not because he was afraid that Belenus would take his favour away, but rather that the day would come when his god would expect him to use those gifts in ways he wasn’t prepared for. And that was how he found himself facing a powerful necromancer that threatened to tear down the world. They had barely succeeded, when he found his amulet he had always been carrying was glowing warm light. Belenus had touched it and granted it the power he needed to overcome the enemy. And he found himself believe as well.
Brumnur was just your local city guard from the Storm Coast. Always on the patrol. Headstrong, if not dim-witted at times, and not afraid to get his hands dirty in close-ranged combat. He once saw Kivari roaming around Waterdeep alone without anyone guarding him and without hesitation, Brumnur took the initiative to escort him to the academy for free should he find himself in the midst of trouble. In fact, one time the two plus several other friends of Kivari were ambushed by a horde of goblins and Brumnur did not hesitate to step out of his line of duty to rescue all of them by himself. Ever since that incident he's made it a habit to keep an eye out for Kivari, especially when danger lurks nearby.
One day, whilst travelling to a cave to gather resources, Kivari and Brumnur found a treasure chest buried underneath a pile of rubble. There was a magic item that they could not identify until they returned but when they did, it was a flame-tongue longsword. Since the wizard preferred to practise with his spells in stead of martial weapons, Brumnur was allowed to keep it with him as thanks for protecting him and his friends.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Seria (Female Dragon-In-Disguise Sorcerer, Draconic Bloodline)
I've never rolled dice on the actual board before so here goes...
Ability scores: 141813151712
Ability scores: 13151516812
Ability scores: 13101871110
Well that seemed easy...
Dabbert Hahft
Variant Human Battle Master Fighter
It was only natural that a Wizard left alone in their tower to screw around with unfathomable powers would eventually get into something they couldn't handle. That was the way with wizards, right? It was basically a prerequisite for wearing such a title. Any wizard who hadn't been possessed, taken prisoner, dragged off into some nameless void to be tortured by some nameless elder god, burned their tower down or had to call for help to quite literally put the genie back in the bottle at least once would be laughed out of any respectable mage's college or have their wizard card revoked entirely. So, it was no surprise to anyone in Waterdeep all those years ago that Kivari had called something out of the void and finally became a true, bonafide, real-deal wizard. While all his colleagues at the College of Oddsford were busy high-fiving one another and popping champagne in what was surely a hell of a celebration, poor Kivari had found himself the literal puppet of a creature he would forever more call the Astral Strider, a sort of beetle that had attached itself to his spine and controlled him like a marionette.
Amongst the warriors who came to save Kivari was Dabbert Hahft, a former army lieutenant with enough smarts to know better and enough sense of duty to get involved anyway. After nearly being killed by an animated rug, a library with books that flew like bats, and then Kivari himself who was throwing around all sort of arcane shenanigans and doing his damndest to kill him and everyone with him, he was able to pry the beetle-thing off Kivari's back and mashing it to paste with a few judicious stomps. Not one to ask for money but also not one to turn down an offer for reward, which Kivari felt obliged to give, Dab asked the wizard to help him temper his halberd, and the two of them were able to use Kivari's arcane skillsl and Dab's smithing ability to make a weapon that was far more lethal than before.
They've remained friends ever since, though Dab never skips an opportunity to remind Kivari of the time he tried to kill him.
A little about me-
Currently I'm the DM of the four AURYN Campaigns and post frequently. I'm a big proponent for high adventure and fantasy, but I absolutely love gritty, dark stories, especially with an eldritch or horrific twist. I do not shy away from blood and guts; while some artists may excel with pastels or clay, violence and gore is my preferred medium...
Thanks for your consideration! Sorry it's more than a few sentences!
Hello, adventurers and storytellers.
I’m recruiting for an adventure, something well-reviewed and highly-rated that I found on the DMs Guild site. This is a dark fantasy with dark imagery, horror themes, and graphic descriptions. Additionally, this story contains madness mechanics for both NPCs and characters. Lastly, this combat-heavy adventure is set in the Sword Coast and will remain true to the lore of Faerûn.
Here are a few things you might wish to know about the character parameters before applying:
So, if you’re interested, please submit the following information in this thread. There’s no need to create your character in full, but you’re welcome to roll ability scores if you wish. Scores can also be rolled up during full character creation as well. It’s your call.
I’ll close down recruitment no later than 48 hours after this is posted, and I’ll check in regularly to answer any questions you might have. I apologize in advance for being unable to accept everyone who applies.
~Dust
Hi there! I would like to apply!
Character name: Kami Hellbinder
Race: High-elf
Class: Wizard
I know Kivari from going to school with him. We forged a bond by both being late on our very first day and getting scolded by the Magic Lore professor. We had to both sit at the last remaining free table at the back, and started talking about how at least we made an impression. Through the months and years, it became very obvious that Kivari had more of a hands-on approach to his research and experimentation, while I developed a more studious, read-first try-after method. Although different, these complemented each other rather well.
A few days after graduation, a package arrived for Kami. The label indicated that it came from Falkin, his war-obsessed uncle. Altough he did not openly advocate for violence, Falkin was known in the family as the militant one who has fought for his country before, and takes pride in it. The package contained an Elven Chain.
Kami, a pacifist, never thought the day would come that he needed to wear it. "But if there was ever an occasion to, this trip would be it," he thought.
Full character creation will be done if I get chosen to participate.
You're free to pick the rare item.
Ability scores: 12 11 9 15 18 6
Placeholder
Aw hell yeah, that's a fun skill distribution
(Forgot about the other two, so here we go: Ability scores: 8 14 13 12 11 13 5)
(aand, I also accidentally rolled a d20 instead of the third, and I can't edit it or it'll mess up all the other rolls, so here's the third! Ability scores: 13 15 13 12 16 9)
(You what's funny! I also forgot to reroll 1s once for the set I'm choosing! Gosh, I'm just so good at using the dice roller function, aren't I? 4 1 2 1 1)
(This is definitely no longer a placeholder, it's too crowded and I can't edit it or it'll be 'potentially manipulated')
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Jem
High elf Monk
Way of the open hand
Str: 13 dex: 20 con: 16 int: 15 Wis: 16 Cha: 15
Jem came to know the wizard when the two met in a bar, and they both engaged in a game of wits, and seeing that Jem was match, they became friends. Jem had gotten a flame tongue longsword by killing a guardian for the weapon on one of his adventures with the wizard
Kobra Muriz is a half-elf hexblade warlock.
He came to know Kivari after his travels took him to where the wizard was studying. Korba himself had been trying to come to terms with the power that he found himself with through the magical blade which seemed to impart it's thoughts to him, and Kivari helped to him understand the nature of the Divine, and how they sometimes grant their powers to 'mere mortals'. Kivari seemed both jealous, as well as a bit off put on how someone could have such power without having to work for it. But the two formed a somewhat professional friendship, at least enough to mutually trust the other, which brought them together on numerous occasions though often for seemingly different purposes.
The item that Korba has was something found in an ancient tomb, which Kivari saw no use for, but Korba was instinctively drawn to. Kivari, knowing of it's value only academically, and knowing that Korba's 'friendship' would bring him more safety later on, allowed Korba to take it (though Korba would have regardless, he felt a compulsion to do so from his patron, and would have stopped at little to acquire this). ((I'll take some time to pick an item if chosen ^^ ))
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
Marlin Horos is a Human Chronurgy Wizard.
I'm going to start with how he came across his magic item, because it led to his friendship with Kivari. Marlin used to be a simple clockmaker, until he came across an unusual item: a chunk of a bizarre black substance, which appeared in a flash near his shop as he was working. It was strange, exhibiting both crystalline and metallic properties at the same time, with the additional unusual property of fusing back to itself when it was broken apart then placed back together. Marlin decided to make a watch that integrated the substance into its design, because what else could he do with it? The watch was quite a fetching piece, with the only downside being that it completely froze Marlin in time when he turned it on. Marlin doesn't know if he spent a couple of days or a hundred years in that frozen place, but he eventually managed to escape by learning the workings of the bizarre watch, the design of which had shifted and changed from what Marlin had originally created, and using it to reverse his condition. Since then, Marlin has further studied the watch, expanding his chronurgical knowledge.
(Mechanically, I'm debating between making the watch an Ioun Stone of Supreme Intellect, so it can orbit him, or an Atlas of Endless Horizons, so it can be his focus. Flavour wise, the watch is a cool magic watch that Marlin turns the various knobs and dials on to cast his spells, as well as weaving in his own magical knowledge. Lore wise, the black substance that Marlin found is a chunk of one of the Black Obelisks in Forgotten Realms lore, created by the Weavers of Ancient Netheril, and capable of many chronurgical feats. One can be found in Tomb of Annihilation!)
After he freed himself from his suspended state, Marlin sought out someone with greater arcane knowledge than he to sort out the watch and help him strengthen his influence over its bizarre powers. This is when he met Kivari, and the two bonded over a shared interest in the arcane watch and the school of chronurgy. Kivari had less natural talent in the field than Marlin, likely due to Marlin's connection with the watch, but the knowledge gained was still important, even if it couldn't be practically applied via spells. Neither one of them has been able to replicate an effect with the strength of Marlin's original predicament, but they have still been able to achieve many chronurgical feats.
Some fun art I found that fits my vision of Marlin pretty closely. Though he's a bit less of an anime pretty boy, he's a bit more rough around the edges.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Ability scores: 11 14 12 15 14 13
Ability scores: 13 14 8 14 18 10
Ability scores: 12 14 12 9 15 14
Alfinas Nishinoya: Male Half-Elf Bard/Rogue (Umbral Binder/Valor)
Kohana Kurosaki: Female Kitsune Sorcerer (Aberrant Mind)
Lilac Nishinoya: Female Half-Elf Artificer (Battlesmith)
Lillian Nishinoya: Female Half-Elf Monk (Warrior Of The Elements)
Luna Amaro: Female Dark Elf Sorcerer (Lunar Sorcery)
Zari Graceheart: Female Tiefling Cleric (Light Domain)
Hi. I'm familiar with DND in general, but I've never done a pbp before. I hope I can still be considered. :) I will use the third asi spread for my character.
Lillian Nishinoya is a multiclass Half-Elf Monk/Sorcerer, choosing Way of the Four Elements and Draconic Bloodline Fire.
How she befriended Kivari: Lillian was born to a fire genasi father and a wood elf mother and was often caught in the middle of being a mix of two different races. She never really fit in with other genasi, humans or elves and was discriminated by all races for her odd, crossbreed appearance. As such, she often caused mischief with her fiery powers when she was little, though she became more aware of the consequences of her actions afterwards. Though she has ingrained loved for martial arts in addition to her natural sorcerous powers, she is also an avid bookworm and with her mother and father's help, was able to enrol in the same academy that the wizard himself was studying. At first glance she saw him as a weirdo and kept turning down Kivari when he took interest in her talents due to his careless and confusing nature. His talents and his more controlled usage of fire sparked jealousy in the half-elf which in turn, led to a heated rivalry between them in terms of academics but not so much in combat as they had never displayed their skills towards each other yet.
One day, whilst fearing not to be shamed for her natural abilities, Lillian became extremely aggressive towards Kivari when he invited her to show his friends on what she can do and challenged him to a 1-on-1 duel. However, she lost after a hard-fought battle despite her combat experience and was preparing to accept humiliation for everything that she did and said to him. But instead, the wizard acknowledged Lillian as a formidable opponent even though he won, and complimented on the sorcerous techniques that even she could not control properly. Ever since that duel, Lillian never picked on Kivari again and even began to hang out with him as a friend. Kivari in return helped Lillian control her unstable powers and even stayed by her side when she was alone or at her worst. Lillian has since yet to repay Kivari for his kindness towards her despite all of the nasty remarks she made towards him.
How she was able to get her hands on a magic item: Lillian was one of the many students called to meet with Kivari so that he could hand out a magic item for them. She was the only person that he did not call out during the meeting and was infuriated at first, but when Kivari dismissed everyone but her, Lillian was shocked when she was given an amulet of health from him. Kivari then reveals that he trusts Lillian more than anyone else in the academy despite her previous outbursts against him. Although he was supposed to wear it, he entrusts Lillian with it should he be unable to return safely, but only on the promise that she does not break his promise and turn against his former allies if he's gone. Several weeks later, Kivari proved himself right when he did not return to greet Lillian or his friends at the academy. Not wanting to break this already repaired friendship, Lillian now wears the gift in exchange for the promise, though she knows that this would be the hardest responsibility that has been provided since her mother and father telling her to use her powers wisely in public. This may be the best form of repayment for being treated as a friend, rather than a nobody.
Alfinas Nishinoya: Male Half-Elf Bard/Rogue (Umbral Binder/Valor)
Kohana Kurosaki: Female Kitsune Sorcerer (Aberrant Mind)
Lilac Nishinoya: Female Half-Elf Artificer (Battlesmith)
Lillian Nishinoya: Female Half-Elf Monk (Warrior Of The Elements)
Luna Amaro: Female Dark Elf Sorcerer (Lunar Sorcery)
Zari Graceheart: Female Tiefling Cleric (Light Domain)
Ability scores: 14 14 7 11 15 15
Ability scores: 16 18 16 14 14 13
Ability scores: 18 13 11 13 16 12
Ability scores: 11 14 12 15 15 18
Ability scores: 13 16 10 16 15 14
Ability scores: 11 15 11 15 15 14
Noire Havensong | Harengon Archfey Warlock 6/Lore Bard 4 | Westmarch - Guild of the Phoenix (Discord)
Tanatari Crelieu | Kalashtar Druid 2 | Damian_May's Sleeping Gods
Jynx Starrkeep | Changling GOO Warlock 2 | Astien's Tyranny of Dragons
DM | Eberron Eternal (Discord)
Pelaios - Tiefling - Ranger
Pelaios has been a guardian and guide of wild, dangerous places for a long time. His conclave maintains a relationship with a few of the influential orders and people of Water deep, offering their services when needed.
It was in performance of such services that Pelaios first met Kivari, often involved in some harebrained scheme or half considered notion. Often, Pelaios was dragging the wizard from a slew of troubles he brought on himself, but in time it changed from a frustration to a bond forged in fire. This isn't the first time Pelaios has gone to rescue Kivari and it won't be the last.
Mirror of the Past - as luck would have it, more than one quest with Kivari was successful. The Mirror of the Past wasn't expected, and Kivari told Pelaios to keep it. He thought it might bring him a greater appreciation for the exploration of dank, dangerous and often cursed old tombs and castles at the edge of the known world.
Ability scores: 11 12 17 11 16 7
Ability scores: 9 11 15 13 13 16
Ability scores: 13 15 10 13 16 17
Paladin - warforged - orange
Ability scores: 12 14 12 15 12 17
Ability scores: 8 13 15 11 8 15
Ability scores: 9 14 15 16 8 15
Seria (Female Dragon-In-Disguise Sorcerer, Draconic Bloodline)
(Bringing this one over from a canceled campaign that just happen to end at level 11)
Character Name & Sheet: Keahi Ravigre
Race: Dispater Tiefling
Class(es): Lore Bard 9 / Wildfire Druid 2
Ability Scores: Taking the 3rd set
As a traveling bard, Keahi has made a myriad of acquaintances from all around the lands of Faerûn. Her charming personality makes her a great drinking companion, but her sharp tounge has the odd habit of getting her landed in hot waters that come back to bite her in the ass. That being said, her skills in performance have caught the eyes of many, including those of a lovely noble lady up in the Northeast of Faerûn. The two had become quite close whilst Keahi had been entertaining the courts and upon her departure, the lady had given her a shining golden amulet (of health) and a sweet kiss on the cheek.
The tiefling has always been an adventurer at heart, looking to make a name for herself while also spreading joyful tunes across the realm. It's no surprise that she quickly took to an oddball wizard who's curiousity of the world mirrored her own. Keahi was entranced by his theories and magic, spending time to regale him with her own tales of far away cities. Despite not knowing each other for very long, the duo made time to share their newly aquired knowledge and ideas. Eventually, Keahi's entertainer spirit moved her away from the general lands where Kivari resided. He would be in for quite the surprise when a small bird, parchment tied to its leg, landed on his windowsill just over a week later. Unlike others who may have found Kivari's over-curiosity and lack of common sense to be airheaded at times, Keahi finds the wizard to be a great source of creative inspiration and looks forward to recieving his letters of reply.
(Her inventory is current full of items from the last campaign she was apart of. The sheet will be further edited if accepted into this campaign! Thanks for the consideration!)
Noire Havensong | Harengon Archfey Warlock 6/Lore Bard 4 | Westmarch - Guild of the Phoenix (Discord)
Tanatari Crelieu | Kalashtar Druid 2 | Damian_May's Sleeping Gods
Jynx Starrkeep | Changling GOO Warlock 2 | Astien's Tyranny of Dragons
DM | Eberron Eternal (Discord)
Name: Katar Naekian
Race: High-elf
Class: Light Cleric
How he came to know Kivari: Katar was the fourth child born to Thaedras and Atalya Naekian. All three eldest Naekian children all pursued magic in their own ways. His eldest brother, Vaeril, favoured books and went to school with Kivari’s grandfather (though Kivari’s wasn’t born at the time, his grandfather still a young man), and they soon became best friends. Kivari’s grandfather was often invited to the Naekian household. A few times, he brought volumes and manuscripts at request of Thaedras, attempting to inspire his youngest son’s interest in magic.
Of course, Katar saw little appeal pouring over the countless texts and treatises. And yet, Katar didn’t see why his unwillingness to study the books should prevent him from having the magical power he desired. There was always another way, and the answer came to him one day when he was in the temple, and he saw the joy on the priestess’ face when some young girls sang about how dedicated they were to their god, Belenus.
Perhaps it could be as simple as that.
As he entered his second century, Katar declared that he was to dedicate himself to the god of light and justice, Belenus. Devotion to a god seemed to be little more arduous than buttering up his own mother. All he had to do was say the right words, perform the right rituals, endure some very minor and fleeting discomforts, and in time he was bestowed the rank of Cleric of Belenus. And with that ordination came the gifts of divine magic.
A few years after, came the news Kivari’s grandfather had passed away. Vaeril was heartbroken. He was Kivari’s closest friend, so Vaeril asked his brother, Katar, to officiate the funeral for Kivari’s family. At the church of Belenus, that was where Katar first met Kivari, only a boy, tightly clutching his mother’s hand. Feeling guilty of all those books from Kivari’s grandfather left unread in his room, Katar went over and offered personal condolences to Kivari’s father. After that, he often visited Kivari with his brother Vaeril. He had enough natural charisma to easily befriend the little boy. During his visits, he would tell of stories of his travels. He brought the books and gifted them back to Kivari, watched him grow into a man, and went on the same path as his grandfather, to become a wizard.
It had been some time since he last saw Kivari. The visits became less and less frequent in the past decades. When Vaeril wrote to him telling him the news that Kivari had recently went missing, and himself too occupied with work to leave his studies, Katar agreed to help find him.
How he acquired the magic item: Katar knew, deep down, he was the not the most devout person. Sure, a fair face, a winning smile and a willingness to say the right words at the right time could get you almost anywhere in life. But were the gods truly that easily beguiled? Why was it that Belenus accepted his shallow, fairweather faith and allowed him to carry all the gifts that came with his position? Perhaps, somewhere deep inside, he asked these things not because he was afraid that Belenus would take his favour away, but rather that the day would come when his god would expect him to use those gifts in ways he wasn’t prepared for. And that was how he found himself facing a powerful necromancer that threatened to tear down the world. They had barely succeeded, when he found his amulet he had always been carrying was glowing warm light. Belenus had touched it and granted it the power he needed to overcome the enemy. And he found himself believe as well.
((Image found on Web))
I'll take the third set tyvm.
Name: Brumnur Daraln
Race: Mountain Dwarf
Class: Barbarian (Path of the Battlerager)
Brumnur was just your local city guard from the Storm Coast. Always on the patrol. Headstrong, if not dim-witted at times, and not afraid to get his hands dirty in close-ranged combat. He once saw Kivari roaming around Waterdeep alone without anyone guarding him and without hesitation, Brumnur took the initiative to escort him to the academy for free should he find himself in the midst of trouble. In fact, one time the two plus several other friends of Kivari were ambushed by a horde of goblins and Brumnur did not hesitate to step out of his line of duty to rescue all of them by himself. Ever since that incident he's made it a habit to keep an eye out for Kivari, especially when danger lurks nearby.
One day, whilst travelling to a cave to gather resources, Kivari and Brumnur found a treasure chest buried underneath a pile of rubble. There was a magic item that they could not identify until they returned but when they did, it was a flame-tongue longsword. Since the wizard preferred to practise with his spells in stead of martial weapons, Brumnur was allowed to keep it with him as thanks for protecting him and his friends.
Seria (Female Dragon-In-Disguise Sorcerer, Draconic Bloodline)
I've never rolled dice on the actual board before so here goes...
Ability scores: 14 18 13 15 17 12
Ability scores: 13 15 15 16 8 12
Ability scores: 13 10 18 7 11 10
Well that seemed easy...
Dabbert Hahft
Variant Human
Battle Master Fighter
It was only natural that a Wizard left alone in their tower to screw around with unfathomable powers would eventually get into something they couldn't handle. That was the way with wizards, right? It was basically a prerequisite for wearing such a title. Any wizard who hadn't been possessed, taken prisoner, dragged off into some nameless void to be tortured by some nameless elder god, burned their tower down or had to call for help to quite literally put the genie back in the bottle at least once would be laughed out of any respectable mage's college or have their wizard card revoked entirely. So, it was no surprise to anyone in Waterdeep all those years ago that Kivari had called something out of the void and finally became a true, bonafide, real-deal wizard. While all his colleagues at the College of Oddsford were busy high-fiving one another and popping champagne in what was surely a hell of a celebration, poor Kivari had found himself the literal puppet of a creature he would forever more call the Astral Strider, a sort of beetle that had attached itself to his spine and controlled him like a marionette.
Amongst the warriors who came to save Kivari was Dabbert Hahft, a former army lieutenant with enough smarts to know better and enough sense of duty to get involved anyway. After nearly being killed by an animated rug, a library with books that flew like bats, and then Kivari himself who was throwing around all sort of arcane shenanigans and doing his damndest to kill him and everyone with him, he was able to pry the beetle-thing off Kivari's back and mashing it to paste with a few judicious stomps. Not one to ask for money but also not one to turn down an offer for reward, which Kivari felt obliged to give, Dab asked the wizard to help him temper his halberd, and the two of them were able to use Kivari's arcane skillsl and Dab's smithing ability to make a weapon that was far more lethal than before.
They've remained friends ever since, though Dab never skips an opportunity to remind Kivari of the time he tried to kill him.
A little about me-
Currently I'm the DM of the four AURYN Campaigns and post frequently. I'm a big proponent for high adventure and fantasy, but I absolutely love gritty, dark stories, especially with an eldritch or horrific twist. I do not shy away from blood and guts; while some artists may excel with pastels or clay, violence and gore is my preferred medium...
Thanks for your consideration! Sorry it's more than a few sentences!
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Rollin'.
13 17 13 12 14 16
10 14 10 8 13 15
12 16 11 10 9 13
"Where do these guys get all their ideas?" - TommoBoi, to WOTC
DM of Night of the Nutcracker.
Ability scores: 16 16 15 15 15 16
Ability scores: 13 16 14 14 17 15
Ability scores: 18 17 11 11 13 16