Seeking four to six 1st level adventurers to help prevent elemental annihilation!
Read through the rest of this post thoroughly, and if you are interested, follow the instructions to apply.
About The Campaign:
- Setting: The Forgotten Realms (Faerûn)
- This is a sandbox style campaign with a lot of its emphasis on combat and character-driven exploration. There will be some roleplaying with NPCs that grounds it all, and the rest of the RP will be in the players' hands, as much or as little RP as the players would like the characters to have between each other.
- I cannot emphasize enough that due to the sandbox nature of this campaign, if players are not driving the exploration, this campaign will grind to a halt. Through much of the campaign, there will not be NPCs driving you along or telling you where to go. Characters will frequently need to discuss options between one another and come to a decision. Too many passive players will mean that this campaign goes nowhere.
- Princes of the Apocalypse is a full-length campaign. Games of this length typically can take 4-6 years in the PbP format. If you do not firmly believe that you can commit to posting several times a week over the next several years, please do not apply. Players do sometimes have to drop out of campaigns, but it's never as fun to end a campaign with an entirely different cast of characters than you started with.
- We will be using the 2024 ruleset. For species/classes that exist in both the 2014 and 2024 rulesets, the 2024 ruleset will be used. If there is something that exists in the 2014 ruleset but does not have an equivalent in the 2024 ruleset, I will allow those on a case-by-case basis.
About The DM & House Rules:
- I currently run two other campaigns on D&D Beyond, and have many 8 years of experience DMing in person, online, and on D&D Beyond. I have run PbP adventures that last a few months, some that have been ongoing for years, and some that have fully completed after several years. Feel free to peruse my other campaigns if you would like to get a feel for how I DM!
- My typical pace is to post resolutions and progress the campaign once per day.
- I want PbP to be simple and flow easily. To accomplish this, I do not use grids, and I use grouped initiative to reduce the need to wait on players to post in a specific order. Maps may be used, but they are strictly for visuals.
- I love variety, so I do not use any averages. All health and damage is rolled, for both players and monsters. All of my rolls are tracked, in case questions or concerns arise. When you apply, please send me a PM that includes the word “Tinderstrike” to ensure the player I select is attentive to others' posts and reads them thoroughly.
- Characters can die in my campaigns. Though it has not happened often, I do not fudge rolls. Reckless actions (i.e., charging headlong into an army) do have realistic consequences.
How To Apply:
- If you are any less than absolutely certain that you can commit to completing this adventure (a period of a several years), please do not apply.
- If you have played or DMed Princes of the Apocalypse before, please do not apply.
- Rolling for stats is preferred, but Standard Array and Point Buy are also accepted for determining ability scores. See below about guidelines on rolling.
- Reply to this thread or send me a PM with your application. Please include the 1) race/class you would like to play, 2) a short background summary, and 3) your method of determining ability scores (include rolls if rolling).
- All content used must be available to you through D&D Beyond. No Unearthed Arcana or homebrew will be accepted.
- If you are rolling for stats, those rolls must be made here or in a PM. Re-rolling your array will only be allowed if there are no ability scores above 13. There are no other exceptions. Rolling can result in some epic stat arrays, so there must be some risk to this method. If you are not comfortable with that risk, please use the Standard Array or Point Buy. To make those rolls, use [ roll ] 4d6dl1 [ /roll ] (without the spaces). Do not re-roll 1s. I don't know if people do this accidentally or if they do it to try and sneak it by me, but it happens a lot. I do examine all rolls.
- Your character's backstory can be as light or heavy as you would like, but I will be working with you to integrate your backstory to the setting of this campaign, so be open to adjusting bits and pieces.
- To help ease your character into the story, your backstory should allow for three things:
It is recommended that your character be associated with one of these factions. If you are not familiar with any or all of these, that is okay. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and figure out which one makes the most sense (or if none of them make sense) if your application is accepted:
The Harpers
The Order of the Gauntlet
The Emerald Enclave
The Lords’ Alliance
The Zhentarim
Elves of the High Forest
The Hand of Yartar
The Knights of Samular
Uthgardt Tribes
Your character will begin the campaign in the frontier town of Red Larch.
Your character should be ready and willing to join a party of adventurers. If your character is not ready and willing, then you as a player should be ready and willing to find a reason for them to be ready and willing.
Acceptance Criteria:
- The application process can take quite some time. I will post here when a decision has been made and recruiting has been closed. There is no timeline - I put a lot of work in my PbP campaigns, and I will ensure that we have a group of players who matches that effort and can create an incredible story together. I look for the following:
- Attentive. Players should fully read and be attentive to the posts of the DM and other players.
- Effort. Players should put thought and effort into as many of their posts as possible.
- Note-takers. Players should take notes in whatever format works best for them. You will want to remember details that happened 30 minutes ago for your characters, but several days/weeks ago for you.
- Reliable. A posting history is not required, but if I can see that you have stuck around in long-running campaigns on this site, it will certainly be in your favor. I do examine posts from other games to help assess how much effort players put into their posts and how well they get along with other DMs and players.
I will update the thread here when a decision has been made (so if you do not see a message from me saying the table has been filled, feel free to apply). If you've read to this point and are interested in joining, thanks and happy gaming!
Class:Ranger/Wizard(Would play a Ranger/Cleric if the party needs a healer)
States: Point Buy
Background: Iden was raised in a small burrow called Everlight. Most of my life was spent hunting or training with his Master Swiftfront. Iden’s mind was always lost in the books he would read after finishing his training. Being a forest Gnome, the magic of nature came easy to him but for Iden that was not enough. He wished to truly understand how all of his spells worked and so he would take notes constantly. After 5 years Iden’s master realized that Iden did not have the drive to continue learning to become a hunter. After they talked Master Swiftfront decided that Everlight was not the right place for Iden. Sad but excited Iden decided to explore the world outside of this home. Now Iden finds himself in the town of Red Larch. He knows that without allies or gold he will not be able to survive let alone find the knowledge he is looking for.
2) Backstory: Even in the Order of the Gauntlet there is a role for those who wield a quill as devotedly as others do a sword; even Paladins of Helm cannot march on an empty belly. It is just a shame that Prosperity Sturmson inherited none of his father’s stature or his mother’s grace. Certainly, his devotion to the cause is as great as any in the Order, and yet, so often, even the noble ranks of the mighty hold some disdain for one such as Prosperity, perhaps if his name was less optimistic and more humble he might not always be met with such affront.
Still, it is good work that the young man does, and it is to good ends that he works. As a Quartermaster of the Order, he practices his bladework in secret and he turns his pen to support those more mighty than himself. He obliges the Prelates he works for, and ignores their condescension. He also ignores those shadows which whisper. He ignores the scraps of paper he does not remember writing which carry invocations inked in his own hand. He focuses on the mission.
Today the mission is Red Larch. Trouble lies to the East, and he finds himself sent along the Long Road to join a company of Paladins, sent south from Mirabar. Where they meet he shall set up camp and requisition what they need to do their good works. He shall be alone, as he supports them and is ignored by them as always, and then he shall be sent on is as always the case. Or so he thinks, when he arrives in Red Larch, and finds the warriors of the Order absent and himself directionless, for the first time in many years.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
- All content used must be available to you through D&D Beyond. No Unearthed Arcana or homebrew will be accepted.
What about 3rd party content that is available through Beyond? The Crooked Moon stuff or the Grim Hollow or Griffon's Saddlebag stuff, for example? Not sure I would want to use any of that but it's good to know what the selection pool is...
And rolls so I can start contemplating what would be good:
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Air Genasi Cleric (Tempest Domain, 2024 rules)
Name: Sylra Galeheart Faction: Emerald Enclave
Born on the storm-lashed cliffs of the High Forest, Sylra Galeheart was always drawn to the sky’s fury. Thunder was her hymn, wind her companion. Trained by Emerald Enclave seers to read the skies and track elemental disturbances, Sylra now serves as a field agent and "storm scribe"—charged with monitoring unnatural weather patterns that threaten the balance of nature.
Her latest assignment brings her to Red Larch, where freak winds and localized storms signal a deeper corruption in the elemental forces. Calm, perceptive, and driven by duty, Sylra seeks allies to help uncover what’s stirring beneath the hills. Where others see chaos, she seeks the pattern in the storm—and will call down thunder on those who would twist it to destructive ends.
- All content used must be available to you through D&D Beyond. No Unearthed Arcana or homebrew will be accepted.
What about 3rd party content that is available through Beyond? The Crooked Moon stuff or the Grim Hollow or Griffon's Saddlebag stuff, for example? Not sure I would want to use any of that but it's good to know what the selection pool is...
And rolls so I can start contemplating what would be good:
12
.
Heh, just copy/pasted and deleted spaces without thinking of it... Guess I need to do it 5 more times.
- All content used must be available to you through D&D Beyond. No Unearthed Arcana or homebrew will be accepted.
What about 3rd party content that is available through Beyond? The Crooked Moon stuff or the Grim Hollow or Griffon's Saddlebag stuff, for example? Not sure I would want to use any of that but it's good to know what the selection pool is...
And rolls so I can start contemplating what would be good:
12
.
Heh, just copy/pasted and deleted spaces without thinking of it... Guess I need to do it 5 more times.
Human Rogue - If 3rd Party material ok, I would go Sinner from Crooked Moon. It's a gambler themed subclass, looks fun. If not, I would adjust stat placement a bit and go Arcane Trickster.
Backstory: Mulligan McGee is part gambler, part womanizer, part degenerate barfly. He'd be a bard if he had a whit of musical talent of any kind but the only talent he has is getting in and out of trouble. Cards, women, petit larceny and lots of drinking... To be fair, Mulligan McGee is charming and sociable and everyone's best friend - At least until they grow tired of his act or of lending him money or of having to hide him from the law, or jealous husbands or money lenders or... So on and so forth.
It is Mulligan's charm and his constant presence in inns and taverns which brought him to the attention of The Harpers (or Zhentarim... or both. Any could work.) Of course he couldn't be trusted to be brought into the real workings of the organization but he was a perfect fringe character to pick up rumors or pass along messages or perhaps, eventually, just be a fall guy if needed. Nobody expects Mulligan to amount to much and expect he'll eventually come to a bad end, even himself. Still... there is something about the guy. If you could just get him pointed in the right direction and give him a kick in the ass then perhaps... Perhaps.
Stats - Rolled, quoted above. The first roll, the 12, is showing wonky like rolls do sometimes. I would happily keep or re-roll it as you wanted. *shrug*
Tabaxi Warlock (will be hexmage) primarily melee fighter with ranged attack magic.
Point Buy stats
Backstory:
A slave merchant was attacked by a monster while between towns. He ordered his slaves to fight the monster although they had no armor or weapons, just to buy the slaver time to retreat. Fran, one of the slaves, a young cat girl, sees sword just stuck in the ground. When she approaches the sword, it talks to her telepathically, asking her to pull it out of the ground and equip it. When Fran does so, she is suddenly proficient with the sword and with magic. She defeats the monster, though not until after the monster had killed all the other slaves along with the slaver. The sword also somehow released her from the slave collar that had compelled obedience, she was now free, with a magic sword!
Fran named the magic sword Master and has embarked on life as a adventurer. She often has problems not being taken seriously due to her age, but she is growing powerful quickly.
She's primarily a Monster Hunter, but has joined the Order of the Gauntlet for support (and targets to hunt). Though her method of defending is to take down the threat.
Origin: This character is based on the Web Novel "I Was a Sword When I Reincarnated". The abilities Fran has in the web novel can't be represented in D&D, but the hexblade subclass captures the essence of the character, a normal kid granted power (sword and magic) by a sentient sword.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
I'm very interested as a long-term game is what I'm looking for right now. I am starting with the ability rolls and will work on backstory after familiarizing myself with the factions outside of my knowledge/experience.
Emma Leafwhirl had spent nearly all her life in the Dessarin Valley. She thinks she was born somewhere north of Triboar, though it wasn't really something she remembered much about. Not that she couldn't remember anything - she does recall a tiny house, her parents, and maybe even a sibling. Perhaps a little farm. But then things changed. There was another family she thinks, and another farm. Then perhaps another family or two.
She does know she ended up working for a family that owned a shop in some town. Emma wasn't their child; she was their servant. Tending and cleaning the shop by day. Cleaning laundry, helping in the kitchen, and other chores in the evening. It was long grueling days and all she knew was that she hated it. And as soon as she found a chance, she left, taking some birdpipes from the shop where she worked.
Worried she'd be caught and brought back, she kept hidden that first night and left town the next. This started a long series of time where she moved from place to place, living on the streets, or in whatever abandoned hovel she might find. There were other kids, but never and strong ties developed. If she needed to, she would steal a bit to get by. Perhaps pick-pocket a wealthy looking visitor to whichever little village she found herself in. She learned she was quick and nimble, but also not very strong and easy to beat up.
The other thing she slowly discovered was that she could play music. And every now and then she would sit and play and collect some coins and she wouldn't have to steal. It was nice, but usually didn't last. And as she got to be a young teen, stealing had become a bit of a way of life. And she had run into some of the more organized group about the area.
It turns out that she also had a way with people. She was good with a lie or pretending to be something she wasn't. And her skills with music seemed to somehow connect her with magic. A leader of one of the local criminal groups caught on to her magical abilities and helped her to grow them. This was fantastic because one of the things she learned was shielding herself from attacks. That came in hand a lot!
With time her skills grew, as did her connections with various nefarious organizations. She now continues to work to find jobs and make a name for herself amongst her faction.
Ability Scores: Rolled (see Post #12)
Faction: The Hand of Yartar (or possibly The Zhentarim)
Okay, going with a generic, "Misunderstood Altruist", Drow girl, raised near the surface, part of a trade system between the northdark and the sword coast. Ostracized by her comrades for being too generous with their wares.
She met a group of monks, selling paintings, pottery, spirits and other homemade goods. She enjoyed their outlook and aesthetic enough to enquire about joining.
She now has gone through their basic training, and is back out in the world trying to decide if she wants to return to her life as a merchant, or remain with the monks.
(If I need to select another faction I'd say the Zhents, loose association from her time as a merchant)
Race: Human Class: Fighter Background: Soldier Faction: The Order of the Gauntlet
Backstory: Talan Vorrik was born in the city of Elturel, long before its plunge into Avernus. He was a squire in service to the Companions of the Gauntlet, a local order devoted to Helm and Torm that patrolled the borders and watched for cults and raiders.
When the Companion's light vanished and the city was dragged into the Hells, Talan was on extended patrol far to the west, along the Reaching Woods. He returned to find only scorched earth and survivors whispering of devils, betrayal, and damnation. Wracked with guilt for not having been there, he joined the Order of the Gauntlet, vowing to root out corruption and darkness in every form.
He served with distinction along the Trielta Hills, battling remnants of the Cult of the Dragon and standing against undead forces in the Fields of the Dead. Talan is no zealot—but he believes that discipline and sacrifice can hold the line against chaos. He’s a man who carries his past like chainmail—heavy, protective, and impossible to forget.
Background: OU812 bears the scars of an existence long before the Uthgardt, his plating pitted and his joints groaning with untold age. He was a war machine, yes, but one that broke free of its shackles, due to a surge of nascent self-awareness. When the Uthgardt tribe stumbled upon him, he was a wreck, half-buried in a glacial crevice, seemingly inert. Yet, when they tried to scavenge his parts, a flicker of life, a surge of pure, unadulterated rage, erupted from within him. He was a beast unchained, raw and untamed. The tribe, recognizing the fierce spirit within the metallic shell, did not fight him, but offered him a place among them. OU812's barbarian fury is a constant, simmering presence, a legacy of his violent past and a powerful shield for his new family. He is a walking contradiction: a constructed being driven by primal instincts, a silent behemoth who bellows battle cries, forever an outsider yet fiercely loyal to the nomadic ways of the Uthgardt.
Seeking four to six 1st level adventurers to help prevent elemental annihilation!
Read through the rest of this post thoroughly, and if you are interested, follow the instructions to apply.
About The Campaign:
- Setting: The Forgotten Realms (Faerûn)
- This is a sandbox style campaign with a lot of its emphasis on combat and character-driven exploration. There will be some roleplaying with NPCs that grounds it all, and the rest of the RP will be in the players' hands, as much or as little RP as the players would like the characters to have between each other.
- I cannot emphasize enough that due to the sandbox nature of this campaign, if players are not driving the exploration, this campaign will grind to a halt. Through much of the campaign, there will not be NPCs driving you along or telling you where to go. Characters will frequently need to discuss options between one another and come to a decision. Too many passive players will mean that this campaign goes nowhere.
- Princes of the Apocalypse is a full-length campaign. Games of this length typically can take 4-6 years in the PbP format. If you do not firmly believe that you can commit to posting several times a week over the next several years, please do not apply. Players do sometimes have to drop out of campaigns, but it's never as fun to end a campaign with an entirely different cast of characters than you started with.
- We will be using the 2024 ruleset. For species/classes that exist in both the 2014 and 2024 rulesets, the 2024 ruleset will be used. If there is something that exists in the 2014 ruleset but does not have an equivalent in the 2024 ruleset, I will allow those on a case-by-case basis.
About The DM & House Rules:
- I currently run two other campaigns on D&D Beyond, and have many 8 years of experience DMing in person, online, and on D&D Beyond. I have run PbP adventures that last a few months, some that have been ongoing for years, and some that have fully completed after several years. Feel free to peruse my other campaigns if you would like to get a feel for how I DM!
- My typical pace is to post resolutions and progress the campaign once per day.
- I want PbP to be simple and flow easily. To accomplish this, I do not use grids, and I use grouped initiative to reduce the need to wait on players to post in a specific order. Maps may be used, but they are strictly for visuals.
- I love variety, so I do not use any averages. All health and damage is rolled, for both players and monsters. All of my rolls are tracked, in case questions or concerns arise. When you apply, please send me a PM that includes the word “Tinderstrike” to ensure the player I select is attentive to others' posts and reads them thoroughly.
- Characters can die in my campaigns. Though it has not happened often, I do not fudge rolls. Reckless actions (i.e., charging headlong into an army) do have realistic consequences.
How To Apply:
- If you are any less than absolutely certain that you can commit to completing this adventure (a period of a several years), please do not apply.
- If you have played or DMed Princes of the Apocalypse before, please do not apply.
- Rolling for stats is preferred, but Standard Array and Point Buy are also accepted for determining ability scores. See below about guidelines on rolling.
- Reply to this thread or send me a PM with your application. Please include the 1) race/class you would like to play, 2) a short background summary, and 3) your method of determining ability scores (include rolls if rolling).
- All content used must be available to you through D&D Beyond. No Unearthed Arcana or homebrew will be accepted.
- If you are rolling for stats, those rolls must be made here or in a PM. Re-rolling your array will only be allowed if there are no ability scores above 13. There are no other exceptions. Rolling can result in some epic stat arrays, so there must be some risk to this method. If you are not comfortable with that risk, please use the Standard Array or Point Buy. To make those rolls, use [ roll ] 4d6dl1 [ /roll ] (without the spaces). Do not re-roll 1s. I don't know if people do this accidentally or if they do it to try and sneak it by me, but it happens a lot. I do examine all rolls.
- Your character's backstory can be as light or heavy as you would like, but I will be working with you to integrate your backstory to the setting of this campaign, so be open to adjusting bits and pieces.
- To help ease your character into the story, your backstory should allow for three things:
Acceptance Criteria:
- The application process can take quite some time. I will post here when a decision has been made and recruiting has been closed. There is no timeline - I put a lot of work in my PbP campaigns, and I will ensure that we have a group of players who matches that effort and can create an incredible story together. I look for the following:
- Attentive. Players should fully read and be attentive to the posts of the DM and other players.
- Effort. Players should put thought and effort into as many of their posts as possible.
- Note-takers. Players should take notes in whatever format works best for them. You will want to remember details that happened 30 minutes ago for your characters, but several days/weeks ago for you.
- Reliable. A posting history is not required, but if I can see that you have stuck around in long-running campaigns on this site, it will certainly be in your favor. I do examine posts from other games to help assess how much effort players put into their posts and how well they get along with other DMs and players.
I will update the thread here when a decision has been made (so if you do not see a message from me saying the table has been filled, feel free to apply). If you've read to this point and are interested in joining, thanks and happy gaming!
See my profile for all my PbP threads!
Name: Iden Farweaver
Race: Gnome
Class:Ranger/Wizard(Would play a Ranger/Cleric if the party needs a healer)
States: Point Buy
Background: Iden was raised in a small burrow called Everlight. Most of my life was spent hunting or training with his Master Swiftfront. Iden’s mind was always lost in the books he would read after finishing his training. Being a forest Gnome, the magic of nature came easy to him but for Iden that was not enough. He wished to truly understand how all of his spells worked and so he would take notes constantly. After 5 years Iden’s master realized that Iden did not have the drive to continue learning to become a hunter. After they talked Master Swiftfront decided that Everlight was not the right place for Iden. Sad but excited Iden decided to explore the world outside of this home. Now Iden finds himself in the town of Red Larch. He knows that without allies or gold he will not be able to survive let alone find the knowledge he is looking for.
I am starting with ability score rolls. I'd like to read through the rules and factions before creating a character, but am very interested
Ability scores: 15 9 16 13 15 16
@Barty since it's Faerun, could I make a monk of the Yellow Rose?
1) Human / Warlock
2) Backstory: Even in the Order of the Gauntlet there is a role for those who wield a quill as devotedly as others do a sword; even Paladins of Helm cannot march on an empty belly. It is just a shame that Prosperity Sturmson inherited none of his father’s stature or his mother’s grace. Certainly, his devotion to the cause is as great as any in the Order, and yet, so often, even the noble ranks of the mighty hold some disdain for one such as Prosperity, perhaps if his name was less optimistic and more humble he might not always be met with such affront.
Still, it is good work that the young man does, and it is to good ends that he works. As a Quartermaster of the Order, he practices his bladework in secret and he turns his pen to support those more mighty than himself. He obliges the Prelates he works for, and ignores their condescension. He also ignores those shadows which whisper. He ignores the scraps of paper he does not remember writing which carry invocations inked in his own hand. He focuses on the mission.
Today the mission is Red Larch. Trouble lies to the East, and he finds himself sent along the Long Road to join a company of Paladins, sent south from Mirabar. Where they meet he shall set up camp and requisition what they need to do their good works. He shall be alone, as he supports them and is ignored by them as always, and then he shall be sent on is as always the case. Or so he thinks, when he arrives in Red Larch, and finds the warriors of the Order absent and himself directionless, for the first time in many years.
3) Rolled Ability scores: 10 3 14 13 14 9
What about 3rd party content that is available through Beyond? The Crooked Moon stuff or the Grim Hollow or Griffon's Saddlebag stuff, for example? Not sure I would want to use any of that but it's good to know what the selection pool is...
And rolls so I can start contemplating what would be good:
18
.
Air Genasi Cleric (Tempest Domain, 2024 rules)
Name: Sylra Galeheart
Faction: Emerald Enclave
Born on the storm-lashed cliffs of the High Forest, Sylra Galeheart was always drawn to the sky’s fury. Thunder was her hymn, wind her companion. Trained by Emerald Enclave seers to read the skies and track elemental disturbances, Sylra now serves as a field agent and "storm scribe"—charged with monitoring unnatural weather patterns that threaten the balance of nature.
Her latest assignment brings her to Red Larch, where freak winds and localized storms signal a deeper corruption in the elemental forces. Calm, perceptive, and driven by duty, Sylra seeks allies to help uncover what’s stirring beneath the hills. Where others see chaos, she seeks the pattern in the storm—and will call down thunder on those who would twist it to destructive ends.
Ability scores: 13 12 11 10 15 13
Heh, just copy/pasted and deleted spaces without thinking of it... Guess I need to do it 5 more times.
16
11
14
15
8
...
Prosperity’s sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/148233808/Sh8CNy
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/148231926/SuFIcj
Character link, working on backstory elements
Ability scores: 11 15 14 9 7 7
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Mulligan McGee - https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/148236524/DDSme5
Human Rogue - If 3rd Party material ok, I would go Sinner from Crooked Moon. It's a gambler themed subclass, looks fun. If not, I would adjust stat placement a bit and go Arcane Trickster.
Backstory: Mulligan McGee is part gambler, part womanizer, part degenerate barfly. He'd be a bard if he had a whit of musical talent of any kind but the only talent he has is getting in and out of trouble. Cards, women, petit larceny and lots of drinking... To be fair, Mulligan McGee is charming and sociable and everyone's best friend - At least until they grow tired of his act or of lending him money or of having to hide him from the law, or jealous husbands or money lenders or... So on and so forth.
It is Mulligan's charm and his constant presence in inns and taverns which brought him to the attention of The Harpers (or Zhentarim... or both. Any could work.) Of course he couldn't be trusted to be brought into the real workings of the organization but he was a perfect fringe character to pick up rumors or pass along messages or perhaps, eventually, just be a fall guy if needed. Nobody expects Mulligan to amount to much and expect he'll eventually come to a bad end, even himself. Still... there is something about the guy. If you could just get him pointed in the right direction and give him a kick in the ass then perhaps... Perhaps.
Stats - Rolled, quoted above. The first roll, the 12, is showing wonky like rolls do sometimes. I would happily keep or re-roll it as you wanted. *shrug*
Fran - https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/148240785/7jStYk
Tabaxi Warlock (will be hexmage) primarily melee fighter with ranged attack magic.
Point Buy stats
Backstory:
A slave merchant was attacked by a monster while between towns. He ordered his slaves to fight the monster although they had no armor or weapons, just to buy the slaver time to retreat. Fran, one of the slaves, a young cat girl, sees sword just stuck in the ground. When she approaches the sword, it talks to her telepathically, asking her to pull it out of the ground and equip it. When Fran does so, she is suddenly proficient with the sword and with magic. She defeats the monster, though not until after the monster had killed all the other slaves along with the slaver. The sword also somehow released her from the slave collar that had compelled obedience, she was now free, with a magic sword!
Fran named the magic sword Master and has embarked on life as a adventurer. She often has problems not being taken seriously due to her age, but she is growing powerful quickly.
She's primarily a Monster Hunter, but has joined the Order of the Gauntlet for support (and targets to hunt). Though her method of defending is to take down the threat.
Origin: This character is based on the Web Novel "I Was a Sword When I Reincarnated". The abilities Fran has in the web novel can't be represented in D&D, but the hexblade subclass captures the essence of the character, a normal kid granted power (sword and magic) by a sentient sword.
Figure:
I'm very interested as a long-term game is what I'm looking for right now. I am starting with the ability rolls and will work on backstory after familiarizing myself with the factions outside of my knowledge/experience.
Ability Rolls: 9
And for the other 5
17
11
16
9
13
Emma Leafwhirl
Human Bard
Background Summary:
Emma Leafwhirl had spent nearly all her life in the Dessarin Valley. She thinks she was born somewhere north of Triboar, though it wasn't really something she remembered much about. Not that she couldn't remember anything - she does recall a tiny house, her parents, and maybe even a sibling. Perhaps a little farm. But then things changed. There was another family she thinks, and another farm. Then perhaps another family or two.
She does know she ended up working for a family that owned a shop in some town. Emma wasn't their child; she was their servant. Tending and cleaning the shop by day. Cleaning laundry, helping in the kitchen, and other chores in the evening. It was long grueling days and all she knew was that she hated it. And as soon as she found a chance, she left, taking some birdpipes from the shop where she worked.
Worried she'd be caught and brought back, she kept hidden that first night and left town the next. This started a long series of time where she moved from place to place, living on the streets, or in whatever abandoned hovel she might find. There were other kids, but never and strong ties developed. If she needed to, she would steal a bit to get by. Perhaps pick-pocket a wealthy looking visitor to whichever little village she found herself in. She learned she was quick and nimble, but also not very strong and easy to beat up.
The other thing she slowly discovered was that she could play music. And every now and then she would sit and play and collect some coins and she wouldn't have to steal. It was nice, but usually didn't last. And as she got to be a young teen, stealing had become a bit of a way of life. And she had run into some of the more organized group about the area.
It turns out that she also had a way with people. She was good with a lie or pretending to be something she wasn't. And her skills with music seemed to somehow connect her with magic. A leader of one of the local criminal groups caught on to her magical abilities and helped her to grow them. This was fantastic because one of the things she learned was shielding herself from attacks. That came in hand a lot!
With time her skills grew, as did her connections with various nefarious organizations. She now continues to work to find jobs and make a name for herself amongst her faction.
Ability Scores: Rolled (see Post #12)
Faction: The Hand of Yartar (or possibly The Zhentarim)
Character Sheet: Emma Leafwhirl
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Okay, going with a generic, "Misunderstood Altruist", Drow girl, raised near the surface, part of a trade system between the northdark and the sword coast. Ostracized by her comrades for being too generous with their wares.
She met a group of monks, selling paintings, pottery, spirits and other homemade goods. She enjoyed their outlook and aesthetic enough to enquire about joining.
She now has gone through their basic training, and is back out in the world trying to decide if she wants to return to her life as a merchant, or remain with the monks.
(If I need to select another faction I'd say the Zhents, loose association from her time as a merchant)
Character: Talan Vorrik
Character sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/148242629/Pvx01S
Ability Rolls: Posts 15 & 17 (because I didn't paste the roll mechanic enough times).
Race: Human
Class: Fighter
Background: Soldier
Faction: The Order of the Gauntlet
Backstory: Talan Vorrik was born in the city of Elturel, long before its plunge into Avernus. He was a squire in service to the Companions of the Gauntlet, a local order devoted to Helm and Torm that patrolled the borders and watched for cults and raiders.
When the Companion's light vanished and the city was dragged into the Hells, Talan was on extended patrol far to the west, along the Reaching Woods. He returned to find only scorched earth and survivors whispering of devils, betrayal, and damnation. Wracked with guilt for not having been there, he joined the Order of the Gauntlet, vowing to root out corruption and darkness in every form.
He served with distinction along the Trielta Hills, battling remnants of the Cult of the Dragon and standing against undead forces in the Fields of the Dead. Talan is no zealot—but he believes that discipline and sacrifice can hold the line against chaos. He’s a man who carries his past like chainmail—heavy, protective, and impossible to forget.
Name: OU812
Race/Class: Warforged / Barbarian
Background: OU812 bears the scars of an existence long before the Uthgardt, his plating pitted and his joints groaning with untold age. He was a war machine, yes, but one that broke free of its shackles, due to a surge of nascent self-awareness. When the Uthgardt tribe stumbled upon him, he was a wreck, half-buried in a glacial crevice, seemingly inert. Yet, when they tried to scavenge his parts, a flicker of life, a surge of pure, unadulterated rage, erupted from within him. He was a beast unchained, raw and untamed. The tribe, recognizing the fierce spirit within the metallic shell, did not fight him, but offered him a place among them. OU812's barbarian fury is a constant, simmering presence, a legacy of his violent past and a powerful shield for his new family. He is a walking contradiction: a constructed being driven by primal instincts, a silent behemoth who bellows battle cries, forever an outsider yet fiercely loyal to the nomadic ways of the Uthgardt.
Ability Scores (manual): 13 13 16 12 14 15
Faction: Uthgardt Tribes
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Ability scores: 15 8 12 16 14 12
Cats go Moo!