I've tried a few PBP campaigns here, but they all petered out after just a few encounters. Figured I would try being a DM, and see how long I can keep this campaign going. I have DM-ed a few AL adventures in person, but this is my first on D&D Beyond. I'd like to try something a little more free-form, and tailored for players. So the key words are "collaborative world-building". The world is a blank slate, and I'll fill in the details/create the world as the players decide where they want to go and what they want to do. (I have a few encounters and ideas in mind, but I also want to improvise based on the player's actions.)

Looking for 6 players. For now, need: name, race, class, and background option. For the character's backstory, just a short and basic recap. You'll have time to flesh it out later. (Consider this the pilot episode of the TV series, and your character's full story won't be told until season 2 or 3, assuming the show runs that long.) Tell me two other things: why is your character is adventuring right now (wealth? power? see the world?), and is there any big adventure you'd like to see down the road (fighting devils on other planes? wars between nations? take down an ancient dragon? build your own castle?). I'm thinking heroic type adventures, so either good or (mostly benevolent) neutral alignments.

After we have a full group and I've sent out the campaign invites by PM, you can fill out the character sheet at that time. Start at level 1, standard point buy for ability scores, PHB & XGtE, fixed hit points when leveling up.

Other notes

I'll try to keep things going, even if real life is delaying someone from posting for a long time.

- We'll be following initiative order, but you can post your action out of turn, with a backup plan if desired. If the group is waiting on one person for more than a day, I'll act for them that round.

- If you think a skill check will be required, go ahead and use the Dice Roller. That roll result can always be modified, if a different skill is appropriate.

- If it seems like most of the group wants to do something, and it doesn't require a unanimous decision, we'll go with it.

Starting point for the campaign

You have grown up on the frontier. You have heard tales of the old nations across the lands to the east and over the ocean to the south, but only in vague talk and incomplete descriptions. You've only known people from your village, who seem content with the farmlands and pastures in front of them. The only sign of real civilization that you know of is the City of Nunkreet. If you could reach that city safely, you could learn more of the world, and your options would be almost limitless compared to your life now. Fortunately, a caravan of merchants (from all the villages in the area) have banded together to make the 8 day journey to that city. They have hired young warriors such as yourself to protect the wagons from beasts, bandits, and monsters that might block the wilderness trail, for 1 SP per day (plus rations).

Name: Af Brazenell

Race: Tiefling

Class: Cleric (Light Domain)

Background: Haunted One

Backstory: Af Brazenell is a young adult tiefling. He is a cleric of light and healing. He is quite jovial and charismatic socially. Always helping others in any way he can. However, when he is alone he often hear spirits and voices in his head. The voices are whispers that carry some sort of darkness. This began when he was a teenager. In order for him to tolerate these dark voices, he decided to follow a holy order. He believes that maybe a deity will help the voices stop. And hoping for a deity to hear him, he will heal and guide others even if it risks his life.

Name: Reverie Forestgleam
Race: Human
Class: Paladin
Alignment: Neutral Good
Background: Noble
Backstory: Reverie is a young maiden who became Paladin even though her mother did not want her to be. She is very new as an adventurer since taking an adventure is her first time after completing her first mission. Never had been out of her place until she decided to become a Paladin. As she took her footstep towards the outside of unknown, she wants to explore the histories and the landscapes. Of course, she wants to prove it to her mother that she is a very proud maiden even without marrying a wealthy man of noble. If she ever sees the dragon that would hurt the people... Then, she would like to take that challenge.

Name: Theren Winterborne

Race: Elf

Class: Rogue

Background: Urchin

Backstory: Theren was found washed ashore in a town near Nunkreet with few memories of who he was, or where he was from. He lived among the street urchins and had no money. Because of his strange, grey skin, he was generally unwelcome in most places, and was met with stares and scorn wherever he went. Unable to find work, he learned to steal, climb, and hide to survive. He has dreams of becoming a famous, wealthy adventurer and leaving the dangers and sadness of the town he woke up in behind.

Why is he adventuring: For money and prestige, and to find a place cosmopolitan and diverse enough for him to enjoy some measure of acceptance.

Big adventure request: Pretty open. Don't mind too much where it goes. Theren would probably want a home of his own, so Build a Castle wouldn't be bad.

ARe there any race restrictions such as no Volos guide to monsters races or are there none? When will we be active?

Name: Katrina York
Race: Eladrin
Class: Sorcerer
Alignment: Neutral Good
Background: Hermit
Backstory: Growing up in a small farming village, Katrina spent much of her time doing simple, mundane chores for her parents. In her free time, though, she studied magic. Due to the lack of magic-users in her village, she was fascinated, and leaned as much as she could from the few books she could find on the subject. Once she had learned all she could from books, she set out to discover more in the wider world. Her natural charm tends to make up for her lack of experience with people and culture outside of farm life. She often writes letters and sends money she doesn't need back to her village.
Why she is adventuring: to learn new things.
Adventure request: I'm good for anything!

((Since I already had a chracter sheet for her, all I had to do was tweak her stats to Point Buy and the rest of her sheet was fine. So for that reason, I have the sheet right here to look at: https://ddb.ac/characters/6198509/2jE4Lc))

Name: Froskan Delmirev
Race: Dragonborn
Class: Sorcerer (Dragon Ancestor)
Background: Sage
Backstory: As the only dragonborn child in the village, Froskan grew up as something of an outcast. Shunned as a freak by the other children, he spent most of his time reading books, always preferring tales of magic and adventure. After hitting puberty, he started noticing strange things happening around him when his emotions were running strong. Research and experimentation led him to discover that he could do magic as a result of his draconic bloodline.

Name: Jack Black

Race: Half Elf

Class: Bard

Backround: Pirate (soldier)

Backstory: I am Jack Black "Mockingbird". Me parents were always fighting, because of the fact that they were 2 completely different people. So one day, I left. I ended up in a pirate crew as the scout (don't ask. It's been too long). I remember we had a banner. The thing had a creature we were named after, a flightless bird with an ax shaped beak, or was it head. I thought pirates were all "Yarr! Shiver me timbers!". They weren't. But I couldn't leave. I didn't want to. Then one day, I failed to see the kraken. It tore our ship apart, and the crew was slaughtered. It had help from Merrow, some sahuagin, and even a Dragon Turtle. In the end, it was just me and me captain. She saved me. She used her last spell to teleport me to the nearest dock, and when she didn't come back I knew she was gone. Her name was Sara "Roc" Scarlington. I have collected many stories in my life, and I want one more."

Purpose for adventuring: "To kill the Kraken. I want to kill it and shrink it down to keep as a trophy. Or do what to it what we did to the biggest deer on the Axe Beak.  None were as terrifying as the kraken. I remember seeing it fry my crew, and devour the innocents, only to spit them back out, throw them, and smack us with them. Not only will I be one of the strongest bards alive by then, but I will have gotten revenge for me captain. But first I need money. Power and Money."

Jack says he is a marine, but he isn't. He had a pirate crew. this crew did a lot of work around this area, and was more of a Robin Hood gang. Least it was supposed to be. It barely got out to the ocean before being attacked. The crew was composed of people from the village. The ships name was the Axe Beak. 

The reason all these creatures worked in harmony was because the sea god sent them. They even left without eating the crew. That deitie killed them because they had an artifact, and we're about to give it to the poor, that it wanted for itself.

Name: Jupiter Strattis

Race: Human

Class: Monk

Background: Clan Crafter

Backstory: Jupiter worked for the carpenter within the village as an apprentice. He was good with his hands and spent a lot of his time sitting outside the building carving wooden ornaments for the common folk, often charging only for the materials. He is proud of his work and wishes to gain some inspiration for a masterpiece that he will eventually carve. During downtime, he will always be seen with a block of wood in hand, knife in the other, carving out whatever inspired him recently. He was always good at fist fighting, generally when he drunk too much or somebody decided to mock his works. Classed as a sort-of 'Golden boy' when he was young, he secretly believes if he puts his mind to anything, he can accomplish it.

Why is he adventuring: For inspiration on his masterpiece. He has creative block and wishes to explore further.

Big adventure request: Happy with anything. Definitely up for a hero type campaign though.

That makes a full group, so I changed the thread from "recruiting" to "closed".

I said six, but the seven that I found when I woke up this morning works too. Nice mix of player experience (with VanderLegion posting more than the rest of us combined!).

I have sent the Campaign link by PM. I'll be looking at your posts, and thinking about what interesting things might happen to these particular individuals who have been thrown together.

Quote from BoboBoombang >>

ARe there any race restrictions such as no Volos guide to monsters races or are there none? When will we be active?

 Use Volvos if you wish (or other resources), but keep it mind I don't have it. I can only reference the 3 core books and XGtE.

I don't want to stop you guys from having creative ideas, just wanted a level playing field to start with. (Didn't want to worry about game balance with a crippled gnome and an Empyrean offspring in the same party, for example.)

Before I forget, don't be stressed about the time commitment for this. If you can reply once or twice a day, that is fine. (More would be great, but real life gets in the way...)

Once upon a time...

(Assuming you still remember the paragraph at the end of post #1.)

You've led rough but relatively happy lives in the wild, but you all have your reasons for wanting something more than your village life. It is several days journey to the city of Nunkreet, the only large one out here in the frontier. Some of you have childhood memories of the place, but none of you has been there in years, due to the dangerous path to get there. Fortunately it is mid-Fall, and the twice-yearly Nunkreet Caravan is departing. Dozens of wagons from many villages are traveling together for protection, and you are part of the guards. There is no road, only a rough trail through forests and hill-side that has been formed when the Caravan makes the trip and back. A large group discourages most beasts and monsters from approaching, but you can also expect bandits to try to plunder the wagons at some point.

The trip will take 8 days, at the end of which you will receive 7 SP. (You have already been given 1 SP when you were hired.) Food will be provided, but it is disappointingly bland: iron rations for long journeys. Fortunately there are a number of villages along the way where they might have fresh produce, and the Caravan halts at them to trade for a time (which is partly why the trip takes 8 days).

You have been assigned to a local group of six wagons. (The other wagons and guards are far enough away that you don't interact.) Although you are expected to fight as a group, these six other guards are strangers to you. There are three watch shifts during normal travel: morning, early afternoon, and late afternoon. (You will also need to figure out a night watch rotation, before the end of the first day.) You can rest or sleep during the off-shifts (with weapons nearby), but during the watch you are next to the driver, watching the environment. You are free to re-arrange the guard shifts, but for the first day, the head merchant (Merle) has assigned the day watch in the order you were hired: Af Brazeneil, Reverie on morning shift; Theren, Katrina on afternoon; Froskan, Jack, Jupiter on early evening.

Roll: 5

You had a quiet lunch and journey, as you are still getting used to the strangers around you. The merchants sharing the wagons with you are mostly snoozing. Late afternoon, while Froskan, Jack, and Jupiter are next to the wagon drivers, there is a commotion from the wagons  far in front of your group of 6, with the trees bustling. Suddenly, 3 goats the size of warhorses burst through the nearby brush near your wagons. They are frantic, and charging at you. You wonder why the Giant Goats would attack a caravan of this size, when you hear the baying of wolves behind the goats, getting nearer.

What I need from the players:

Give yourself 1 SP (the initial hiring fee). I know... hold back the tears of joy at that news. :-)

Give me 5 initiative rolls. (I will hold onto them to save time for future encounters.)

For this first encounter, go in any order you like. (If Theren posts first, he could decide to go after the first person that enters melee range without holding his action, for example.) The Giant Goats go after everyone has acted. Assume they are 25 feet away, so you can do ranged attacks from the wagons, or move to melee range this round. The rest of the caravan is also being attacked, but you only have to worry about the wagons nearest you. (I intend to use maps for future fights, but lets keep this first one simple.)

Ignore, error

Ok. Initiative:5 3 20 5 18

When Jack notices the Goats, he knows what to do. He did this same trick while hunting, on the Axe Beak they congratulated him for this technique. Attempting to put them to sleep so he can kill them easier, he Casts sleep. He aims it a little back, so he avoids hitting himself,, but still hits the Goats, preferably the ones in the back. he sings a lullaby:

1. Hey Little Big Goats, go to bed
2. it is time to rest your head
3. Now hurry up and sleep away
4. sleep until we are far away

19

Initiative - 16

Jupiter jumps off the wagon and darts forward with ferocious speed, drawing the Spear from his back. His coat hangs back from the wind. He runs to the first goat he can reach and attacks with his Spear, trying to slow it down so as not to hit the Wagon. He then brings his fist down on top of it with a loud 'crack'.

"These beasts could hurt the horses! Best get to them quickly!"

Move - 25ft to Goats

Attack, Spear - 17. Damage - 5

Bonus Action, Martial Arts - 9. Damage - 23

Initiative: 12 21 21 8 10

Katrina, who had been relaxing in the back of one of the carts, jumps up at the commotion outside. Finally, it's herchance to tet her skills in real combat! Though, as soon as she actually sees the scene, she realises that her abilities won't be the most useful. She can't go around casting fire magic all over the place if her allies are going to be close enough that they might get hit, too.
That isn't a problem, though! She'll prove her skills another day. For now, she draws her crossbow and fires off a shot at the nearest goat

Attack, Light Crossbow - 8. Damage - 6

Giant goat #1 face-plants as Jack finishes his lullaby. Breathing heavily, twitching, but its eyes are shut.

The one next to it stumbles a bit, but stays on its feet. That doesn't last long, as Jupiter puts his spear through its shoulder and a mighty punch to its neck, deftly avoiding the horns. (Jupiter: need 4 more initiative rolls please.) Jupiter is a bit startled as a crossbow bolt whistles past his ear. He looks back to see a smiling Katrina, who is admiring her aim, which put a bolt buried in the same spot Jupiter just punched. Goat #2 crashes to the ground, breathing stopped.

(Goat #3 awaits Af, Reverie, Theren, and Froskan. And those wolf howls are getting louder.)

Jupiter, as he looks back at Katrina, smiles and shouts "Nice shot!"

Other initiative rolls - 11, 20, 4, 9.

After finishing his lullaby, Jack stops beating on the drum strapped to his shoulder, and looks at his work.

"Whoa, that is huge. 

Nice shot, by the way."

Initiative -4 22 7 10 7

Reverie comes out from the wagon as soon as she hears all the commotion outside. Good thing that she has been relaxing after the morning shift. She lifts up her longsword and put her dagger on her side, then she runs towards the goat. Since they are giant, hoping her skills can damage her for good. She then attacks with her longsword to the giant goat and get ready to use dagger later.

Move - 30 ft to Goats
Attack, Longsword - 9 Damage - 9