So, I've had a bunch of ideas in my head for a long while, and I'd like to share them with you guys! I'd also like a bit of help fleshing them out and giving them a bit more depth, if anyone's up for it! In addition, I'll be offering the same to anyone who decides to drop their ideas for characters in this thread, and I encourage others to as well! Without further ado, here are two of my characters living in my head rent-free! I'm gonna post them all in one go, so prepare for a bit of a text wall (sorry qwq)
Aran Brightscales (Red Dragonborn Bard of Valour): Aran was born into a traditionally Red Dragonborn clan that stuck to the old ways of flesh and blood sacrifice. He grew up in an environment perfect for any other Dragonborn of the clan, but to him, it was extremely oppressive. Aran was never a fighter; he was a musician! But his father, the clan's leader and practically a cultist at this point, kept him suppressed through rigorous physical training meant to turn him into the warrior his father wanted, taking away time for musical study. As soon as he came of age, Aran made a heartrending decision: he abandoned his clan. Remember that to a Dragonborn the clan is life, and even though he hated the experience, they were all still family.
As he ventured into the surrounding area, he found the people absolutely despised his presence, believing Dragonborn inherited the personality traits of their true draconic ancestors. Since he was a Red Dragonborn, he was often heckled and turned away simply because of his heritage. Despite the adversity he encountered, Aran kept an eternally positive attitude. Eventually he found a town that tolerated his presence, albeit begrudgingly. As he honed his musical talents, his skills in both instruments (the bagpipes are his favourite one he's discovered so far) and words become as sharp and cutting as his swordsmanship, but they were also as gentle as his goodhearted nature.
Now, Aran roams the land bringing people up and down as necessary, as well as engaging in the occasional bit of tomfoolery. His favourite party trick is using his breath weapon while playing his bagpipes, causing fire to erupt from it! It's completely impractical, but it makes for a great show, and that's what matters to him.
Tracey (Tabaxi Storm Sorcerer): No one of Saltmarsh knows who Tracey's parents are; all they know is that she showed up on the Temple of Procan's front step the night after the town's worst storm in a few years. After a year living in the temple under the watchful eye of the priest Wellgar Brinehanded, he eventually passed custodianship of her to Krag, the town gravedigger of all people! This seemed strange to a lot of people, but it would soon be discovered that this was a perfect decision; Krag took good care of Tracey, keeping not only her body nourished, but her mind as well. As the town's unofficial historian, Krag had amassed a lot of knowledge, and Tracey was all too keen to learn. As the years went by, Tracey found a job at The Wicker Goat, putting her natural catlike reflexes to use as a waitress, carrying multiple servings and drinks with an unerring grace.
As she grew, so did her curiosity. She returned to the Temple of Procan, eager to learn what she could from the man who had raised her for the first year of her life. Wellgar unfortunately had nothing new to tell Tracey about her past, but as she stood within the temple listening, she began to feel something more than a simple sense of familiarity. When one of the Temple’s acolytes barged in to speak with Wellgar, they did so with absolutely no subtlety, scaring the heck out of Tracey. Something within leaped right out of her in response, and the next thing she knew, the man who had just interrupted was now lying face down on the ground with a head full of sticking up hair. After the m a n y apologies from her subsided, Wellgar was now very curious as to the nature of this Tabaxi’s shocking abilities (hehe).
After consulting with Procan and enquiring with Krag, Wellgar determined that Tracey was, as is with all like her, no ordinary person. She was in fact a Storm Sorcerer, given birth by the very thunder and lightning that heralded her arrival in this world. Tracey didn’t know what to do with this information, so she just continued life as normal, with one change in her studies: she absolutely scoured Saltmarsh for any information she could about magic. Despite having read all of the books on magic she could (there weren’t many), Tracey still felt like there was more she could do, more she could be. She felt wanderlust, like she wanted to go where the wind went but she was rooted, trapped in Saltmarsh. Now if only someone even resembling an adventurer would pass by this drowsy town and take a seat at the tavern, they might just find themselves being served by a perpetually hyper Tabaxi desperate for adventure…
I'm gonna head out for tonight, but if you all could give me some feedback, suggestions, or even just drop your own ideas for characters down below, that would be greatly appreciated! Have a good day, all!
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ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
I didn't really post any responses before. I guess that's because I don't really have any notes. I like both of these.
To me, Tracey is the much more interesting character. I would definitely like to see her in a more RP heavy campaign. Aran on the other hand feels a bit more flat as a character, like this is just a flight variation on a backstory that I've seen (and played) dozens of times before.
That doesn't mean he's a bad character! But I'd definitely see him in a more action-oriented campaign and/or one with a larger party. One where having a memorable schtick like "fire breathing bagpipes" will really pay off.
I didn't really post any responses before. I guess that's because I don't really have any notes. I like both of these.
To me, Tracey is the much more interesting character. I would definitely like to see her in a more RP heavy campaign. Aran on the other hand feels a bit more flat as a character, like this is just a flight variation on a backstory that I've seen (and played) dozens of times before.
That doesn't mean he's a bad character! But I'd definitely see him in a more action-oriented campaign and/or one with a larger party. One where having a memorable schtick like "fire breathing bagpipes" will really pay off.
Look forward to seeing some more from you!
Thanks!
Yeah, Aran really does feel like that kind of "contrasting to background" stereotype, but with a bit more refinement and fleshing out, I reckon he could work out really well!
I've got a few more ideas I still need to work on lol
My main two next ideas are a dwarf artificer who's been cursed since birth so that any magic items he uses except the ones he creates don't work as intended (e.g. he can't use the feature of a bag of holding to find what he's looking for, so he has to shift around until he finds what he's looking for), and a human weretiger monk with the dryest sense of humour ever, responding to racism, derogatory comments, etc., by either agreeing with them or just ignoring them XD
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ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
I love the dwarf idea! As a DM I would probably pin it to a mechanic similar to the 3e version of spell resistance and have it cut both directions, potentially negating negative and positive spell effects/items.
Also, for some reason, as soon as I read the Weretiger monk description I immediately pictured Shere Khan from the show Talespin😂
Alright, here's one I've only just recently thought of, but I think works really well!
Two wonderful dwarves, Erik and Hiln Brighthelm were among those assigned to the mine near Saltmarsh when their son, Flint Brighthelm, was stolen from them in the dead of night by one of the hags that worked for Mother Nightshade. Rather than corrupt the young adult or eat him, the old hag had a moment of weakness despite herself, and against her own judgement (and Flint's curse-laden demands for her to let him go) decided to leave Flint on the outskirts of the Drowned Forest, confident that he would be finished off by the assortment of vile creatures living there.
Erik and Hiln lead a small group to rescue Flint, but by the time they got there, he was nowhere to be found. Then, they heard the sound of Dwarven cursing coming from the branches above! There were no fiendish creatures that could've placed him there, so how did he get there? Flint holds to the story that he was thinner than he is today and shimmied his way up there, but the truth is much more unusual; the usually hostile vines that wrap around almost every tree in the Drowned Forest picked him up and placed him there, letting him go without so much as a scratch
As Flint grew up, it became evident that he had a calling different to the other dwarves, one uncommon among his kind. He was not skilled with the hammer and anvil in the slightest, but he made carvings of unrivalled quality and stonework so incredible you'd swear he'd moulded it like clay with his bare hands. This was in fact the truth, but he kept this to himself, believing the others would think he had a higher calling from which his powers were meant for.
One weary day, Flint took some leave from the mine and returned to the place where he was taken to and abandoned by the hag. When he got there, everything looked normal. But there was a shimmer in the air that he could not deny, and he knew he was the cause. Before long, a pattern seemed to form itself in the ground beneath him, and at the centre lay what are now his most prized possessions: a scimitar of unrivalled workmanship, a petrified oak staff, and a mistletoe leaf encased in clear crystal.
Once he took these, all fell away from him and he found himself standing on the Elemental Plane of Earth before a massive stronghold seemingly preparing for war. Awestruck, Flint went to move closer and inspect it, but only a few steps later his feet became encased in stone. The petrification was spreading, and the last thing he saw before his eyes turned to granite was the benevolent stare of the First King.
When Flint awoke, he was back in his quarters at the mine, with all the items he had found. Much thinking later, he came to a conclusion; Flint Brighthelm, a hill dwarf, was destined to be a druid! Nature's miracle, his new belongings, the vision of the Earthen fortress and the Dawrven First King, it all made sense now. There was to be an attempt for earth to overthrow nature's delicate balance, and only one of rock and stone, a dwarf, could stop it.
By mountain's might, nature's nurture, and a bit of dwarven ingenuity, Flint Brighthelm will protect his clan and all of Dwarvenkind! Oh, and maybe the rest of the Material Plane while he's at it. He might just need some help, so now he's out looking for a group of adventurers, or just some ragtag rascals out for a scrap. And what better place to look than Saltmarsh's taverns?
Who knows, maybe ground and sky will meet in a harmonious moment of destiny! Or the two could meet when a certain overeager Tabaxi teenager accidentally spills a certain Dwarf's mead... Who knows indeed!
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ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
Wampus the Way of the Astral Self Tabaxi Monk. He is known as the Cobbler Cat or the Wandering Wampus by those he meets.
He is based on the wampus cat from Native American legends. He has six arms, super speed, and increased reach like the wampus cat.
Wampus is a kind friend and a dangerous foe who sees it as his duty to guide and protect those who travel on the road. His monastery, called the Monastery of Saint Sulligan was a resting spot for travelers and the monks who trained there were expected to leave after several years on a pilgrimage where they wandered the world as guardians of wayfarers. Wampus's reason for adventuring is that he is on this pilgrimage and will stop to help or guide any traveler who needs his aid.
Saint Sulligan is his role model and he will often recount the tales of the Saint's deeds to entertain those he is with.
He is a cobbler by trade and he gives out new footwear to other travelers so that they may continue on their journeys in comfort.
The reason I dropped this one is it needs a lot of DM help.
I wanted a changeling that is an assassin in one persona, and a bard in another.
The idea was to have two character sheets, one that's strictly bard, and one that's strictly assassin, and once per day, be able to shift from one sheet to the other ( allowing me to start bard, shift to assassin and then having to wait till the next day to shift back.
I also considered a Kenku bard. He's a bit more talkative than most, though he uses a series of clicks and percussion sounds from his drums when he can't find a word, and his goal is to try and collect words and write them down to create a new language for his people. he can play 2 instruments at a time, ad with his mimicry, he can sound like a third. He's literally the entire band except for lead singer. College of Eloquence. Just to be a pain.... XD
A tortle draconic sorcerer with the acolyte background. It is what it is dude. Why do only the sky lizards have a draconic background? give him lightning powers and steam breath and talk to your DM about him being descended from a dragon turtle. Instead of flying he gets some sort of super swim speed.
Here's a backstory alternative to excrutiating trauma
it's basically the opposite to "I had a good life and it was ruined and now i have to adjust to all these bad things"
A charachter who had a bad childhood and is now adjusting to the good
*EXAMPLE DON"T USE THIS SPECIFICALLY*
A dwarf who was enslaved during childhood but was freed and is now learning to trust people and process kindness.
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I'm fry, and I make doodles. That's why they call me FRY DOODLES. Also no pressure but check out my YouTube channel (Fry Doodles) Soli Deo Gloria(Sed servus eius crustulum vult) I'm a disabled, neurodivergent, artsy dumpster fire, and somewhat of a clown. But, I'm also god's favorite princess and the most interesting girl in the world. Crafter of Constellations, vocaloid enjoyer, waluigi’s #1 fan, space alien, your favorite pretty boy, and certified silly goose
The reason I dropped this one is it needs a lot of DM help.
I wanted a changeling that is an assassin in one persona, and a bard in another.
The idea was to have two character sheets, one that's strictly bard, and one that's strictly assassin, and once per day, be able to shift from one sheet to the other ( allowing me to start bard, shift to assassin and then having to wait till the next day to shift back.
I also considered a Kenku bard. He's a bit more talkative than most, though he uses a series of clicks and percussion sounds from his drums when he can't find a word, and his goal is to try and collect words and write them down to create a new language for his people. he can play 2 instruments at a time, ad with his mimicry, he can sound like a third. He's literally the entire band except for lead singer. College of Eloquence. Just to be a pain.... XD
A tortle draconic sorcerer with the acolyte background. It is what it is dude. Why do only the sky lizards have a draconic background? give him lightning powers and steam breath and talk to your DM about him being descended from a dragon turtle. Instead of flying he gets some sort of super swim speed.
I really like all these ideas! Collage of Eloquence is indeed a pain, and a Kenku in a Collage all about talking sounds really fun! The shapeshifter seems really fun, but yeah, it'd take a lot from your DM. And the tortle sorcerer, just y e s! You've got some great ideas!
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ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
It's not a lot, but, ok, for one of the campaigns I'm brewing up, I'm thinking of bunch of kobolds stealing from all the village shops, and the reason is because they're trying to help a dragonborn rogue looking to mae a name for himself.
But as a character, I kinda also want a kobold warlock named "Snacks", who was, quite literally almost eaten by a dragon who decided he might better serve as emergency rations, and part of his pact is that in order to avoid being eaten, he needs to provide his patron with rations (and/or gold, because what dragon doesn't like gold?)
So I just saw the post on firbolg burial practices, and it made me think a bit.
Some buhddist and zen practices have a weird fascination with death and I get this idea in my head of a firbolg monk who plays a pan flute made of the bones of a loved one.
Rather than it be all grim and gothic, the firbolg does so as part of this particular group or family's tradition, where the body is buried with piles and piles of leaves, the leaves help decompose the flesh to feed the soil and the trees. The bones are collected and shared with loved ones as mementos of their loved ones past. Making items of use and in particular items that are representative of things passed down by the deceased are common enough, as are in some cases, rings or pendants.
The ultimate memento mori and a reminder of the transient nature of life.
The monk's instrument is obviously something that person taught them to play, and of course, they're a monk of either the way of mercy or the astral self.
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So, I've had a bunch of ideas in my head for a long while, and I'd like to share them with you guys! I'd also like a bit of help fleshing them out and giving them a bit more depth, if anyone's up for it! In addition, I'll be offering the same to anyone who decides to drop their ideas for characters in this thread, and I encourage others to as well! Without further ado, here are two of my characters living in my head rent-free! I'm gonna post them all in one go, so prepare for a bit of a text wall (sorry qwq)
Aran Brightscales (Red Dragonborn Bard of Valour): Aran was born into a traditionally Red Dragonborn clan that stuck to the old ways of flesh and blood sacrifice. He grew up in an environment perfect for any other Dragonborn of the clan, but to him, it was extremely oppressive. Aran was never a fighter; he was a musician! But his father, the clan's leader and practically a cultist at this point, kept him suppressed through rigorous physical training meant to turn him into the warrior his father wanted, taking away time for musical study. As soon as he came of age, Aran made a heartrending decision: he abandoned his clan. Remember that to a Dragonborn the clan is life, and even though he hated the experience, they were all still family.
As he ventured into the surrounding area, he found the people absolutely despised his presence, believing Dragonborn inherited the personality traits of their true draconic ancestors. Since he was a Red Dragonborn, he was often heckled and turned away simply because of his heritage. Despite the adversity he encountered, Aran kept an eternally positive attitude. Eventually he found a town that tolerated his presence, albeit begrudgingly. As he honed his musical talents, his skills in both instruments (the bagpipes are his favourite one he's discovered so far) and words become as sharp and cutting as his swordsmanship, but they were also as gentle as his goodhearted nature.
Now, Aran roams the land bringing people up and down as necessary, as well as engaging in the occasional bit of tomfoolery. His favourite party trick is using his breath weapon while playing his bagpipes, causing fire to erupt from it! It's completely impractical, but it makes for a great show, and that's what matters to him.
Tracey (Tabaxi Storm Sorcerer): No one of Saltmarsh knows who Tracey's parents are; all they know is that she showed up on the Temple of Procan's front step the night after the town's worst storm in a few years. After a year living in the temple under the watchful eye of the priest Wellgar Brinehanded, he eventually passed custodianship of her to Krag, the town gravedigger of all people! This seemed strange to a lot of people, but it would soon be discovered that this was a perfect decision; Krag took good care of Tracey, keeping not only her body nourished, but her mind as well. As the town's unofficial historian, Krag had amassed a lot of knowledge, and Tracey was all too keen to learn. As the years went by, Tracey found a job at The Wicker Goat, putting her natural catlike reflexes to use as a waitress, carrying multiple servings and drinks with an unerring grace.
As she grew, so did her curiosity. She returned to the Temple of Procan, eager to learn what she could from the man who had raised her for the first year of her life. Wellgar unfortunately had nothing new to tell Tracey about her past, but as she stood within the temple listening, she began to feel something more than a simple sense of familiarity. When one of the Temple’s acolytes barged in to speak with Wellgar, they did so with absolutely no subtlety, scaring the heck out of Tracey. Something within leaped right out of her in response, and the next thing she knew, the man who had just interrupted was now lying face down on the ground with a head full of sticking up hair. After the m a n y apologies from her subsided, Wellgar was now very curious as to the nature of this Tabaxi’s shocking abilities (hehe).
After consulting with Procan and enquiring with Krag, Wellgar determined that Tracey was, as is with all like her, no ordinary person. She was in fact a Storm Sorcerer, given birth by the very thunder and lightning that heralded her arrival in this world. Tracey didn’t know what to do with this information, so she just continued life as normal, with one change in her studies: she absolutely scoured Saltmarsh for any information she could about magic. Despite having read all of the books on magic she could (there weren’t many), Tracey still felt like there was more she could do, more she could be. She felt wanderlust, like she wanted to go where the wind went but she was rooted, trapped in Saltmarsh. Now if only someone even resembling an adventurer would pass by this drowsy town and take a seat at the tavern, they might just find themselves being served by a perpetually hyper Tabaxi desperate for adventure…
I'm gonna head out for tonight, but if you all could give me some feedback, suggestions, or even just drop your own ideas for characters down below, that would be greatly appreciated! Have a good day, all!
ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
I have a similar thread here.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/story-lore/174583-character-clearinghouse-idea-exchange
I'll post a link to your's there as well.
Thanks! I'll be sure to read through that
ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
I didn't really post any responses before. I guess that's because I don't really have any notes. I like both of these.
To me, Tracey is the much more interesting character. I would definitely like to see her in a more RP heavy campaign. Aran on the other hand feels a bit more flat as a character, like this is just a flight variation on a backstory that I've seen (and played) dozens of times before.
That doesn't mean he's a bad character! But I'd definitely see him in a more action-oriented campaign and/or one with a larger party. One where having a memorable schtick like "fire breathing bagpipes" will really pay off.
Look forward to seeing some more from you!
Thanks!
Yeah, Aran really does feel like that kind of "contrasting to background" stereotype, but with a bit more refinement and fleshing out, I reckon he could work out really well!
I've got a few more ideas I still need to work on lol
My main two next ideas are a dwarf artificer who's been cursed since birth so that any magic items he uses except the ones he creates don't work as intended (e.g. he can't use the feature of a bag of holding to find what he's looking for, so he has to shift around until he finds what he's looking for), and a human weretiger monk with the dryest sense of humour ever, responding to racism, derogatory comments, etc., by either agreeing with them or just ignoring them XD
ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
I love the dwarf idea! As a DM I would probably pin it to a mechanic similar to the 3e version of spell resistance and have it cut both directions, potentially negating negative and positive spell effects/items.
Also, for some reason, as soon as I read the Weretiger monk description I immediately pictured Shere Khan from the show Talespin😂
Alright, here's one I've only just recently thought of, but I think works really well!
Two wonderful dwarves, Erik and Hiln Brighthelm were among those assigned to the mine near Saltmarsh when their son, Flint Brighthelm, was stolen from them in the dead of night by one of the hags that worked for Mother Nightshade. Rather than corrupt the young adult or eat him, the old hag had a moment of weakness despite herself, and against her own judgement (and Flint's curse-laden demands for her to let him go) decided to leave Flint on the outskirts of the Drowned Forest, confident that he would be finished off by the assortment of vile creatures living there.
Erik and Hiln lead a small group to rescue Flint, but by the time they got there, he was nowhere to be found. Then, they heard the sound of Dwarven cursing coming from the branches above! There were no fiendish creatures that could've placed him there, so how did he get there? Flint holds to the story that he was thinner than he is today and shimmied his way up there, but the truth is much more unusual; the usually hostile vines that wrap around almost every tree in the Drowned Forest picked him up and placed him there, letting him go without so much as a scratch
As Flint grew up, it became evident that he had a calling different to the other dwarves, one uncommon among his kind. He was not skilled with the hammer and anvil in the slightest, but he made carvings of unrivalled quality and stonework so incredible you'd swear he'd moulded it like clay with his bare hands. This was in fact the truth, but he kept this to himself, believing the others would think he had a higher calling from which his powers were meant for.
One weary day, Flint took some leave from the mine and returned to the place where he was taken to and abandoned by the hag. When he got there, everything looked normal. But there was a shimmer in the air that he could not deny, and he knew he was the cause. Before long, a pattern seemed to form itself in the ground beneath him, and at the centre lay what are now his most prized possessions: a scimitar of unrivalled workmanship, a petrified oak staff, and a mistletoe leaf encased in clear crystal.
Once he took these, all fell away from him and he found himself standing on the Elemental Plane of Earth before a massive stronghold seemingly preparing for war. Awestruck, Flint went to move closer and inspect it, but only a few steps later his feet became encased in stone. The petrification was spreading, and the last thing he saw before his eyes turned to granite was the benevolent stare of the First King.
When Flint awoke, he was back in his quarters at the mine, with all the items he had found. Much thinking later, he came to a conclusion; Flint Brighthelm, a hill dwarf, was destined to be a druid! Nature's miracle, his new belongings, the vision of the Earthen fortress and the Dawrven First King, it all made sense now. There was to be an attempt for earth to overthrow nature's delicate balance, and only one of rock and stone, a dwarf, could stop it.
By mountain's might, nature's nurture, and a bit of dwarven ingenuity, Flint Brighthelm will protect his clan and all of Dwarvenkind! Oh, and maybe the rest of the Material Plane while he's at it. He might just need some help, so now he's out looking for a group of adventurers, or just some ragtag rascals out for a scrap. And what better place to look than Saltmarsh's taverns?
Who knows, maybe ground and sky will meet in a harmonious moment of destiny! Or the two could meet when a certain overeager Tabaxi teenager accidentally spills a certain Dwarf's mead... Who knows indeed!
ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
Wampus the Way of the Astral Self Tabaxi Monk. He is known as the Cobbler Cat or the Wandering Wampus by those he meets.
He is based on the wampus cat from Native American legends. He has six arms, super speed, and increased reach like the wampus cat.
Wampus is a kind friend and a dangerous foe who sees it as his duty to guide and protect those who travel on the road. His monastery, called the Monastery of Saint Sulligan was a resting spot for travelers and the monks who trained there were expected to leave after several years on a pilgrimage where they wandered the world as guardians of wayfarers. Wampus's reason for adventuring is that he is on this pilgrimage and will stop to help or guide any traveler who needs his aid.
Saint Sulligan is his role model and he will often recount the tales of the Saint's deeds to entertain those he is with.
He is a cobbler by trade and he gives out new footwear to other travelers so that they may continue on their journeys in comfort.
He probably has the Far Traveler background.
The reason I dropped this one is it needs a lot of DM help.
I wanted a changeling that is an assassin in one persona, and a bard in another.
The idea was to have two character sheets, one that's strictly bard, and one that's strictly assassin, and once per day, be able to shift from one sheet to the other ( allowing me to start bard, shift to assassin and then having to wait till the next day to shift back.
I also considered a Kenku bard. He's a bit more talkative than most, though he uses a series of clicks and percussion sounds from his drums when he can't find a word, and his goal is to try and collect words and write them down to create a new language for his people. he can play 2 instruments at a time, ad with his mimicry, he can sound like a third. He's literally the entire band except for lead singer. College of Eloquence. Just to be a pain.... XD
A tortle draconic sorcerer with the acolyte background. It is what it is dude. Why do only the sky lizards have a draconic background? give him lightning powers and steam breath and talk to your DM about him being descended from a dragon turtle. Instead of flying he gets some sort of super swim speed.
Here's a backstory alternative to excrutiating trauma
it's basically the opposite to "I had a good life and it was ruined and now i have to adjust to all these bad things"
A charachter who had a bad childhood and is now adjusting to the good
*EXAMPLE DON"T USE THIS SPECIFICALLY*
A dwarf who was enslaved during childhood but was freed and is now learning to trust people and process kindness.
I'm fry, and I make doodles. That's why they call me FRY DOODLES. Also no pressure but check out my YouTube channel (Fry Doodles)
Soli Deo Gloria(Sed servus eius crustulum vult)
I'm a disabled, neurodivergent, artsy dumpster fire, and somewhat of a clown. But, I'm also god's favorite princess and the most interesting girl in the world.
Crafter of Constellations, vocaloid enjoyer, waluigi’s #1 fan, space alien, your favorite pretty boy, and certified silly goose
I really like all these ideas! Collage of Eloquence is indeed a pain, and a Kenku in a Collage all about talking sounds really fun! The shapeshifter seems really fun, but yeah, it'd take a lot from your DM. And the tortle sorcerer, just y e s! You've got some great ideas!
ADHD Aussie (17M) with too many ideas and not enough time! Always up to chat!
Disclaimer: I'm not an optimizer. If I say something that's not fine-tuned to perfection, that's on purpose. D&D isn't an online tournament, it's a TTRPG where your imagination and the DM's compliance are the limits. I don't do "metas". If I can have fun with my thematically cool and still viable (both in and out of combat) concept, I'm happy. I'm not going for optimal stats; I'm going for optimal fun.
It's not a lot, but, ok, for one of the campaigns I'm brewing up, I'm thinking of bunch of kobolds stealing from all the village shops, and the reason is because they're trying to help a dragonborn rogue looking to mae a name for himself.
But as a character, I kinda also want a kobold warlock named "Snacks", who was, quite literally almost eaten by a dragon who decided he might better serve as emergency rations, and part of his pact is that in order to avoid being eaten, he needs to provide his patron with rations (and/or gold, because what dragon doesn't like gold?)
So I just saw the post on firbolg burial practices, and it made me think a bit.
Some buhddist and zen practices have a weird fascination with death and I get this idea in my head of a firbolg monk who plays a pan flute made of the bones of a loved one.
Rather than it be all grim and gothic, the firbolg does so as part of this particular group or family's tradition, where the body is buried with piles and piles of leaves, the leaves help decompose the flesh to feed the soil and the trees. The bones are collected and shared with loved ones as mementos of their loved ones past. Making items of use and in particular items that are representative of things passed down by the deceased are common enough, as are in some cases, rings or pendants.
The ultimate memento mori and a reminder of the transient nature of life.
The monk's instrument is obviously something that person taught them to play, and of course, they're a monk of either the way of mercy or the astral self.