Welcome to the sleepy, lakeside town of Drynna. Located at the end of the upper Mooren River Run where it completes its long journey from the Alabaster Sierras in the north to the crystal clear waters of Mooren Lake. A good size town, Drynna has a population of 2,230. Although the residents are mostly humans (80%), there are gnomes (8%), halflings (8%), and elves (4%). Drynna’s chief export is fish and it supplies most of eastern Tal’Dorei. The local government revolves around the Sunrise Lodge and devotion to Pelor. Members of this council, simply called “the Lodge” are community leaders within the local nobility and merchant classes who meet and vote on important delegations and law-oriented decisions. The law enforcement and community management is largely volunteer-run and has been infiltrated by a thieves guild known as the Shadow Hand. The guild's senior enforcers in the area have gained positions of power within the Sunrise Lodge council as well as the local city watch.
The problem at hand...
The citizens and visitors alike however are vanishing from the city! These disappearances leave little sign as to why or what could be happening. As the mystery grows the Lodge collected a group of adventurers from around the area but all but one promptly vanished too! Finally, the local thieves guild, the Shadow Hand, has stepped in. They are calling on their very best from the neighboring cities to travel to Drynna to help them end this terror plaguing the prosperity of the city and interrupting the guild's regular business.
The Shadow Hand welcomes you upon your arrival. The local guild hopes you will help riddle out who or what is kidnapping Drynna locals and visitors alike leaving no trace. These dealings have left a spotlight on the town and the guild's own machinations. All trade-in and out of the city has stopped! The city is struggling as the "Lodge" has exhausted all local resources to discover the culprit(s) responsible.
You meet your party at the guild-owned inn and tavern called the Red Lady. Here our story begins...
Applications
A healthy knowledge of Critical Role verse or willingness to learn
A cooperative group gameplay attitude; we're telling this story together 'lone wolves' need not apply
Starting Level 3; multiclass is available at level 5
Standard array
Any class on dndbeyond.com available in the character builder
Species any available on dndbeyond.com character builder
Starting equipment and 1 magic item listed in common rarity items with a value less than 300 gold include how your PC acquired it in the backstory
A brief backstory involving your PC's reasons for joining the Shadow Hand's ranks and life before the guild or how your PC might have been born into the guild outside of Drynna
*Your PC cannot be a local*
Ability to post once a day but update if gameplay progresses required
Recruitment closing EST 9 pm Sunday, December 18th
Backstory/game hooks
Your PC isn't "exactly" a member of the guild just yet but owes a debt or is trying to get into the guild
Your PC is a part of the guild and has extended family or friends in the local chapter of the Hand in Drynna and they've disappeared
Your PC is trying to rise in the ranks of the Shadow Hand of Westruun, White Stone, etc...
Your PC as a guild member just loves solving a mystery
William’s family comes from the town of Byroden. However, after they escaped the attack by Thordak, his large family decided to go to hopefully safer lands. Some spread to Emon, others to Whitestone, and Drynna. William’s father and mother, however, decided to stay in Byroden, unable to leave the only home they had ever known. In this sorrow, William learned the gift laughter could be by repairing the damage that was done. His father was always willing to crack a smile and joke to help someone feel better or more motivated. Eventually, when he was old enough, his father taught him to take up a bow and how to navigate the forest. It was here in the wild, helping to hunt for food, that he began to see that the skills his father taught him could be used for the greater good.
Eventually, William set out to travel the land and help those who needed it. It was an excellent time for him, and he met many along the way. Through his travels, he realized that most adventurers went after the bigger prey, dragons and giants. However, this left the smaller prey like goblins and kobolds at times free to run amok in villages. This became his calling to help eliminate these monsters that could do more damage when left unchecked. In his travels, he came across many who needed help, and in most cases, they could not pay, but for him, that was fine. His favorite memory is when he helped an elven family escape from goblins chasing after them. The family decided to hand him a pair of boots that they said would help him in his travels.
William has made his way to Drynna excited to see his cousins Christopher and Sylvia. Upon his arrival, he found that Sylvia had gone missing after joining the local chapter of the Hand. William is now determined to help find out who, or what, has caused this disappearance and bring his cousin back.
Appearance:William stands at 5'11" his body that of a lean athlete from his time in the woods. He has short red hair and wears leather armor with a green cloak. At his side rest his sword and on his back his preferred weapon, a trusty longbow given to him by his father before he left home. His skin is tanned from the time that he has spent under the sun in the wild and his eyes are a deep emerald green. Although much of his time is spent hunting this has not affected the charismatic attitude that seems to brighten the room when he enters. Even in the most serious situation he is always willing to crack a joke to help keep the mood up.
hello, I'm interested in the premise of this campaign and would love to be a part of it! I love Critical Role, but I don't keep up with every episode or read the books much, so my knowledge of the setting is very spotty. I started consuming Critical Role content sense season 2 and have listened to a majority of the early episodes (up to maybe 100), and I have listened to a good chunk of the earlier episodes of campaign 3.
Backstory: Anon grew up on the streets of Whitestone. They quickly learned to hide their horns from the public under hoods or headwear, and that the shadows were their friend; hiding them from prying eyes who would wish them harm. Small prayers to the shadows to hide them became a regular occasion for Anon, especially after steeling food or new clothing. As Anon grew older, they started taking odd jobs from the Shadow Hand here and there to survive, slowly but surely becoming more and more engrossed in their community and politics as time moved on. Now at the age of 17, Anon is a fledgling member of the Shadow Hand.
Appearance: Anon is a dark gray skinned Tiefling with gold rimmed eyes, and golden stripes across their face and horns. They have straight black hair cut short at the nap of their neck. They prefer darker clothing, flowing long robes with dark large hoods suit them best. Their horns have grown too long to hide now that Anon is 17, so they try and stay out of sight so not to draw unwanted attention to themselves.
Magic Item: Earring of Message. Anon stole this earring when they were little and is just now finding out its magical. They started using it regularly on jobs for the Shadow Hand as it became invaluable for stealthy communication.
Backstory: Chak comes from a far off part of the continent, his people only a myth to those that do not have a very deep knowledge of Taldorei. For hundreds of years his tribe kept to themselves, only sending out two a generation that would learn of the outside world and return near the end of their lives to teach what knowledge was gathered. A contest was held and Chak was one of the two that won. He was given supplies and sent out into the wide and unknown world.
Chak faced many hardships as he traveled and was chased off by many that thought him to be some sort of monster or even worse something from the lower planes. After receiving a wound that cost him one of his arms he was saved and healed by a member of the Shadow's Hand, a gnomish Artificer named Darby Brindleboc. The Gnome made an artificial arm to replace the one Chak had lost, leading the young Thri'Kreen back to Dryna where he could pay him back for the cost of the arm through work as his people had no concept of commerce outside of trading.
Appearance: Slim but muscular. She has brown fur with a light striped pattern and a mane of hair that she keeps tied in an elaborate braid.
Magic Item: Cloak of Many Fashions (a family heirloom that she took with her when she decided to start adventuring)
Backstory: Since she was a kitten, Katarina knew that she wasn't like her brothers and sisters. Her family was feline royalty, known for their skill in sorcery. But, while her brothers and sisters slowly learned to wield supernatural powers, Katarina found she simply couldn't tap into the strange abilities that her siblings wielded. She grew into a powerful and athletic feline, with great skill as a warrior. Yet she could not cast even the simplest cantrip. Over time, her frustration and resentment grew as the other kittens became respectable sorcerers and wizards, while she became the family disappointment. One day, when she was at his absolute lowest, her eldest sister began taunting her mercilessly. At that moment Katarina finally snapped, and in her rage she lashed out at her sister, unleashed a torrent of wild magic. When she came back to her senses, Katarina realized what she had done... her sister was alive, but badly injured and terrified out of her mind. That very night, Katarina decided to leave the comfort of her parents' home, forsaking the trappings of royalty and setting out into the world as a common adventurer in the hopes of learning to hone and control the power within her. She took only with her only what she felt she needed; a few weapons, a shield... and a magic cloak that she decided to take with her mostly because she thought it looked pretty.
As she travelled the world, taking on odd jobs here and there, word began to spread in the underworld of a young Tabaxi noblewoman who ran away from home in search of adventure. One night after a particularly difficult job, she was recognized by a group of roughens as she sat drinking in a tavern. They ambushed her and attempted to abduct her, no doubt in hopes of collecting a rather substantial amount of ransom money. Though she fought valiantly, the odds were not in her favor as there were four of them and she was already exhausted. When it seemed that all hope was lost, a mysterious hooded man stepped into the fray. When the dust cleared and the would-be kidnappers were dealt with, the man introduced himself as an agent of the Shadow Hand. After helping her in a time of need, he informed her, it would only be polite if she would in turn help his guild with a little problem...
Appearance: Short ginger hair, pale skin with a lot of freckles, long cloak, baggy pants tied with a sash, and cyan green eyes.
Backstory:
Charleise was born to two adventurers - an elven trickery domain cleric, and a flirtatious human bard. After her mother gave birth, the bard ran off, leaving the cleric to raise Charleise. She tried taking her to her temple of Cyric where she had grown up and learnt to channel divine power, but upon her return they expelled her, saying that she had grown too soft (to be fair she had). At a loss, Charleise's mother did her best to raise her on her own, although she became very poor. Eventually she died of starvation, but not before teaching her daughter how to swindle and cheat. Thus, Charleise became a charlatan with a knack for magical tricks, who gained enough renown in the streets of Westrun to get recruited by the Shadow Hand. She's willing to work for them, provided she gets whatever coin she feels she's due, and the respect she feels she's owed.
A healthy knowledge of Critical Role verse or willingness to learn - (I do know a little about Tal'dorei, but I know more about the second campaign's setting. I'm very willing to learn, tough)
A cooperative group gameplay attitude; we're telling this story together 'lone wolves' need not apply - (note my character is snarky but not a lone wolf.)
Starting equipment and 1 magic item listed in common rarity items with a value less than 300 gold include how your PC acquired it in the backstory - (cloak of many fashions (given to her by her mother) is exactly 300 gp. If that isn't any good I'll take the Charlatan's die (which she stole from another charlatan who cheated her))
Backstory/game hook:
Your PC is trying to rise in the ranks of the Shadow Hand of Westruun
(I don't know a lot about Critical Role, but I'm willing to learn.)
Name: Zephyro Aethylmir
Race: High Elf
Class: Monk way of the Cobalt Soul
Background: Noble
Backstory:
Firstborn to a lesser noble house, Zephyro grew up in a life of luxury. Like most elves, his family was known for their skills with magic. Unfortunately, this trait was not passed to Zephyro... At least he would like them to believe so. While magic did intrigue him, he was always far more interested in learning other things. Hand to hand combat, history, logic, these are his passions. The longer he lived with his family, the more he realized that they did not back him in this endeavor. No matter, he was never one to wish for the duties of a noble anyways. Far too much boring paperwork. After realizing that he had no wish to follow in his father's footsteps, the young elf (to his parent's dismay) publicly announced that he would be leaving his inheritance to his younger sister. Appalled at their son's insolence, his family promptly disclaimed him and sent him away. Perhaps they hope he will come crawling back, perhaps not. It no longer matters...as long as they treat his dear sister kindly....
The only thing he took from his parent's estate, aside from some coin and a few of his own belongings, was his father's shiftweave. If they were to spite him for following his passion, they why should he honor them when they tell him to leave?
Sure that his skills will lead him somewhere, he decided to join the Shadow Hand guild in hopes of continuing his studies and bettering his skills.
Magic item: Shiftweave (only if content sharing is available or I am allowed to create it with the homebrew tool.)
Appearance: Average height, blonde short hair, green eyes, pale skin, wears round glasses, Dark well fitting cloths with a sash around his waist and a sickle sheathed on his lower back. He holds himself with an air of confidence.
Game hook: Trying to rise in the ranks of the Shadow hand
Note: Just wanted to put it out there that I don't have discord, so if there are discord meetings in the future I won't be able to attend them.
Appearance: A tall and slender bronze-scaled dragonborn with green eyes.
Knowledge: Decent knowledge of campaign 2 and 3, less of campaign one but willing to learn.
Backstory: Born in the aftermath of Draconia's fall, Johymm was possessed with a great urge to learn as much magic as he possibly could, seeking out magical knowledge everywhere and anywhere. He spent his childhood devouring books, and in his free time attempting to cast simple cantrips he'd read about in the books. In his teens, he eventually stumbled across a mysterious merchant in a tucked away alleyway, offering a wide variety of mysterious and strange curios to any who wished to tempt their luck. Laying his eyes on what was clearly a wizard's spellbook, he asked the merchant running the shop what it's price was. The merchant merely asked for the opportunity to read his fate and for a favor to be called in when they needed it fulfilled, saying that Johymm would know when it was being called in. Johymm was then told to pick an assortment of dice from a jar and roll them in front of the shopkeeper so they could read his fate. Johymm did as he was told, picking out and rolling the dice, causing the merchant to let out a bone-chilling chuckle and vanish, the shop vanishing with them, the spellbook now clutched in Johymm's hands. He rushed home, where he began practicing the spells with in the tome, and after he was confident in his abilities, left home to join the Shadow Hand chapter in Whitestone, where he's spent the past years, slowly honing his magical skills further and deciphering the spells in the spellbook that was immune to even the ravages of time itself. Eventually he was brought before the chapter leader, who tersely informed he was needed in Drynna, pronto. He packed up his things and hit the road, heading straight to Drynna.
Hi. I'm pretty new to DND especially playing on the forums. Being new, I haven't watched Critical Role before, but if you are willing to select me I am more than eager to learn! Or don't. You do you.
Backstory: Luna always loved the spotlight. Whether she is performing for a night crowd within a bar in Drynna or she just busy demonstrating her natural powers, this bold Dark Elf would do anything to attract attention. When she was young, her entire drow family, including herself, had natural affinities for magic through their bloodlines. However, Luna was a unique case: Unlike her mother, father and little brother who specialize in elemental magic of some sort, her sorcery delves from the power of the three lunar phases, hence why she was named Luna. She had a conflicting past with her family though, as she herself was devoted to Lolth, the queen of spiders whilst the rest of her family despise her for it as much as the deity she worships. Because she was living amongst Drow rebels, she was forced to leave her underdark home and out into the open world, taking her equipment and her cloak of elvenkind with her in search of something to do in the village of Drynna.
Out in the once bustling cities of Drynna, Luna made a living as a performer, where her bold attitude has won her friends and fame throughout the city. Now that people are fading out of existence, Luna ventured from her underground shelter only to find that there were less people within the tavern she usually works at. She thought that the citizens were taking a day off but then it became increasingly disturbing when it persisted for several days until one day, there wasn't anyone to entertain. Even her closest friends were unable to be located, which caused the drow to panic. She then notices a mysterious figure investigating the recent occurrences and demanded to know what was going on and why is everyone disappearing. The figure then tells her she has a choice: either join the Shadow Hand in search for the people that she has befriended, or keep yelling and yelling at others knowing that she will not make any progress if that's the case. Although initially reluctant due to lack of trust, Luna did eventually sign up to be part of the mysterious group called the Shadow Hand, though to this day, she is getting more and more frustrated that she hasn't received any success in finding her long lost companions; So frustrated that she may fire a sacred flame onto the next monster that targets her without any thought or hesitation.
Character Hook:
Your PC is a part of the guild and has extended family or friends in the local chapter of the Hand in Drynna and they've disappeared
Magic item: A Cloak of Elvenkind that she had ever since she was a teenage drow. She took it with her after fleeing the drow rebels that resented Lolth and now uses it whenever she works for the Shadow Hand guilds.
Would this be played on discord or here in the forum
Here on the forum. Basic of party composition maybe some live discord sessions if we're all relatively close via time zones but right now it's forum based.
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Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Appearence: Human woman with fair skin in her mid 20s. Has deep green eyes, and long blonde hair. She wears a black cloak with a hood that covers her armour beneath.
Familiarity with Critical Role: Have watched the first 50 or so episodes of campaign 1, watched around 100 episodes from campaign 2, and have watched about 20 campaign 3 episodes. Own both Taldorei reborn and EGtW.
Backstory:
Katlyn was the only child of two middle-class blacksmiths in Emon. Katlyn spent her youngest years admiring her mother and father at work in the forges of their smithy, creating all manner of supplies for farmers and adventures alike. As she grew older, Katlyn began to assist her parents in the forge, and by fifteen, she spent almost every available hour assisting her parents in the smithy. That was until her parents sold a group of mercenaries weapons made with steel of a poor quality, that failed when used, leading to the death of several of them. Although her parents had not realized how poor quality the steel was, the mercenaries returned, killing her parents.
With money running low and rent for the smithy due, Katlyn began stealing from wealthy people in the city. A few months into her minor 'crime spree', she was caught by an elven mage from Syngorn, while trying to steal a minor magic cloak she believed she could sell for a high price to the Myriad or the Clasp. The elven man allowed her to take the cloak, but in return she would have to come and meet her again the next day. Returning, the elf offered to teach Katlyn how she could infuse arcane magic into items, allowing her to make much more money than they would by selling regular goods. Over the next several months, Katlyn would learn the art of artifice, crafting her arcane armor.
One night, a few days after the elf had returned to Syngorn, Katlyn was attacked by some of the mercenaries that had killed her parents. In a fit of anger, she activated the lightning launcher on her armor, killing a mercenary, escaping the rest of the group, she fled the city, not looking back. Looking for work, she called in a favour from an old friend she used to work with, who put her into contact with the Shadow Hand.
Appearance: Calista is 5'9" with a lithe build. Her skin is violet and covered with runic symbols in raised red lines. Her hair is a lustrous black and falls over her shoulders in loose curls. A crown of crimson bone wreathes her head and her eyes are a deep opalescent blue. She dresses as well as she can afford at the time and favors loose clothes that allow freedom of movement.
Free Magic Item: Enduring Spellbook
Familiarity with Critical Role: Minimal, but I am more than willing to learn and I have the Wildmount and Netherdeep books as well as the old Tal'Dorei sourcebook.
Backstory:
Calista's parents wanted a child. They had tried many times before, but every time they tried, it ended in tears and misery. Her mother, Vahna, was desperate. She went to the swamps near their farmstead and sought out the Bog Witch. The women of the village had whispered that the witch could perform miracles, but there was always a price attached. Vahna found the witch's home in the hollowed out trunk of a giant bald cypress. The Bog Witch took her in and listened to her story. The witch nodded sympathetically and told Vahna she could help, but the child would not be like other children. Her price was that, when the time came, Vahna must give the child up to the world or Vahna would know disaster. Vahna agreed immediately, confident that she could find a way around the witch's price. The witch enchanted a crystal and gave it to Vahna, telling her to place it beneath her mattress. Vahna did so and soon, she was pregnant. The witch's words proved to be true. Calista was born normal enough, but as time went on, her features became more and more otherworldly. By the time she was a teenager, Calista's skin had taken on a violet cast and odd runic markings decorated its surface. Her eyes had become an opalescent blue that seemed to almost glow and a crown of bone had formed itself arounder her head. Vahna and her husband were forced to keep Calista at home and made her where a hooded cloak whenever she went outside. Unbeknownst to her parents, Calista had heard the call of the otherworld ever since she was a child. It sang in her veins. She would sneak out at night and explore the lands around her family's farm. One night, she met an old woman walking in the forest. She felt no fear, only curiosity. The woman introduced herself as Marlene and told Calista she could teach her of what made her special, but she would have to leave her family behind. Calista loved her parents dearly, but knew the time was coming that she would have to leave them. One night when she was sixteen, Calista told her parents she was leaving. Both of them refused, afraid of what would happen to Calista and also what would happen to them if she was traced back to them. Vahna tried to bar her way from leaving. Something within Calista moved and Vahna screamed. Her flesh withered and she staggered back seeming to have aged 20 years in that moment. Calista screamed and ran from the house and never looked back. She found Marlene and told her what happened. The old woman comforted her and again made her offer. Calista accepted and became Marlene's apprentice. For seven years, Calista served Marlene, who was also the witch that Calista's mother had gone to so many years before. She learned of her origins and of a choice she would be faced with in years to come. Calista embraced the path of magic and found herself drawn toward Necromancy. When her apprenticeship was complete, she left Marlene to explore the greater world. Life was harder in the real world than she expected. She found her abiliities lended well to acquiring what she needed. She heard of a guild of thieves known as the Shadow Hand. In her mind, it was better to be part of an organization than to continue going it alone. She set out in search of the guild and a way to prove herself to them.
Magic Item: Potion of Climbing. ( Some old guy handed it to her during a stakeout and she never got around to returning it).
Appearance: Wednesday Addams via Baby Metal.
Knowledge: OG Critter from the early Campaign 1 days, have watched everything except C3 E42 which will be on my day off.
Backstory: Bonnie never quite fit in, her Mothers are both delightful, breaths of fresh air with lives of pastels, fresh flowers and baked goods....Cottage-to-the-Core. Bonnie has a predilection for dead things......she dislikes most colours......and she's rather bury her head in a book than garden or bake. It was just this predilection for reading which first landed her in her current trouble...it wasn't her fault someone had hidden a different tome within the dustcover of ' Dark Tales to Delight'....and while she had found the contents a little more than she had bargained for she hadn't thought much of the dream she had that night and the weird looking librarian who made her sign out the book...
Bonnie isn't exactly sure how she ended up a member of the Shadowhand...someone needed something translated....she'd overheard and offered her services....and then someone else had come to her...and another...and then she was standing lookout for some folks she barely knew and now people were disappearing....and as much as she didn't necessarily like people that did seem like something that shouldn't be happening.......
Now her only problems are; the whispering librarian in her dreams, making sure her Mums don't find out she has weird powers, Making sure her Mums don't find out she joined the Shadow Hands, Making sure no one knows she never actually officially joined the Shadow Hands...because they all seem to assume she did and finding the missing people so everything can go back to relative normality...
Casrian grew like mildew in the rotting underbelly of the port city Stilben, clinging to damp corners and dark passages. He was bound for the gallows if chance had not intervened in the form of a disgraced wizard living in Muckfront Row. The wizard took in Casrian, fed him, clothed him, and gave him a bedroll in the cool, dry, root cellar. In exchange... the wizard wanted Casrian to steal for him. The wizard taught Casrian how to notice and identify magic, how to tease coin out of a purse with a magehand, and how to find a familiar (he found a bat he named Gurdy). He also gave Casrian a Masquerade Tattoo in order to keep his young thief from being recognized by the guardsmen.
In this way, they did well together for many years, but the gods had other plans for them. The duo caught the wrong sort of attention from The Myriad, the crime syndicate. On a thick night in the heat of the humid summer, Casrian returned to the wizards house to find the door off its hinges and no lights within. Graffiti written in thieves' cant warned against stealing from The Myriad. Casrian fled Stilben and made his way to Drynna, where he hoped to ingratiate himself into the Shadow Hand. He hoped to rise in their ranks, gain some powerful allies, and - with luck - strike against the Myriad.
Submissions closed, thank you for your time and creativity. I will be picking the party from submissions and letting players know throughout the next few days!
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Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Welcome to the sleepy, lakeside town of Drynna. Located at the end of the upper Mooren River Run where it completes its long journey from the Alabaster Sierras in the north to the crystal clear waters of Mooren Lake. A good size town, Drynna has a population of 2,230. Although the residents are mostly humans (80%), there are gnomes (8%), halflings (8%), and elves (4%). Drynna’s chief export is fish and it supplies most of eastern Tal’Dorei. The local government revolves around the Sunrise Lodge and devotion to Pelor. Members of this council, simply called “the Lodge” are community leaders within the local nobility and merchant classes who meet and vote on important delegations and law-oriented decisions. The law enforcement and community management is largely volunteer-run and has been infiltrated by a thieves guild known as the Shadow Hand. The guild's senior enforcers in the area have gained positions of power within the Sunrise Lodge council as well as the local city watch.
The problem at hand...
The citizens and visitors alike however are vanishing from the city! These disappearances leave little sign as to why or what could be happening. As the mystery grows the Lodge collected a group of adventurers from around the area but all but one promptly vanished too! Finally, the local thieves guild, the Shadow Hand, has stepped in. They are calling on their very best from the neighboring cities to travel to Drynna to help them end this terror plaguing the prosperity of the city and interrupting the guild's regular business.
The Shadow Hand welcomes you upon your arrival. The local guild hopes you will help riddle out who or what is kidnapping Drynna locals and visitors alike leaving no trace. These dealings have left a spotlight on the town and the guild's own machinations. All trade-in and out of the city has stopped! The city is struggling as the "Lodge" has exhausted all local resources to discover the culprit(s) responsible.
You meet your party at the guild-owned inn and tavern called the Red Lady. Here our story begins...
Applications
Backstory/game hooks
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
what is the timeline of the game? Has the adventure of Vox Machina already passed or is this during their adventures?
Name: William Stoneheart
Race: Human
Class: Ranger (Hunter)
Backstory:
William’s family comes from the town of Byroden. However, after they escaped the attack by Thordak, his large family decided to go to hopefully safer lands. Some spread to Emon, others to Whitestone, and Drynna. William’s father and mother, however, decided to stay in Byroden, unable to leave the only home they had ever known. In this sorrow, William learned the gift laughter could be by repairing the damage that was done. His father was always willing to crack a smile and joke to help someone feel better or more motivated. Eventually, when he was old enough, his father taught him to take up a bow and how to navigate the forest. It was here in the wild, helping to hunt for food, that he began to see that the skills his father taught him could be used for the greater good.
Eventually, William set out to travel the land and help those who needed it. It was an excellent time for him, and he met many along the way. Through his travels, he realized that most adventurers went after the bigger prey, dragons and giants. However, this left the smaller prey like goblins and kobolds at times free to run amok in villages. This became his calling to help eliminate these monsters that could do more damage when left unchecked. In his travels, he came across many who needed help, and in most cases, they could not pay, but for him, that was fine. His favorite memory is when he helped an elven family escape from goblins chasing after them. The family decided to hand him a pair of boots that they said would help him in his travels.
William has made his way to Drynna excited to see his cousins Christopher and Sylvia. Upon his arrival, he found that Sylvia had gone missing after joining the local chapter of the Hand. William is now determined to help find out who, or what, has caused this disappearance and bring his cousin back.
Appearance: William stands at 5'11" his body that of a lean athlete from his time in the woods. He has short red hair and wears leather armor with a green cloak. At his side rest his sword and on his back his preferred weapon, a trusty longbow given to him by his father before he left home. His skin is tanned from the time that he has spent under the sun in the wild and his eyes are a deep emerald green. Although much of his time is spent hunting this has not affected the charismatic attitude that seems to brighten the room when he enters. Even in the most serious situation he is always willing to crack a joke to help keep the mood up.
Common Magic Item: Boots of False Tracks
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9
Would UA subclasses be allowed if they're in the character builder or only official + CR sources?
Noire Havensong | Harengon Archfey Warlock 6/Lore Bard 4 | Westmarch - Guild of the Phoenix (Discord)
Tanatari Crelieu | Kalashtar Druid 2 | Damian_May's Sleeping Gods
Jynx Starrkeep | Changling GOO Warlock 2 | Astien's Tyranny of Dragons
DM | Eberron Eternal (Discord)
hello, I'm interested in the premise of this campaign and would love to be a part of it! I love Critical Role, but I don't keep up with every episode or read the books much, so my knowledge of the setting is very spotty. I started consuming Critical Role content sense season 2 and have listened to a majority of the early episodes (up to maybe 100), and I have listened to a good chunk of the earlier episodes of campaign 3.
My Character:
Anon, None-Binary Variant Tiefling (Winged), Twilight Domain Cleric, Urchin.
Standard Array: 8 Strength, 10 Dexterity, 14+2 Constitution, 12 Intelligence, 15+1 Wisdom, 13 Charisma.
Backstory:
Anon grew up on the streets of Whitestone. They quickly learned to hide their horns from the public under hoods or headwear, and that the shadows were their friend; hiding them from prying eyes who would wish them harm. Small prayers to the shadows to hide them became a regular occasion for Anon, especially after steeling food or new clothing. As Anon grew older, they started taking odd jobs from the Shadow Hand here and there to survive, slowly but surely becoming more and more engrossed in their community and politics as time moved on. Now at the age of 17, Anon is a fledgling member of the Shadow Hand.
Appearance:
Anon is a dark gray skinned Tiefling with gold rimmed eyes, and golden stripes across their face and horns. They have straight black hair cut short at the nap of their neck. They prefer darker clothing, flowing long robes with dark large hoods suit them best. Their horns have grown too long to hide now that Anon is 17, so they try and stay out of sight so not to draw unwanted attention to themselves.
Magic Item:
Earring of Message. Anon stole this earring when they were little and is just now finding out its magical. They started using it regularly on jobs for the Shadow Hand as it became invaluable for stealthy communication.
Character Sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/89951246/c8iD2F
Would this be played on discord or here in the forum
Discord play-by-post lover. Hater of westmarches. Just gimme some character driven gameplay please.
Name: Chak
Race: Thri'Kreen
Class: Barbarian (Totem Warrior)
Background: Far Traveler
Backstory: Chak comes from a far off part of the continent, his people only a myth to those that do not have a very deep knowledge of Taldorei. For hundreds of years his tribe kept to themselves, only sending out two a generation that would learn of the outside world and return near the end of their lives to teach what knowledge was gathered. A contest was held and Chak was one of the two that won. He was given supplies and sent out into the wide and unknown world.
Chak faced many hardships as he traveled and was chased off by many that thought him to be some sort of monster or even worse something from the lower planes. After receiving a wound that cost him one of his arms he was saved and healed by a member of the Shadow's Hand, a gnomish Artificer named Darby Brindleboc. The Gnome made an artificial arm to replace the one Chak had lost, leading the young Thri'Kreen back to Dryna where he could pay him back for the cost of the arm through work as his people had no concept of commerce outside of trading.
Magic Item: Prosthetic Limb
Name: Katarina Spring Blossom of the Mystic Paws
Race: Tabaxi
Class: Barbarian (Path of Wild Magic)
Background: Noble
Appearance: Slim but muscular. She has brown fur with a light striped pattern and a mane of hair that she keeps tied in an elaborate braid.
Magic Item: Cloak of Many Fashions (a family heirloom that she took with her when she decided to start adventuring)
Backstory: Since she was a kitten, Katarina knew that she wasn't like her brothers and sisters. Her family was feline royalty, known for their skill in sorcery. But, while her brothers and sisters slowly learned to wield supernatural powers, Katarina found she simply couldn't tap into the strange abilities that her siblings wielded. She grew into a powerful and athletic feline, with great skill as a warrior. Yet she could not cast even the simplest cantrip. Over time, her frustration and resentment grew as the other kittens became respectable sorcerers and wizards, while she became the family disappointment. One day, when she was at his absolute lowest, her eldest sister began taunting her mercilessly. At that moment Katarina finally snapped, and in her rage she lashed out at her sister, unleashed a torrent of wild magic. When she came back to her senses, Katarina realized what she had done... her sister was alive, but badly injured and terrified out of her mind. That very night, Katarina decided to leave the comfort of her parents' home, forsaking the trappings of royalty and setting out into the world as a common adventurer in the hopes of learning to hone and control the power within her. She took only with her only what she felt she needed; a few weapons, a shield... and a magic cloak that she decided to take with her mostly because she thought it looked pretty.
As she travelled the world, taking on odd jobs here and there, word began to spread in the underworld of a young Tabaxi noblewoman who ran away from home in search of adventure. One night after a particularly difficult job, she was recognized by a group of roughens as she sat drinking in a tavern. They ambushed her and attempted to abduct her, no doubt in hopes of collecting a rather substantial amount of ransom money. Though she fought valiantly, the odds were not in her favor as there were four of them and she was already exhausted. When it seemed that all hope was lost, a mysterious hooded man stepped into the fray. When the dust cleared and the would-be kidnappers were dealt with, the man introduced himself as an agent of the Shadow Hand. After helping her in a time of need, he informed her, it would only be polite if she would in turn help his guild with a little problem...
Character sheet: https://ddb.ac/characters/89651684/tKJZZj
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
My application:
Charleise was born to two adventurers - an elven trickery domain cleric, and a flirtatious human bard. After her mother gave birth, the bard ran off, leaving the cleric to raise Charleise. She tried taking her to her temple of Cyric where she had grown up and learnt to channel divine power, but upon her return they expelled her, saying that she had grown too soft (to be fair she had). At a loss, Charleise's mother did her best to raise her on her own, although she became very poor. Eventually she died of starvation, but not before teaching her daughter how to swindle and cheat. Thus, Charleise became a charlatan with a knack for magical tricks, who gained enough renown in the streets of Westrun to get recruited by the Shadow Hand. She's willing to work for them, provided she gets whatever coin she feels she's due, and the respect she feels she's owed.
Backstory/game hook:
Portrait:
Pronouns: She/her/her's
Currently playing as Titaani Leelathae in The Wild beyond the Witchlight
(I don't know a lot about Critical Role, but I'm willing to learn.)
Name: Zephyro Aethylmir
Race: High Elf
Class: Monk way of the Cobalt Soul
Background: Noble
Backstory:
Firstborn to a lesser noble house, Zephyro grew up in a life of luxury. Like most elves, his family was known for their skills with magic. Unfortunately, this trait was not passed to Zephyro... At least he would like them to believe so. While magic did intrigue him, he was always far more interested in learning other things. Hand to hand combat, history, logic, these are his passions. The longer he lived with his family, the more he realized that they did not back him in this endeavor. No matter, he was never one to wish for the duties of a noble anyways. Far too much boring paperwork. After realizing that he had no wish to follow in his father's footsteps, the young elf (to his parent's dismay) publicly announced that he would be leaving his inheritance to his younger sister. Appalled at their son's insolence, his family promptly disclaimed him and sent him away. Perhaps they hope he will come crawling back, perhaps not. It no longer matters...as long as they treat his dear sister kindly....
The only thing he took from his parent's estate, aside from some coin and a few of his own belongings, was his father's shiftweave. If they were to spite him for following his passion, they why should he honor them when they tell him to leave?
Sure that his skills will lead him somewhere, he decided to join the Shadow Hand guild in hopes of continuing his studies and bettering his skills.
Magic item: Shiftweave (only if content sharing is available or I am allowed to create it with the homebrew tool.)
Appearance: Average height, blonde short hair, green eyes, pale skin, wears round glasses, Dark well fitting cloths with a sash around his waist and a sickle sheathed on his lower back. He holds himself with an air of confidence.
Game hook: Trying to rise in the ranks of the Shadow hand
Note: Just wanted to put it out there that I don't have discord, so if there are discord meetings in the future I won't be able to attend them.
Name: Johymm (Pronounced: Yoh-hymn)
Race: Bronze Draconblood Dragonborn
Class: Wizard (Chronurgy)
Magic Item: Enduring Spellbook
Appearance: A tall and slender bronze-scaled dragonborn with green eyes.
Knowledge: Decent knowledge of campaign 2 and 3, less of campaign one but willing to learn.
Backstory: Born in the aftermath of Draconia's fall, Johymm was possessed with a great urge to learn as much magic as he possibly could, seeking out magical knowledge everywhere and anywhere. He spent his childhood devouring books, and in his free time attempting to cast simple cantrips he'd read about in the books. In his teens, he eventually stumbled across a mysterious merchant in a tucked away alleyway, offering a wide variety of mysterious and strange curios to any who wished to tempt their luck. Laying his eyes on what was clearly a wizard's spellbook, he asked the merchant running the shop what it's price was. The merchant merely asked for the opportunity to read his fate and for a favor to be called in when they needed it fulfilled, saying that Johymm would know when it was being called in. Johymm was then told to pick an assortment of dice from a jar and roll them in front of the shopkeeper so they could read his fate. Johymm did as he was told, picking out and rolling the dice, causing the merchant to let out a bone-chilling chuckle and vanish, the shop vanishing with them, the spellbook now clutched in Johymm's hands. He rushed home, where he began practicing the spells with in the tome, and after he was confident in his abilities, left home to join the Shadow Hand chapter in Whitestone, where he's spent the past years, slowly honing his magical skills further and deciphering the spells in the spellbook that was immune to even the ravages of time itself. Eventually he was brought before the chapter leader, who tersely informed he was needed in Drynna, pronto. He packed up his things and hit the road, heading straight to Drynna.
Hi. I'm pretty new to DND especially playing on the forums. Being new, I haven't watched Critical Role before, but if you are willing to select me I am more than eager to learn! Or don't. You do you.Name: Luna Amaro (Meaning Bitter Moon in Latin)Race: Dark Elf (Drow)Class: Sorcerer (Lunar Sorcery)Background: Entertainerhttps://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/87789122Backstory: Luna always loved the spotlight. Whether she is performing for a night crowd within a bar in Drynna or she just busy demonstrating her natural powers, this bold Dark Elf would do anything to attract attention. When she was young, her entire drow family, including herself, had natural affinities for magic through their bloodlines. However, Luna was a unique case: Unlike her mother, father and little brother who specialize in elemental magic of some sort, her sorcery delves from the power of the three lunar phases, hence why she was named Luna. She had a conflicting past with her family though, as she herself was devoted to Lolth, the queen of spiders whilst the rest of her family despise her for it as much as the deity she worships. Because she was living amongst Drow rebels, she was forced to leave her underdark home and out into the open world, taking her equipment and her cloak of elvenkind with her in search of something to do in the village of Drynna.Out in the once bustling cities of Drynna, Luna made a living as a performer, where her bold attitude has won her friends and fame throughout the city. Now that people are fading out of existence, Luna ventured from her underground shelter only to find that there were less people within the tavern she usually works at. She thought that the citizens were taking a day off but then it became increasingly disturbing when it persisted for several days until one day, there wasn't anyone to entertain. Even her closest friends were unable to be located, which caused the drow to panic. She then notices a mysterious figure investigating the recent occurrences and demanded to know what was going on and why is everyone disappearing. The figure then tells her she has a choice: either join the Shadow Hand in search for the people that she has befriended, or keep yelling and yelling at others knowing that she will not make any progress if that's the case. Although initially reluctant due to lack of trust, Luna did eventually sign up to be part of the mysterious group called the Shadow Hand, though to this day, she is getting more and more frustrated that she hasn't received any success in finding her long lost companions; So frustrated that she may fire a sacred flame onto the next monster that targets her without any thought or hesitation.Character Hook:Your PC is a part of the guild and has extended family or friends in the local chapter of the Hand in Drynna and they've disappearedMagic item: A Cloak of Elvenkind that she had ever since she was a teenage drow. She took it with her after fleeing the drow rebels that resented Lolth and now uses it whenever she works for the Shadow Hand guilds.Almost Forgot: STR: 8, DEX: 15, CON: 14, INT: 12, WIS: 10, CHA: 16Edit: Withdrawing since I wasn't notified. Feel so heartbroken to pour my heart out only to not be heard like so many others
Alfinas Nishinoya: Male Half-Elf Bard/Rogue (Umbral Binder/Valor)
Kohana Kurosaki: Female Kitsune Sorcerer (Aberrant Mind)
Lilac Nishinoya: Female Half-Elf Artificer (Battlesmith)
Lillian Nishinoya: Female Half-Elf Monk (Warrior Of The Elements)
Luna Amaro: Female Dark Elf Sorcerer (Lunar Sorcery)
Zari Graceheart: Female Tiefling Cleric (Light Domain)
If it's in the character builder I'll allow it.
Here on the forum. Basic of party composition maybe some live discord sessions if we're all relatively close via time zones but right now it's forum based.
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
@AmazingAmazon
Sent you a Pm with a few questions.
Name: Katlyn Wisewind
Race: Human
Class: Artificer (Armorer)
Background: Criminal
Free Magic Item: Cloak of Many Fashions
Appearence: Human woman with fair skin in her mid 20s. Has deep green eyes, and long blonde hair. She wears a black cloak with a hood that covers her armour beneath.
Familiarity with Critical Role: Have watched the first 50 or so episodes of campaign 1, watched around 100 episodes from campaign 2, and have watched about 20 campaign 3 episodes. Own both Taldorei reborn and EGtW.
Backstory:
Katlyn was the only child of two middle-class blacksmiths in Emon. Katlyn spent her youngest years admiring her mother and father at work in the forges of their smithy, creating all manner of supplies for farmers and adventures alike. As she grew older, Katlyn began to assist her parents in the forge, and by fifteen, she spent almost every available hour assisting her parents in the smithy. That was until her parents sold a group of mercenaries weapons made with steel of a poor quality, that failed when used, leading to the death of several of them. Although her parents had not realized how poor quality the steel was, the mercenaries returned, killing her parents.
With money running low and rent for the smithy due, Katlyn began stealing from wealthy people in the city. A few months into her minor 'crime spree', she was caught by an elven mage from Syngorn, while trying to steal a minor magic cloak she believed she could sell for a high price to the Myriad or the Clasp. The elven man allowed her to take the cloak, but in return she would have to come and meet her again the next day. Returning, the elf offered to teach Katlyn how she could infuse arcane magic into items, allowing her to make much more money than they would by selling regular goods. Over the next several months, Katlyn would learn the art of artifice, crafting her arcane armor.
One night, a few days after the elf had returned to Syngorn, Katlyn was attacked by some of the mercenaries that had killed her parents. In a fit of anger, she activated the lightning launcher on her armor, killing a mercenary, escaping the rest of the group, she fled the city, not looking back. Looking for work, she called in a favour from an old friend she used to work with, who put her into contact with the Shadow Hand.
Name: Calista
Race: Hexblood
Class: Wizard (Necromancy School)
Background: Haunted One
Appearance: Calista is 5'9" with a lithe build. Her skin is violet and covered with runic symbols in raised red lines. Her hair is a lustrous black and falls over her shoulders in loose curls. A crown of crimson bone wreathes her head and her eyes are a deep opalescent blue. She dresses as well as she can afford at the time and favors loose clothes that allow freedom of movement.
Free Magic Item: Enduring Spellbook
Familiarity with Critical Role: Minimal, but I am more than willing to learn and I have the Wildmount and Netherdeep books as well as the old Tal'Dorei sourcebook.
Backstory:
Calista's parents wanted a child. They had tried many times before, but every time they tried, it ended in tears and misery. Her mother, Vahna, was desperate. She went to the swamps near their farmstead and sought out the Bog Witch. The women of the village had whispered that the witch could perform miracles, but there was always a price attached. Vahna found the witch's home in the hollowed out trunk of a giant bald cypress. The Bog Witch took her in and listened to her story. The witch nodded sympathetically and told Vahna she could help, but the child would not be like other children. Her price was that, when the time came, Vahna must give the child up to the world or Vahna would know disaster. Vahna agreed immediately, confident that she could find a way around the witch's price. The witch enchanted a crystal and gave it to Vahna, telling her to place it beneath her mattress. Vahna did so and soon, she was pregnant. The witch's words proved to be true. Calista was born normal enough, but as time went on, her features became more and more otherworldly. By the time she was a teenager, Calista's skin had taken on a violet cast and odd runic markings decorated its surface. Her eyes had become an opalescent blue that seemed to almost glow and a crown of bone had formed itself arounder her head. Vahna and her husband were forced to keep Calista at home and made her where a hooded cloak whenever she went outside. Unbeknownst to her parents, Calista had heard the call of the otherworld ever since she was a child. It sang in her veins. She would sneak out at night and explore the lands around her family's farm. One night, she met an old woman walking in the forest. She felt no fear, only curiosity. The woman introduced herself as Marlene and told Calista she could teach her of what made her special, but she would have to leave her family behind. Calista loved her parents dearly, but knew the time was coming that she would have to leave them. One night when she was sixteen, Calista told her parents she was leaving. Both of them refused, afraid of what would happen to Calista and also what would happen to them if she was traced back to them. Vahna tried to bar her way from leaving. Something within Calista moved and Vahna screamed. Her flesh withered and she staggered back seeming to have aged 20 years in that moment. Calista screamed and ran from the house and never looked back. She found Marlene and told her what happened. The old woman comforted her and again made her offer. Calista accepted and became Marlene's apprentice. For seven years, Calista served Marlene, who was also the witch that Calista's mother had gone to so many years before. She learned of her origins and of a choice she would be faced with in years to come. Calista embraced the path of magic and found herself drawn toward Necromancy. When her apprenticeship was complete, she left Marlene to explore the greater world. Life was harder in the real world than she expected. She found her abiliities lended well to acquiring what she needed. She heard of a guild of thieves known as the Shadow Hand. In her mind, it was better to be part of an organization than to continue going it alone. She set out in search of the guild and a way to prove herself to them.
https://ddb.ac/characters/81240643/L6M1rt
Name: Bonnie Juniper
Race: Lightfoot Halfling
Class: Warlock
Magic Item: Potion of Climbing. ( Some old guy handed it to her during a stakeout and she never got around to returning it).
Appearance: Wednesday Addams via Baby Metal.
Knowledge: OG Critter from the early Campaign 1 days, have watched everything except C3 E42 which will be on my day off.
Backstory: Bonnie never quite fit in, her Mothers are both delightful, breaths of fresh air with lives of pastels, fresh flowers and baked goods....Cottage-to-the-Core. Bonnie has a predilection for dead things......she dislikes most colours......and she's rather bury her head in a book than garden or bake. It was just this predilection for reading which first landed her in her current trouble...it wasn't her fault someone had hidden a different tome within the dustcover of ' Dark Tales to Delight'....and while she had found the contents a little more than she had bargained for she hadn't thought much of the dream she had that night and the weird looking librarian who made her sign out the book...
Bonnie isn't exactly sure how she ended up a member of the Shadowhand...someone needed something translated....she'd overheard and offered her services....and then someone else had come to her...and another...and then she was standing lookout for some folks she barely knew and now people were disappearing....and as much as she didn't necessarily like people that did seem like something that shouldn't be happening.......
Now her only problems are; the whispering librarian in her dreams, making sure her Mums don't find out she has weird powers, Making sure her Mums don't find out she joined the Shadow Hands, Making sure no one knows she never actually officially joined the Shadow Hands...because they all seem to assume she did and finding the missing people so everything can go back to relative normality...
https://ddb.ac/characters/89787580/rjf1Ex
NAME: Casrian Dullgrave
RACE: Human
CLASS: Rogue (Arcane Trickster)
BACKGROUND: Urchin
SHEET: https://ddb.ac/characters/90151057/4S3n9O
MAGIC ITEM: Masquerade Tattoo
BACKSTORY:
Casrian grew like mildew in the rotting underbelly of the port city Stilben, clinging to damp corners and dark passages. He was bound for the gallows if chance had not intervened in the form of a disgraced wizard living in Muckfront Row. The wizard took in Casrian, fed him, clothed him, and gave him a bedroll in the cool, dry, root cellar. In exchange... the wizard wanted Casrian to steal for him. The wizard taught Casrian how to notice and identify magic, how to tease coin out of a purse with a magehand, and how to find a familiar (he found a bat he named Gurdy). He also gave Casrian a Masquerade Tattoo in order to keep his young thief from being recognized by the guardsmen.
In this way, they did well together for many years, but the gods had other plans for them. The duo caught the wrong sort of attention from The Myriad, the crime syndicate. On a thick night in the heat of the humid summer, Casrian returned to the wizards house to find the door off its hinges and no lights within. Graffiti written in thieves' cant warned against stealing from The Myriad. Casrian fled Stilben and made his way to Drynna, where he hoped to ingratiate himself into the Shadow Hand. He hoped to rise in their ranks, gain some powerful allies, and - with luck - strike against the Myriad.
Submissions closed, thank you for your time and creativity. I will be picking the party from submissions and letting players know throughout the next few days!
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Thanks for the opportunity!