Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind's howling increases as he turns his gaze down towards the village of Barovia.
Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd's face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they came- all according to his plan.
A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
Greetings everyone, I'm looking for 6 people for a Domains of Dread based campaign. We'll be starting off at level 1. Please note that each domain has different elements of horror involved. That being said there is a vast difference between fun horror and upsetting horror, and I'll be avoiding the more triggering subjects that might come up. {If you have any triggers that you would like me to avoid PM them to me so I know what to avoid to make sure that the campaign can be enjoyable for everyone playing.}
{Additional information}
- All sourcebook material is welcome, homebrew and UA/Unearthed Arcana will require review.
- I'm cool with having characters that have connections to Barovia...
- It's always a good idea to have a backup character ready just in case your initial character meets their untimely demise and can't be revived/resurrected. If you want you can add the second character to your submission. { If you do... just a Name, Ability Scores, Race/Subrace, Class/Subclass and background will be okay. Although if you want to do the full application for both I'm okay with that as well }
- Stats can be rolled here, point buy or standard array
- Leveling up with be done through milestones
Character Application-
Name:
Ability Scores: {Standard Array or Roll here (4d6 drop the lowest, reroll 1's always)}
Race/Subrace: Leonin (Reflavored as a special breed of werewolf)
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Beast Barbarian X /Champion Fighter 3
Alignment: Neutral Good
Background: Werewolf Woodcutter (Custom Background using Outlander equipment and Stealth and Survival Proficiency with Elvish and Cook's Utensils)
Backstory: A long time ago, two adventurers, a dwarf and an elf stumbled into Barovia. The elf of the duo, during his stay in the village met a human maiden who lived out in the outskirts of town close to some woods, a woodcutter's daughter. He fell in love with her and failing to find a way out of Barovia, the elf settled down in Barovia and married the woodcutter maiden. With her the elf had a half-elf daughter named Vadania Ambereyes. When Vadania was just 1 year old, a foul beast attacked the house but the elf defended his home and family from the creature. However, what he didn't realize was that the creature was a werewolf and that he was infected. On the next full moon, the elf transformed and lost control. It would have ended with the mother and the daughter losing their lives that night if the dwarf didn't happen to be visiting his old elf friend when the transformation happened. The dwarf successfully defended the family from the werewolf. The elf, now transformed, fled into the night.
During the attack, young Vadania was wounded and while she would heal, she would also become infected. Over the years, she was kept chained in the basement while her mother and the dwarf tried everything they knew to cure Vadania's lycanthropy. They had failed. Vadania remained a werewolf but perhaps the various treatments that they tried weren't all for naught. It's not clear what exactly caused it or what combination of effects led to it but Vadania's disease changed. On one hand, she could no longer transform into anything resembling her original half-elf self; instead she was always trapped in her hybrid form. At the same time, she lost her natural immunity to mundane weapons. Her form gave her strength and durability. But most importantly, the thing that made her mother shed tears of joy, was when Vadania ended up having full control of herself again. Vadania no longer needed to be chained up. She uses her increased strength to carry on the work of a wood cutter. She also uses her monstrous form to protect the village from wild animals and the odd rat infestation.
Personality: Vadania doesn't speak much and prefers to keep to herself and live simply. She always prefers to get straight to the point when saying or doing something
Ideals: Vadania feels that her history has put her in... a strange position. Since she has gotten unnaturally strong, it is only right for her to use it to protect those that lack the same strength. After all, what's the point of being strong if you don't use it to help those who are weaker.
Bonds: Vadania loves her mother and the dwarf that basically acted as her father-figure growing up. She cares about them deeply and wants to do everything to make them happy and proud.
Flaws: She has a low self-esteem. She remembers those times she was violent and left deep claw marks in the walls and floor of the basement she used to be chained up in. She knows that she is quite monsterous so she feels her purpose is to help others, even if she has to go out of her way to do so.
Fears: Spiders. She is very much afraid of spiders.
Character Sheet Link: ddb.ac/characters/98831109/OtlheG
Ability Scores: {Standard Array or Roll here (4d6 drop the lowest, reroll 1's always)}: S 16 D17 C16 I13 W14 Ch12 (rolled above, +1 human)
Race/Subrace: Human
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Ranger
Alignment: N-G
Background: Soldier
Backstory: Karkuhm Brangrim is the son of a blacksmith, and was recruited as a soldier at a fairly young age. Having been sent to the front, he saw much bloodshed, losing numerous companions and the other horrors of war.
Personality: Karkuhm is reserved, but can be known to let loose a bit in a tavern while telling war stories. He is fiercely loyal, but slow to make new friends - tto many times has making a friend simply lead to losing a friend, and who wants more of that.
Ideals: Despite repeatedly witnessing the dark side of humanity, Karkuhm still has a strong desire to fight for the greater good.
Bonds: In the middle of a particularly chaotic battle, a fellow soldier pulled Karkuhm out of the way just before a fireball devastated his company. This soldier, Garm Heldog, was previously unknown to him, and quite a bit his senior in both age and rank. The two of them found a common appreciation for simple things and the strong desire to do what they can to better the world around them, and a tight bond was formed. It has been a few years since they last spoke, but Karkuhm has fond memories of his friend, and always wished he was able to return the favor. To this day, he is reluctant to ever leave a friend behind.
Flaws: Although he never speaks of it, Karkuhn knows that he was the one to accidentally give away their position on that fateful night, causing the deaths of the rest of his company. He still has nightmares about the incident, and a nagging fear of ever repeating that deadly mistake.
Fears: See flaws. He fears of others learning his secret and knowing that maybe he shouldn't be trusted with their lives.
I'm new to PBP, but I have a decent amount of experience with in-person games and I love the idea of exploring all the game has to offer through the written word. I have a few ready characters who might do well, but this fella would probably be the best fit:
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Bard/College of Glamor
Alignment: Neutral-Good
Background: Entertainer
Backstory:
Put your spoiler here.
I am a neutral-good 51 year old male half-drow. I stand 5’3” and weigh 146 lbs. I have dark brown skin, white hair and amber colored eyes.
I was born in a frozen tundra near the Spine of the World, among a clan of half-orcs who my mother regularly traded with. My father was a heretic Drow who served as an adventuring cleric of Oghma. My mother was a human hunter and trapper living a hermetic life in the north.
After seeing my mother through her pregnancy and birth, my father left to pursue and unknown fate. My mother took it upon herself to raise me alone. According to her, I have a half brother in the Underdark, a 115 year old Drow scholar, though I know nothing of him beyond that.
My mother and I lived a modest lifestyle on the tundra, subsisting as hunters and trackers. I assisted her by checking traps and aiding in negotiations when we made our visits to town. I made friends among the half-orc village nearby, learning the basics of their language.
In the course of these duties, I met someone who changed the course of my life. While out trapping, I felt chills on my skin when I heard an enchanting melody. I followed the sound to discover a human shepherd engaged in his morning practice. He introduced himself as Hamart Commonbrook. He showed me that the music I heard was coming from a stringed instrument he played called called the viol. Charmed by my interest, he welcomed me to join him on his morning rounds and to listen to him play any time I wished.
I returned day after day, finally earning an invitation to Hamart's home. Inside, I was shocked to discover relics and mementos from his time as an adventuring bard. He seemed to have a story to tell about every single artifact. I listened to them all, rapt, wondering what it would be like to live such a fantastic life. Hamart also allowed me to try my hand at the viol for the first time. To both of our amazement, I picked up the instrument as if I was born to it. Amused and inspired, Hamart agreed to nurture my talent from that day forward with formal training.
While I remained skilled at my regular work assisting my mother, the call of music never let me be. I dedicated myself to mastering my musical ability, and saturated myself with as much poetry as I could find.
Then, one day, a traveling group of troubadours arrived in a nearby town. I didn’t hesitate to attend. The performance I saw was riveting, and it pained me that they might never return this far north again. I pestered the troupe all night, hoping to hear more stories about their life on the road. Seeing my eagerness, they offered me a chance to play for them. What started as an act of pity and amusement turned into genuine interest after they heard me play. Impressed by what they heard, they offered me an opportunity. If I could provide my own instrument, I could join their troupe. With no other instrument at my disposal, I returned to Hamart’s hovel in the dead of night. I took his viol and left meager payment from my own earnings. I then returned home, left a farewell note for my mother and set about my life on the road.
Not a day into my travel I discovered a compartment in the case of Hamart’s viol. Inside, I found a small glass jar containing a weird bit of flesh floating in pickling fluid. I immediately put it back where I found it and, while I have nightmares imagining the origin and nature of that vial, I do not dare risk removing it from where I found it.
I made decent coin in my time with the entertainers. They treated me fair without coddling and I picked up some proficiency performing as a drummer when my own instrument was unneeded. However, things took a turn after one of our performances when our satirical puppet show angered a local elven wizard who felt slighted by our depiction of her antics. She hunted us down to “balance the scales” for our perceived insult, forcing us to disband and go into hiding.
I made my way by appealing to local farmers in exchange for a night’s stay and a few coin. Once or twice those farmers would invite their friends and neighbors. Those friends would spread the word of my performances when they traveled to market. Before I knew it, I had my own small following which I used to provide for my nomadic lifestyle. It was a time in my life when I believed fate was guiding me. As such, it seemed unwise to reject any strange turns the gods might put before me.
So it was that I never questioned the day Arufin appeared at my campsite. Arufin was a glorious chestnut mare. Preternaturally easy to mount and a joy to ride and share company with. However, Arufin seemed to have a mind of her own. She had opinions about where we should and should not wander. One day, while traveling, she guided us straight to a strange forest. Unbeknownst to me, my sweet mare was guiding me straight into the Feywild.
Amused by my predicament, some of the faery denizens brought me before their liege, a mercurial archfey named Saravannia Starswirl. I was given audience in her court to make any petition I desired. I offered to perform for the court in exchange for a guide to lead me home. To my relief, Saravannia agreed to my terms. That evening I performed with more grace and pathos than ever before, knowing that my future depended on pleasing the court.
Unfortunately, my success was also my undoing. Saravannia was so enamored with my music that she decreed I was to stay as her new court musician, a role I had no authority to refuse. For what felt like several lifetimes, I performed as Saravannia’s court bard, slowly losing all sense of myself. My music became infused with the that of the archfey’s court and I learned a fair amount about magic, even while I lost my own memories.
It was until a human girl named Bella Rae wandered into her court that my senses returned to me. Like me, Bella won Saravannia’s affections and was to be adopted against he will. Even through all the enchantments that had their hold on me, I could not allow this to happen. Using all the guile and magic I could muster, I performed a tune that put the entire court to sleep. I then fled with Belle who’s homesickness worked like a lodestone to draw us back to the material plane.
When I returned Belle to her family I asked nothing in return but a chance to recover my body and mind. They cared for me for some time, and the stories of my life began to return. As part of my recovery, I traveled north to visit my mother and reconnect with my roots.
So much had changed while I was gone. I discovered my mother had married a successful merchant, giving birth to my, now 29 year old, human sister. She’s alive and quite successful as a rancher of aurochs. I tried returning to visit Hamart so I could thank him and apologize for taking his instrument. However, when I arrived, I found out that he had long since left the area, bitterly cursing the boy who betrayed his trust.
I knew I had no reason to remain at home. I’d developed a taste for the adventuring life and had no desire to abandon it.
So, I equipped myself with a few supplies, said my farewells and set of for my destiny.
Personality: I've lived an unusual life and enjoy making sure everyone knows about it. I have a story relevant to almost every situation. I've been accused of... embellishing now and then, but hey, who doesn't?
Ideals: I enjoy people. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I perform. That’s all that matters.
Bonds: My instrument is my most treasured possession. I owe my life to the man I stole it from and I hope to return it to him one day.
Flaws: Despite my best efforts, I am unreliable to my friends.
Fears: Loss of control and personal autonomy, along with other associations I have from traumatizing time in the feywild.
Dexan grew up in the plains south of Eltugard, where his family had a large piece of land. It featured lots of fields for crops and some praeries to raise cattle, and he spent his youth working on the ranch as well as tinkering with old recycled junk on the homestead to make new tools. It was an enjoyable life, but when he was only 15 his parents passed away, leaving him the farm. A few years passed, and things fell into place on the ranch. It was then that he met a lovely young lady named Julianna, who later became his bride. They had a great life, but it didn't last long. A small group of bandits moved into the area and bullied them and the residents of the nearby town for half their crop . None of the people were fighters and they were far too poor to hire anyone to protect them. What little law was in the area turned a blind eye at the slightest flash of coin. After the third year of scraping by, their crop got infested with a plague that wiped out the majority of their harvest. When the bandits came for the harvest, they had nothing to give without risking their own supplies for the winter. A few of the townsfolk decided to mount a resistance against the bandits, Dexan included. When the time came, however, Dexan lost his nerve and hid away. The villagers that fought back stood no chance, they were massacred. In response, the bandits stole all of their cattle and burned what little grain they had.
Julianna fell ill pretty quickly in the season, and the village physician could do nothing without money to trade for medicine. She passed away just before spring. After Julianna's death, Dexan was lost. His wife and livelihood were all taken from him. With nothing left, he spend months barely eating, just tinkering with his machines. One day, he snapped. He put together a crude black powder weapon, saddled his plough horse, and went straight to the bandit's lair. He had no expectation to walk out alive, but he would take as many with him as possible before he died. In a stroke of fate, the majority of the bandits were out on a raid, the few left behind were either drunk or asleep. It took him little time to find the boss. He wanted nothing more than to make him suffer but, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He put a bullet in the man's head, lit the building on fire, and walked away.
His actions that day ended up helping a lot of people. All of the townsfolk offered to help him get back on his feet as a thanks, but the memories of home were too painful to stay. He set out as a nomad, taking odd jobs for money. After years of meaningless wanderings he crossed paths with another who called the road home, a woman by the name of Ferrin. She was a tinkerer too, and after some insistence on her part he travelled with her and became her student. She imparted what wisdom she had with machines and her philanthropic philosophies to Dexan. When their paths finally forked, Dexan decided he would head to somewhere more populated and carry on his master's teachings. Where better to try and do good than a land perpetually shrouded in shadow....
Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, Flaws & Fears:
Personality Traits: 1. "The world makes an awful lot more sense when you realize how rotten it is. One action, brave and true, may lead to death and destruction while another, craven and greedy, leads to peace and prosperity. It is simply the way things are." 2. "Words only tell you the details of things, not the deeper meanings behind them. Sometimes it takes an experience less exact to truly understand the message being conveyed." 3. "Everyone thinks they are the hero of their own story, which, more often than not, gets them killed. After enough time walking the long roads you realize that heroes only exist in the forlorn hopes of those who are in need of saving."
Ideals: 1. Protection: There is always someone bigger and stronger than you are but, along the same vein, there is always someone weaker than you who struggles. If you don't live your life helping those in need, when the time comes you don't deserve to be helped. 2. Responsibility: Power without humility is a bullet that destroys everything in its path, taking one life after another until only at the very end returning to slay the gunman who fired it.
Bonds: 1. "Julianna died because of my cowardice. I will not let her memory be tarnished by making the same mistake in the future." 2. "Ferrin changed my life. I was heading down a dark road. Truth be told I still walk that path sometimes, but she helped me see all the other paths that were in front of me, unsullied by my own flaws. I walk her path until I am ready to face my own, for fear of what awaits for me" 3. "Puzzle is the best horse ever made. I should know, I built him myself. I have never known more loyal a friend or more intelligent a creature. 'Course, he can't speak but I just know that if he could he would be a paragon of intellect."
Flaws/Fears:
1. Dexan struggles with self loathing, constantly punishing himself over the lives he failed to save. He believes that had he was directly responsible for his wife's death and hates himself for it. 2. While Dexan is a genuinely decent person, his acts of goodness and self sacrifice are for a reason that is fundamentally selfish. He will never consciously allow anyone to sacrifice themselves in any way for him and rejects help from others because of it. 3. Dexan believes that deep inside he is a coward. That no matter how much good he does, no matter how many people he saves, he will ultimately succumb to his fear and fail as he did all those years ago.
Backstory: Asena worked closely with elves and other fae creatures (and non fae!) in the archives of an ancient repository for a while growing up, but as she read and learned she found she began to get the itch to learn more than what was written in the books. She was so busy though that she never saw through her plans even though her fellows could see she was getting more and more distracted every day. That is until one fateful day when she was out for a walk in the nearby glade when she found a strange portal, ready to take her on an adventure she never saw coming.
Personality: I'm used to helping out those who aren’t as smart as I am, and I patiently explain anything and everything to others. There’s nothing I like more than a good mystery.
Ideals: Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge
Bonds: I work to preserve a library, university, scriptorium, or monastery.
Flaws: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.
Hi there, curse of strahd has always been on my bucket list, never played it ! Find below my Rogue, Deep Gnome
Name: Tanyi Onyxsealer
Ability Scores: Standard Array
Race/Subrace: Deep Gnome
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Rogue (going for Soulkife)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Background: The Haunted One
Backstory: Tanyi is quite unique. A deep gnome with red-colored hair born in Blingdenstone, in the Underdark. She always enjoyed strolling around the city, looking for new crystal formations, but one evening, she got caught by a mindflayer. Weeks of torture had shattered her will, but she managed to escape by an amazing struck of luck. She sprinted as fast as she could and run through a deep mist. Disoriented, she found herself in strange place; the Domain of the Dread. It has been a few days now and she reached a village - (insert name). So far, she has survived by hunting and stealing from the rich merchants. But, quietly, she is gathering as much information as she can on this place and the possible ways to make it back to the Underdark. Her daily interactions with the mindflayer did leave some scars. Tanyi is terrified by these creatures but it also developed her psychic skill. She feels she her brain is different, with training she might be able to do amazing things. Is it a blessing or a curse ? She is still debating on that...
Personality: I spend money freely and live life to the fullest, knowing that tomorrow I might die.
Ideals: One day I'll be strong enough to go back in the Underdark and hunt Mindflayers (Any)
Bonds: There’s something in me, I can feel it. What has this mindfllayer done to my mind ?
Under raging storm clouds, the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind's howling increases as he turns his gaze down towards the village of Barovia.
Far below, yet not beyond his keen eyesight, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd's face forms the barest hint of a smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they came- all according to his plan.
A lightning flash rips through the darkness, but Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind fills the midnight air. The master of Castle Ravenloft is having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
Greetings everyone, I'm looking for 6 people for a Domains of Dread based campaign. We'll be starting off at level 1. Please note that each domain has different elements of horror involved. That being said there is a vast difference between fun horror and upsetting horror, and I'll be avoiding the more triggering subjects that might come up. {If you have any triggers that you would like me to avoid PM them to me so I know what to avoid to make sure that the campaign can be enjoyable for everyone playing.}
{Additional information}
- All sourcebook material is welcome, homebrew and UA/Unearthed Arcana will require review.
- I'm cool with having characters that have connections to Barovia...
- It's always a good idea to have a backup character ready just in case your initial character meets their untimely demise and can't be revived/resurrected. If you want you can add the second character to your submission. { If you do... just a Name, Ability Scores, Race/Subrace, Class/Subclass and background will be okay. Although if you want to do the full application for both I'm okay with that as well }
- Stats can be rolled here, point buy or standard array
- Leveling up with be done through milestones
Character Application-
Name:
Ability Scores: {Standard Array or Roll here (4d6 drop the lowest, reroll 1's always)}
Race/Subrace:
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass):
Alignment:
Background:
Backstory:
Personality:
Ideals:
Bonds:
Flaws:
Fears:
Character Sheet Link:
Interested. I'll roll abilities first and then decide on a character to play. Please DDB don't screw up my rolls with "Manipulated Dice" flag
5 5 2 3
2 1 3 5
2 1 1 2
1 4 2 1
3 5 5 1
2 2 3 1
Quoted just so that site doesn't change the stuff I got. Now rerolling 1s
2nd: 2
3rd: 1 6
4th: 6 2
5th: 6
6th: 6
Well... that's something. Reroll the last 1.
3
So this is my final stat set. I will edit this post to add character details.
[ 13, 10, 14, 12, 16, 11 ]
Rolled like 5 sixes to still end up with something comparable to standard Array...
Name: Vadnia Ambereyes
Ability Scores: STR: 14 DEX: 14 CON: 18 INT: 10 WIS: 12 CHA: 11
Race/Subrace: Leonin (Reflavored as a special breed of werewolf)
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Beast Barbarian X /Champion Fighter 3
Alignment: Neutral Good
Background: Werewolf Woodcutter (Custom Background using Outlander equipment and Stealth and Survival Proficiency with Elvish and Cook's Utensils)
Backstory: A long time ago, two adventurers, a dwarf and an elf stumbled into Barovia. The elf of the duo, during his stay in the village met a human maiden who lived out in the outskirts of town close to some woods, a woodcutter's daughter. He fell in love with her and failing to find a way out of Barovia, the elf settled down in Barovia and married the woodcutter maiden. With her the elf had a half-elf daughter named Vadania Ambereyes. When Vadania was just 1 year old, a foul beast attacked the house but the elf defended his home and family from the creature. However, what he didn't realize was that the creature was a werewolf and that he was infected. On the next full moon, the elf transformed and lost control. It would have ended with the mother and the daughter losing their lives that night if the dwarf didn't happen to be visiting his old elf friend when the transformation happened. The dwarf successfully defended the family from the werewolf. The elf, now transformed, fled into the night.
During the attack, young Vadania was wounded and while she would heal, she would also become infected. Over the years, she was kept chained in the basement while her mother and the dwarf tried everything they knew to cure Vadania's lycanthropy. They had failed. Vadania remained a werewolf but perhaps the various treatments that they tried weren't all for naught. It's not clear what exactly caused it or what combination of effects led to it but Vadania's disease changed. On one hand, she could no longer transform into anything resembling her original half-elf self; instead she was always trapped in her hybrid form. At the same time, she lost her natural immunity to mundane weapons. Her form gave her strength and durability. But most importantly, the thing that made her mother shed tears of joy, was when Vadania ended up having full control of herself again. Vadania no longer needed to be chained up. She uses her increased strength to carry on the work of a wood cutter. She also uses her monstrous form to protect the village from wild animals and the odd rat infestation.
Personality: Vadania doesn't speak much and prefers to keep to herself and live simply. She always prefers to get straight to the point when saying or doing something
Ideals: Vadania feels that her history has put her in... a strange position. Since she has gotten unnaturally strong, it is only right for her to use it to protect those that lack the same strength. After all, what's the point of being strong if you don't use it to help those who are weaker.
Bonds: Vadania loves her mother and the dwarf that basically acted as her father-figure growing up. She cares about them deeply and wants to do everything to make them happy and proud.
Flaws: She has a low self-esteem. She remembers those times she was violent and left deep claw marks in the walls and floor of the basement she used to be chained up in. She knows that she is quite monsterous so she feels her purpose is to help others, even if she has to go out of her way to do so.
Fears: Spiders. She is very much afraid of spiders.
Character Sheet Link: ddb.ac/characters/98831109/OtlheG
Ability scores: 15 13 16 18 10 11
Latimer Trumador Human cleric 1 : Lost Mines of Phandelver
Ability scores: 12 10 13 11 14 15
Discord PBP's should have there own sections
Pretty good rolls if I do say so myself
Discord PBP's should have there own sections
Name: Karkuhm Brangrim
Ability Scores: {Standard Array or Roll here (4d6 drop the lowest, reroll 1's always)}: S 16 D17 C16 I13 W14 Ch12 (rolled above, +1 human)
Race/Subrace: Human
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Ranger
Alignment: N-G
Background: Soldier
Backstory: Karkuhm Brangrim is the son of a blacksmith, and was recruited as a soldier at a fairly young age. Having been sent to the front, he saw much bloodshed, losing numerous companions and the other horrors of war.
Personality: Karkuhm is reserved, but can be known to let loose a bit in a tavern while telling war stories. He is fiercely loyal, but slow to make new friends - tto many times has making a friend simply lead to losing a friend, and who wants more of that.
Ideals: Despite repeatedly witnessing the dark side of humanity, Karkuhm still has a strong desire to fight for the greater good.
Bonds: In the middle of a particularly chaotic battle, a fellow soldier pulled Karkuhm out of the way just before a fireball devastated his company. This soldier, Garm Heldog, was previously unknown to him, and quite a bit his senior in both age and rank. The two of them found a common appreciation for simple things and the strong desire to do what they can to better the world around them, and a tight bond was formed. It has been a few years since they last spoke, but Karkuhm has fond memories of his friend, and always wished he was able to return the favor. To this day, he is reluctant to ever leave a friend behind.
Flaws: Although he never speaks of it, Karkuhn knows that he was the one to accidentally give away their position on that fateful night, causing the deaths of the rest of his company. He still has nightmares about the incident, and a nagging fear of ever repeating that deadly mistake.
Fears: See flaws. He fears of others learning his secret and knowing that maybe he shouldn't be trusted with their lives.
Character Sheet Link: https://ddb.ac/characters/98826011/DYQEIY
Latimer Trumador Human cleric 1 : Lost Mines of Phandelver
Ability scores: 18 13 9 11 15 15
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)
I would love to join!
I'm new to PBP, but I have a decent amount of experience with in-person games and I love the idea of exploring all the game has to offer through the written word. I have a few ready characters who might do well, but this fella would probably be the best fit:
Name: Osselorn "Oss or Ossy" Fenmore
Ability Scores: Point Buy - STR: 9, DEX: 13, CON: 14, INT: 10, WIS: 14, CHA: 17
Race/Subrace: Half-Elf/Drow
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Bard/College of Glamor
Alignment: Neutral-Good
Background: Entertainer
Backstory:
Put your spoiler here.
I am a neutral-good 51 year old male half-drow. I stand 5’3” and weigh 146 lbs. I have dark brown skin, white hair and amber colored eyes.
I was born in a frozen tundra near the Spine of the World, among a clan of half-orcs who my mother regularly traded with. My father was a heretic Drow who served as an adventuring cleric of Oghma. My mother was a human hunter and trapper living a hermetic life in the north.
After seeing my mother through her pregnancy and birth, my father left to pursue and unknown fate. My mother took it upon herself to raise me alone. According to her, I have a half brother in the Underdark, a 115 year old Drow scholar, though I know nothing of him beyond that.
My mother and I lived a modest lifestyle on the tundra, subsisting as hunters and trackers. I assisted her by checking traps and aiding in negotiations when we made our visits to town. I made friends among the half-orc village nearby, learning the basics of their language.
In the course of these duties, I met someone who changed the course of my life. While out trapping, I felt chills on my skin when I heard an enchanting melody. I followed the sound to discover a human shepherd engaged in his morning practice. He introduced himself as Hamart Commonbrook. He showed me that the music I heard was coming from a stringed instrument he played called called the viol. Charmed by my interest, he welcomed me to join him on his morning rounds and to listen to him play any time I wished.
I returned day after day, finally earning an invitation to Hamart's home. Inside, I was shocked to discover relics and mementos from his time as an adventuring bard. He seemed to have a story to tell about every single artifact. I listened to them all, rapt, wondering what it would be like to live such a fantastic life. Hamart also allowed me to try my hand at the viol for the first time. To both of our amazement, I picked up the instrument as if I was born to it. Amused and inspired, Hamart agreed to nurture my talent from that day forward with formal training.
While I remained skilled at my regular work assisting my mother, the call of music never let me be. I dedicated myself to mastering my musical ability, and saturated myself with as much poetry as I could find.
Then, one day, a traveling group of troubadours arrived in a nearby town. I didn’t hesitate to attend. The performance I saw was riveting, and it pained me that they might never return this far north again. I pestered the troupe all night, hoping to hear more stories about their life on the road. Seeing my eagerness, they offered me a chance to play for them. What started as an act of pity and amusement turned into genuine interest after they heard me play. Impressed by what they heard, they offered me an opportunity. If I could provide my own instrument, I could join their troupe. With no other instrument at my disposal, I returned to Hamart’s hovel in the dead of night. I took his viol and left meager payment from my own earnings. I then returned home, left a farewell note for my mother and set about my life on the road.
Not a day into my travel I discovered a compartment in the case of Hamart’s viol. Inside, I found a small glass jar containing a weird bit of flesh floating in pickling fluid. I immediately put it back where I found it and, while I have nightmares imagining the origin and nature of that vial, I do not dare risk removing it from where I found it.
I made decent coin in my time with the entertainers. They treated me fair without coddling and I picked up some proficiency performing as a drummer when my own instrument was unneeded. However, things took a turn after one of our performances when our satirical puppet show angered a local elven wizard who felt slighted by our depiction of her antics. She hunted us down to “balance the scales” for our perceived insult, forcing us to disband and go into hiding.
I made my way by appealing to local farmers in exchange for a night’s stay and a few coin. Once or twice those farmers would invite their friends and neighbors. Those friends would spread the word of my performances when they traveled to market. Before I knew it, I had my own small following which I used to provide for my nomadic lifestyle. It was a time in my life when I believed fate was guiding me. As such, it seemed unwise to reject any strange turns the gods might put before me.
So it was that I never questioned the day Arufin appeared at my campsite. Arufin was a glorious chestnut mare. Preternaturally easy to mount and a joy to ride and share company with. However, Arufin seemed to have a mind of her own. She had opinions about where we should and should not wander. One day, while traveling, she guided us straight to a strange forest. Unbeknownst to me, my sweet mare was guiding me straight into the Feywild.
Amused by my predicament, some of the faery denizens brought me before their liege, a mercurial archfey named Saravannia Starswirl. I was given audience in her court to make any petition I desired. I offered to perform for the court in exchange for a guide to lead me home. To my relief, Saravannia agreed to my terms. That evening I performed with more grace and pathos than ever before, knowing that my future depended on pleasing the court.
Unfortunately, my success was also my undoing. Saravannia was so enamored with my music that she decreed I was to stay as her new court musician, a role I had no authority to refuse. For what felt like several lifetimes, I performed as Saravannia’s court bard, slowly losing all sense of myself. My music became infused with the that of the archfey’s court and I learned a fair amount about magic, even while I lost my own memories.
It was until a human girl named Bella Rae wandered into her court that my senses returned to me. Like me, Bella won Saravannia’s affections and was to be adopted against he will. Even through all the enchantments that had their hold on me, I could not allow this to happen. Using all the guile and magic I could muster, I performed a tune that put the entire court to sleep. I then fled with Belle who’s homesickness worked like a lodestone to draw us back to the material plane.
When I returned Belle to her family I asked nothing in return but a chance to recover my body and mind. They cared for me for some time, and the stories of my life began to return. As part of my recovery, I traveled north to visit my mother and reconnect with my roots.
So much had changed while I was gone. I discovered my mother had married a successful merchant, giving birth to my, now 29 year old, human sister. She’s alive and quite successful as a rancher of aurochs. I tried returning to visit Hamart so I could thank him and apologize for taking his instrument. However, when I arrived, I found out that he had long since left the area, bitterly cursing the boy who betrayed his trust.
I knew I had no reason to remain at home. I’d developed a taste for the adventuring life and had no desire to abandon it.
So, I equipped myself with a few supplies, said my farewells and set of for my destiny.
Personality: I've lived an unusual life and enjoy making sure everyone knows about it. I have a story relevant to almost every situation. I've been accused of... embellishing now and then, but hey, who doesn't?
Ideals: I enjoy people. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I perform. That’s all that matters.
Bonds: My instrument is my most treasured possession. I owe my life to the man I stole it from and I hope to return it to him one day.
Flaws: Despite my best efforts, I am unreliable to my friends.
Fears: Loss of control and personal autonomy, along with other associations I have from traumatizing time in the feywild.
Character Sheet Link: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/98619013
DM - Classic Adventures Reborn
Rylan - L1 Human Paladin - Barty's "Princes of the Apocalypse"
Ability scores: 17 17 12 15 13 13
Ability scores: 10 14 14 8 11 10
Name: Dexan Videris
Race/Subrace: Human (Variant)
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Artificer (Planned Battlesmith)
Alignment: Chaotic Good.
Background: Folk Hero
Backstory:
Dexan grew up in the plains south of Eltugard, where his family had a large piece of land. It featured lots of fields for crops and some praeries to raise cattle, and he spent his youth working on the ranch as well as tinkering with old recycled junk on the homestead to make new tools. It was an enjoyable life, but when he was only 15 his parents passed away, leaving him the farm. A few years passed, and things fell into place on the ranch. It was then that he met a lovely young lady named Julianna, who later became his bride. They had a great life, but it didn't last long. A small group of bandits moved into the area and bullied them and the residents of the nearby town for half their crop . None of the people were fighters and they were far too poor to hire anyone to protect them. What little law was in the area turned a blind eye at the slightest flash of coin. After the third year of scraping by, their crop got infested with a plague that wiped out the majority of their harvest. When the bandits came for the harvest, they had nothing to give without risking their own supplies for the winter. A few of the townsfolk decided to mount a resistance against the bandits, Dexan included. When the time came, however, Dexan lost his nerve and hid away. The villagers that fought back stood no chance, they were massacred. In response, the bandits stole all of their cattle and burned what little grain they had.
Julianna fell ill pretty quickly in the season, and the village physician could do nothing without money to trade for medicine. She passed away just before spring. After Julianna's death, Dexan was lost. His wife and livelihood were all taken from him. With nothing left, he spend months barely eating, just tinkering with his machines. One day, he snapped. He put together a crude black powder weapon, saddled his plough horse, and went straight to the bandit's lair. He had no expectation to walk out alive, but he would take as many with him as possible before he died. In a stroke of fate, the majority of the bandits were out on a raid, the few left behind were either drunk or asleep. It took him little time to find the boss. He wanted nothing more than to make him suffer but, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He put a bullet in the man's head, lit the building on fire, and walked away.
His actions that day ended up helping a lot of people. All of the townsfolk offered to help him get back on his feet as a thanks, but the memories of home were too painful to stay. He set out as a nomad, taking odd jobs for money. After years of meaningless wanderings he crossed paths with another who called the road home, a woman by the name of Ferrin. She was a tinkerer too, and after some insistence on her part he travelled with her and became her student. She imparted what wisdom she had with machines and her philanthropic philosophies to Dexan. When their paths finally forked, Dexan decided he would head to somewhere more populated and carry on his master's teachings. Where better to try and do good than a land perpetually shrouded in shadow....
Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds, Flaws & Fears:
Personality Traits:
1. "The world makes an awful lot more sense when you realize how rotten it is. One action, brave and true, may lead to death and destruction while another, craven and greedy, leads to peace and prosperity. It is simply the way things are."
2. "Words only tell you the details of things, not the deeper meanings behind them. Sometimes it takes an experience less exact to truly understand the message being conveyed."
3. "Everyone thinks they are the hero of their own story, which, more often than not, gets them killed. After enough time walking the long roads you realize that heroes only exist in the forlorn hopes of those who are in need of saving."
Ideals:
1. Protection: There is always someone bigger and stronger than you are but, along the same vein, there is always someone weaker than you who struggles. If you don't live your life helping those in need, when the time comes you don't deserve to be helped.
2. Responsibility: Power without humility is a bullet that destroys everything in its path, taking one life after another until only at the very end returning to slay the gunman who fired it.
Bonds:
1. "Julianna died because of my cowardice. I will not let her memory be tarnished by making the same mistake in the future."
2. "Ferrin changed my life. I was heading down a dark road. Truth be told I still walk that path sometimes, but she helped me see all the other paths that were in front of me, unsullied by my own flaws. I walk her path until I am ready to face my own, for fear of what awaits for me"
3. "Puzzle is the best horse ever made. I should know, I built him myself. I have never known more loyal a friend or more intelligent a creature. 'Course, he can't speak but I just know that if he could he would be a paragon of intellect."
Flaws/Fears:
1. Dexan struggles with self loathing, constantly punishing himself over the lives he failed to save. He believes that had he was directly responsible for his wife's death and hates himself for it.
2. While Dexan is a genuinely decent person, his acts of goodness and self sacrifice are for a reason that is fundamentally selfish. He will never consciously allow anyone to sacrifice themselves in any way for him and rejects help from others because of it.
3. Dexan believes that deep inside he is a coward. That no matter how much good he does, no matter how many people he saves, he will ultimately succumb to his fear and fail as he did all those years ago.
Character Sheet Link: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/97783223
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Name: Asena Brightleaf
Ability Scores: Standard Array used
Race/Subrace: Forests Gnome
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Wizard
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Background: Cloistered Scholar
Backstory: Asena worked closely with elves and other fae creatures (and non fae!) in the archives of an ancient repository for a while growing up, but as she read and learned she found she began to get the itch to learn more than what was written in the books. She was so busy though that she never saw through her plans even though her fellows could see she was getting more and more distracted every day. That is until one fateful day when she was out for a walk in the nearby glade when she found a strange portal, ready to take her on an adventure she never saw coming.
Personality: I'm used to helping out those who aren’t as smart as I am, and I patiently explain anything and everything to others. There’s nothing I like more than a good mystery.
Ideals: Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge
Bonds: I work to preserve a library, university, scriptorium, or monastery.
Flaws: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.
Fears: Machines and the Undead
Character Sheet Link: https://ddb.ac/characters/98835983/ITb4dq
Ability scores: 14 15 13 13 17 15
Ability scores ... 13 11 14 17 10 14 ...
Placeholder and ability scores: Ability scores: 15 13 13 13 11 15
Past characters:
Cariadne - Forest of Celador
Daphyra Fuffletail - The City of Cats
DM - Geek Legends - Wild beyond the Witchlight
Leela Steadystone - Adventures in the Sands
Mirri Goldenhorn - Journeys through the Radiant Citadel
Lola Smythe-Whyte - Larkin Expedition
Daphyra - Deathworld: Lost Mine of Phandelver
Vanja - Binder's Hold and the Problem with the Mine
Hi there, curse of strahd has always been on my bucket list, never played it !
Find below my Rogue, Deep Gnome
Name: Tanyi Onyxsealer
Ability Scores: Standard Array
Race/Subrace: Deep Gnome
Class/Subclass (or planned Subclass): Rogue (going for Soulkife)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Background: The Haunted One
Backstory: Tanyi is quite unique. A deep gnome with red-colored hair born in Blingdenstone, in the Underdark. She always enjoyed strolling around the city, looking for new crystal formations, but one evening, she got caught by a mindflayer. Weeks of torture had shattered her will, but she managed to escape by an amazing struck of luck. She sprinted as fast as she could and run through a deep mist. Disoriented, she found herself in strange place; the Domain of the Dread. It has been a few days now and she reached a village - (insert name). So far, she has survived by hunting and stealing from the rich merchants. But, quietly, she is gathering as much information as she can on this place and the possible ways to make it back to the Underdark.
Her daily interactions with the mindflayer did leave some scars. Tanyi is terrified by these creatures but it also developed her psychic skill. She feels she her brain is different, with training she might be able to do amazing things. Is it a blessing or a curse ? She is still debating on that...
Personality: I spend money freely and live life to the fullest, knowing that tomorrow I might die.
Ideals: One day I'll be strong enough to go back in the Underdark and hunt Mindflayers (Any)
Bonds: There’s something in me, I can feel it. What has this mindfllayer done to my mind ?
Flaws: I assume the worst in people.
Fears: mindfllayers
Character Sheet Link: https://ddb.ac/characters/75513295/Y0ofl4
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
Ability scores: 15 15 15 10 10 11
Seria (Female Dragon-In-Disguise Sorcerer, Draconic Bloodline)