Hello Newbies, let's play.

Setting:
Welcome to Faerun. A significant portion of the last two decades' digital content and books within the D&D universe are within the 'Forgotten Realms' setting, and so this is the best place to start if you are new (in my opinion). You can learn most everything important here. 

The Campaign:
I'm not going easy on you - this is bootcamp. No really. You'll actually be playing a character that (one way or another) "joins" to serve in the army of your most noble Duchess during a time of peril and intrigue.

• The campaign will be short with 3-5 players. 
• This is not a module, just me doing my DM thing. But, it will not go on forever. It is a chance for you to experience the game, get used to the mechanics, and hopefully fall in love with your character and this wonderful game and community we are all in. 
• I tend to do RP heavy games with combat intermingled. However, since this is a first-time for you, I will try to make this more a 50-50 setup. But you, dear players, can choose that as you go.
• There will be themes of violence, descriptions of disturbing mental imagery, and mild mature content. There will not be themes or scenes of sexual violence or violence against children.

Your Character:
Please build a level 2 character using the following rules:

• No roleplaying as children - that's a hard rule. 
• Core races and classes only (Hey, you're new - how do you know about all the other options anyhow!?!)
• Standard Array or Point Buy for stats
• I don't care what age the players are so long as they can play emotionally mature characters.
• That said, no one under the legal age of adulthood in their respective nation (18 for the United States)

What Else?
Let's start real slow. Please submit the following as your application for game. 

• What name does your character go by and how do they like to be addressed?
• Everyone has a history. What was your character's family life like growing up? How is their home life now? Their childhood? Do they have siblings, lifelong friends, no one at all?
• Is your character a young adult, adult, middle-aged person, or much older? 
• It's a medieval setting and as such most children aren't treated as they are in our modern times, they are pretty much expected to 'start growing up' past the age of six (using Humans as a baseline). From six to sixteen they are typically understudies to a tradesperson, or their parents, or if noble or within a wealthier society, attending formal education towards a chosen profession. Professions aren't something you figure out later in life, so... what did your character spend their early years preparing to do for the rest of their life? Did you stick to it, or did something change your course? 
• Is your character in love with anyone? Have they ever been? Where is that person now?

From there, we'll start working out their lives in this world, then race, then class. Trust me. I'm a doctor. (I'm not a doctor - that is a total fabrication --- NEVER TRUST YOUR DM). 

This is a third wave of recruitment to my original post back in September 2022, so you will be joining the game with other still new-ish but slightly more seasoned players. The team are currently looking for one more, but may take two if we get a good pool of interested folks. As discussed above, you may play any of the core races and classes. Your character is either from or has become a citizen of the Kingdom of Cormyr. You can read more about that nation here. 

What should I know since I'm starting at 2nd Level?:
That is a fantastic question, I'm glad you asked! These are the main strokes: You are in an advanced timeline from where the official Forgotten Realms sourcebooks leaves off. History has marched forward, and much has changed. The following are events that have occurred:

1520 - (Current Year) - For several years the Zhentarim have encroached into the Stonelands at the northern border of the Kingdom of Cormyr. A barren place inhabited by barbarian tribes and dangerous wild animals, the Cormyrians had proclaimed the region under its protection long ago as a way to quell barbarian invasions in advance, and retain peaceful relations with its inhabitants. Slavers of the Black Network have hunted those lands for years, and recently begun construction of a substantial fort. Duke Enos Irelath, Warden of the Northern Passes and Lord of Irelar, led a locally raised militia force combined with his own retainers to raze the fortress before the Zhentarim could gain a foothold in the region. During his campaign he was killed and the fort was not destroyed. However, numerous Cormyrian citizens were freed from the fort and returned to their families. The incident was meant to be a clarion call for war by the duke, but the royal family instead sued the Zhentarim for peace. The Zhentarim agreed and dismantled the fort. The Duchess Eustenia Irelath, angered by the politics of the capital and the unanswered death of her husband, called the militia to volunteer to join a formal army. She called her banners, and for neighboring lords to raise theirs as well. If the Queen would not fight the war at their borders, she would... Your character was member to that first militia assault. Though you were not with the teams that liberated slaves, you were there when the enemy cut down the Duke. You have since answered the call of your Duchess, and now train to be a soldier proper...

1507 to 1515 - The Secessionists - The Zhentarim proclaimed a guarantee of military protection for any community desiring autonomy from the Lords' Alliance, as well as favored trade status. Elturgard and Evereska collapsed during this time, producing a series of autonomous city-states and freeholds which ejected their own nobility. They are now ruled by councils of wealthy citizens. Throughout the Sword Coast and into the heart of Faerun nations experience upheaval from merchant guilds and secessionist movements. The vassal-duchy of Velen declares its independence and withdraws all support from the Lords' Alliance, as does Baldur's Gate and Daggerford. The largest remaining alliance members remain Waterdeep (though deeply divided) and Neverwinter. 

1504 to 1507 - The Black Banner War - The Zhentarim invade the port city of Luskan successfully. Nobles from Waterdeep, against the wishes of the Lords' Alliance, send their forces to liberate Luskan and lose. The Zhents then declare war on the Lords' Alliance in response. Many believe the nobles from Waterdeep were in on a larger plot, and that war with the alliance was the Zhent goal all along. From the onset, within days of the initial conflict, the Zhents struck at multiple trade roads, river crossing, and successfully blockaded key port cities through pirate and mercenary fleets. The Zhents appeared to lose steadily in pitched battles against the alliance, but only to realize their main armies were being made to move farther from supply lines to pursue the enemy. It quickly became a war of attrition, and the Zhents were better prepared. The war ended with a truce, demanding unfavorable terms from the Lords' Alliance, which slowly began to erode. 

1504 - The 'legitimate' mercantile conglomerate once known as the Zhentarim declares itself the Zhentarim Empire. Though it officially denies connections with the more infamous 'Black Network' widely held to be its organized criminal network, the alarmed Lords' Alliance declares affiliated criminals as spies of the new nation, leading to many efforts to purge criminal and pirate organizations throughout many of the major cities of Faerun.

1487 to 1504 - The Northern Shadow Wars - In a stunning and unexpected turn, a massive mercenary and slave army of the Zhentarim conquer Netheril, forcing the Netherese to flee to Sembia. Sembia is renamed Low Netheril, and though an unfavorable armistice was agreed upon with the Zhents, the Netherese have never recovered and are openly hostile to the Zhentarim they meet to this day. 

1484 to 1487 - The Netherese War Against the Dalelands - The Netheril Empire and their vassal state of Sembia warred to conquer the Dalelands, Cormyr, and eventually Myth Drannor. The Netherese and their allies lost the war badly on all fronts, losing their last remaining flying city, and significantly weakening their nation. In 1485, during this conflict, one of their serf races, the Bedine of Anauroch, successfully revolted in their North.

1487 - High Imaskar is destroyed during a rebellion by their Mulan slaves. The nation of Mulhorand is founded.

1482 to 1487 - The Second Sundering: A realignment of the power of deities and of the realms. Nations warred, false and true prophets rose to power, old Gods died or rebranded and new ones emerged. The world of Toril almost merged with the demi-plane of Abier. The great cities of the world saw turmoil, and many were completely lost or destroyed. Much of Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate have since been newly rebuilt upon their own rubble.

Gibson Eldrede was raised by loving parents and has 3 siblings. When he was old enough, he began apprenticing to his father as a blacksmith. It was in his fathers shop that his dream of becoming a soldier took shape. He would over hear the local soldiers exchanging stories while waiting for their armor or weapons. Their tale’s fascinated him and he knew I’m his heart that’s what he was destined to do. Or maybe, just maybe, he could become one of the famed Purple Dragon Knights of Cormyr. Just recently having turned 18, he was able to convince his parents to allow him to enlist. And now here he is, reporting for boot camp. 

Tev Shenzo's dreams of becoming a soldier are now slowly starting to fall into place. He's planned for this moment his entire life ( Short, and only 19 years - but still). Right from when he was born, it was written in the stars, this is his destiny. With his amazing acrobatic skills and constant hours of training with monks, he believes that no one can stand in his way. With his charm and precise attacks, surely he would fit into the army environment, right?

What name does your character go by: Mel (her given name is Mellori Enca)

History:  Family? What are they? Mel’s full name wasn’t given to her by doting parents. Not even an orphanage. Her earliest memories were living on the streets, homeless and hungry…always gnawingly hungry. She took her name from words she heard and liked. At one point she had fifteen names, but decided to pare it back when she was about nine (give or take, since even her birth date is a figment of her imagination).

Life is better now. She sleeps rough most of the time but always has her next meal lined up.

And she discovered early in life that nobody cares about you as much as you do. She’s formed friendships in the past but one by one they disappeared or died in front of her. She’ll tell anyone who asks (in fact she’d tell them even if they don’t) that relationships are for wimps – and that she’s happy being a loner. But deep inside, she knows that’s a lie.

Age: Mel would say she was 18 now. Tracking time on the streets is done by seasons, not calendars and so she could be out by a year or so (given her hazy recollection of her age when she learned to count). A young adult is how society would define her, but she’s witnessed enough to be much older in maturity.

Early life: Life as a street urchin in Marsember meant only a few options in terms of making a living. Begging was easy money, and being a girl helped. But handouts were meagre. Theft was the next best option – as the rewards were higher but the risks greater. Skills were learned on the job – often from mistakes made – and it was fortunate that she was wiry and fast, so able to evade capture for some of her more serious blunders.

The third option was of course most rewarding but took most time (and did not always guarantee success). Conning people to part with money following a well-delivered sob-story could be lucrative, but you had to keep moving. Being discovered by a previous mark telling a brand new story (or even the same one) was never a positive outcome.

Is your character in love with anyone? Love? Maybe…but when a lasting friendship in the City of Spices for a street urchin could only be for a matter of months or even weeks, what is love truly?

Question: How long will you be recruiting for? (Need to think on some stuff.)

I've asked my active players to check in and vote on the submittals so far, but they just started so I can let them know there may be another. Hard for them to vote on an unknown quantity though, so maybe throw out a few ideas what you'd like to play?

Right now I'm not too sure. I'm also weighing something at the moment in terms of time management. That's the big motivation in asking how long you'd be recruiting for.

But for the skeleton of an idea, possibly a Half-Orc Paladin [Oath of Devotion at lv3] with the Outlander background.
(I know your post was asking for personality first with specifics decided later, but my mind thinks in terms of getting mechanics first and deriving personality from there. And then, with a basic idea formed, I hammer out rough patches to fit setting-restraints. So those ideas are malleable. I just find it a lot easier to figure out who a character is once I have an idea of where it's going. Please do let me know if you're okay with that approach.)

Name: Tempor Aryname [gonna have to think about this one for the actual name, but that's my placeholder while I mull it over]

History: Her orc mother and human father, in an effort to get away from the some of the big wars plaguing the realms, left town to make their way in the wilds in hopes of finding peace. As such she grew up mostly away from other people and with just the close family (parents + 3 siblings) and the occasional guest. From an early age she was instilled the ideal that the world's problems were its own and that they needed to just look out for themselves.
What moved her from this backwoods lifestyle however was when her family came across a village that had been sacked by soldiers. The plight of the village moved her. Particularly meeting a cleric of Lathander. This was the impetus for her to decide that she would do her part to help others to prevent sights like that she'd seen at the village, beginning her journey as a Paladin.

Age: Young Adult (prime time for an adventure)

Early Life: A lot of her tasks would've been towards helping with camps and other necessities in the wilds. So I see her as having done things like hunting, setting traps, cooking, setting up and taking down camp, etc. Playing an instrument (maybe a flute) around the fire as part of keeping spirits up. So prepared to be a nomad but then turning from that path to become more involved in the troubles of the world.

Loves: Not really. (Love/Flirting/Heartbreak like that isn't a big draw to me roleplay wise so I tend to see love interests as more of a background detail for things like an older character that might, for example, have a wife and kids back home. Whereas for a younger character that doesn't fit as much.)

Let's play!
I've cheekily written my character bio from a first-person viewpoint.

My name is Aaron Thornwood, and I reckon I've seen my share of light and darkness in this world. Born into a family of strong faith, I was raised with the teachings of The Everlight echoing in my ears from a young age. It wasn't just a belief, it was a way of life, a guiding beacon that illuminated the path I was meant to tread.

Tall and sturdy, with a mop of brown hair and eyes as green as the forests, I was destined for a different life. An extraordinary life, some would say. As a child, I found myself excelling both in physical prowess and intellectual pursuits. It wasn't just my brawn or brains that set me apart; it was the harmony of the two that made me who I am.

My family recognized this unique combination, and so I was trained to be an aide, a protector and a guiding light for a respectable household. I was meant to bring both security and wisdom, strength and counsel, to those I served. And I did my duty with pride, knowing that I was fulfilling my purpose as bestowed by The Everlight.

As the years flowed by, I found love, a love that surpassed all expectations. Selena, a gentle soul with a heart of gold, became my wife. We shared a life of tranquility, away from the clamor of the world, finding solace in each other's embrace. But as fate would have it, tranquility was not meant to be my constant companion.

The day I lost Selena is etched into my heart with a pain that never truly fades. It was a consequence of my own actions, my own unwavering determination to right a wrong. I crossed paths with a sinister criminal group, and in my blind fury, I interfered violently. They responded in kind, with cruelty beyond measure. My beloved Selena became a casualty, a pawn in their twisted game. They took her from me, as a message, a grim reminder of the darkness that lurked beneath the surface.

Grief consumed me, a relentless storm that shattered the very core of my being. I sought refuge in the embrace of the bottle, drowning my sorrows in a sea of regrets. But as the days turned into nights and the nights into days, a flicker of hope emerged from the depths of despair.

I found myself kneeling before The Everlight once more, the teachings of my youth echoing in my mind. Seeking redemption, yearning for a chance to make amends, I embraced the path of a paladin. No longer would I be a vessel of brute force, but a beacon of compassion and reason. I would wield words as my weapon, if possible, a shield against the tides of darkness that threatened to consume me.

And so, with a heart heavy with the weight of my past, I set forth on this new journey. A journey to seek salvation, to honor the memory of my dear Selena by preventing others from suffering the same fate. With every step I take, I feel her presence beside me, guiding me, urging me to be the light that banishes the shadows.

I am Aaron Thornwood, once a man of strength and mind, now a paladin of The Everlight, determined to forge a path of redemption and hope.

Not sure how long you're recruiting for, but

Kygga Heikkatta, Half-Elf Warlock, The Fiend Patron

His father was a noble with two sons. His brother, who was 17 and was very smart, could play the flute, knew fencing, could work with stone, knew 5 languages, and was very cunning, was everything his father wanted in a son. He, however, was a 13-year-old who wasn't skilled in a trade. He had gone through schooling but wasn't very smart. His brother died in a fire that he was framed for, and his father was left with the "disappointing" son. His mother died a week later, and in an argument, his selfish father disowned him. He had a small portion of the fortune, so he could at least support himself for a short time, but he needed a job. He was always interested in "The Divine", but the priests didn't let him be a cleric apprentice like he always wanted because he was "unclean". They said he was good for nothing. He lived on the streets until he was 15, doing any job he could to get money, and then he caught some thieves stealing a noble. He tried to stop him but was framed, and cruelly thrown in prison until he was 18. When he got out, he was contacted by a Fiend when entering a dark artifacts shop. He changed his name to Kygga Heikatta and disguised himself. He trained for battle until he was 24 to ensure he didn't fail his next quest. During his 6-year training, he did various tasks for the fiend and helped out the military.

I don't know if you're recruiting or not, but I just put that in just in case.