Basic premise of this homebrewed world is a variation of basic forgotten realms history. Based on these changes, there are limits on available magics, and therefore classes, for each race. The human, goblinoid, orc, giant, halfling, and old dragon pantheons are intact, the orc pantheon is present, but the outlook is slightly modified, while the elvish and gnomish deities are not present. Unavailable: Triton, aarakocra, eberron, gith, ravnica, verdan, locathah races, UA subclasses with approval only, no homebrew.
During the war between giants and dragons the giants, prior to the civil war between Bahamut and Tiamat, were persuaded by cultist elements within their ranks to accept a bargain with Asmodeus, the devils would aid the giants against the dragons and in exchange the giants would help the devils against the Abyss. The giants agreed after a test mission in which Asmodeus himself took part in an ambush where the giants’ forces slew both Bahamut and Tiamat. Over time, the giants were persuaded that their own gods were responsible for their initial failure in the war and abandoned them in favor of devil worship. The giants established an empire in the western lands which has been slowly collapsing under its own weight over the centuries and is only supported by an extensive slave trade and the support of the, currently, subservient goblinoid races. Additional changes will be outlined in individual races sections.
Please post your application with the following: Ability scores: reroll 1’s every time, use dice roller, please. Name: Class: level three. Race: Background: You will be starting as a slave in the giant empire, picked for some reason to be included in their latest entertainment. Being ancient and powerful, the giants are endlessly seeking ways to entertain themselves and have created an arena out of a valley, sculpting it to their desires. Please include both how you ended up in slavery as well as how you were selected for the arena. You will be one of several groups assigned to the arena, the participants are told they will be given one month to find and kill the other groups, or they will all be killed. Don't worry, the game will leave the arena, its just a good way to start the various races in one place.
My expectations and what you should expect from me. I will check at least once a day and respond to posts as quickly as I’m able. I expect people to reply and check in at least once a day. I will likely be running this in discord with avrae. I would like players to keep a measure of realism, encumbrance, both weight and size (For example, if you end up with a glaive and halberd in your inventory, please explain how you're able to move and use either one effectively.), as well as rations and rest, please work on the honor system, thank you. I’m looking for five or six players, but may try and run two campaigns if I have enough player applications that I like. Please include whether you’d like to have the campaigns run separately or in the same world at the same time with a chance to interact.
Map=evil I may eventually make a map, but for now, please use your imagination.
After their defeat, the dragons retreated from the continent into a series of islands off the eastern coast and built great cities on them to protect themselves while they hibernated and healed, protected by their loyal followers. Due to the fact that both Bahamut and Tiamat were killed before the civil war between metallic and chromatic dragons, both flights still work together. They are primarily self-sufficient and engage in very limited trade with the mainland. Foreigners are generally not welcomed on the islands. The islands are led by a priesthood based on the old dragon gods, devoted to protecting the islands long enough for the dragons to return to power. The only magic available for the dragonkin are divine and sorcerous. This means no arcane or primal classes; wizards, arcane tricksters, eldritch knights, artificers, bards, druids, or rangers.
Elves/gnomes
Near the end of the war between dragons and giants, the bulk of the elves and the gnomes were exiled by their gods from the feywild for some forgotten sin. They sympathized with the dragons and occupied a large forest on the eastern coast, providing a buffer and defense for the dragons while they retreated. They also later helped the giantkin of goliaths and firbolgs in their flight from the giant empire, allowing these groups to settle north of their territory. Both groups live under a loose affiliation of monarchs who each govern a separate region, essentially one for each subrace. Both groups trade freely with the dragonkin and giantkin and halflings, they have very limited trade and contact with humans and dwarves from the south, and no contact with the giant empire. Due to their exile, they are cut off from their gods and thus have no access to divine magics. No paladins, clerics, divine soul sorcerers, etc...
Goblinoid
The goblinoids saw an opportunity when the giantkin races abandoned the empire and sought an alliance with the empire. They now serve as the military for the empire and provide it with an endless supply of slaves taken from raids on other races. They have witnessed the slow decline of the giants and are playing a long waiting game for the day when they will be able to overtake the empire for themselves. The goblinoids are governed by a strict caste system where advancement within, and occasionally between castes, is based on proven worth. Generally speaking, the hobgoblins run things while the bugbears serves as laborers and frontline troops and the goblins are scouts, raiders, and craftsmen. Their government is made up of a triumvirate of the leaders of the military, priesthood and science groups. Advancement in each is possible for anyone based on achievements, while failure is not tolerated at any level and can be grounds for being stripped of rights and forced into slavery. The goblinoids have access to both arcane and divine magics, though sorcerers are rare and primal magics are non-existent; sorcerers are possible, but have a really good reason, druids and rangers are not available.
Lizardfolk
The lizardfolk have remained fairly neutral and isolated throughout history, occupying a marshy swampland south of the halflings territories. They govern themselves with a simple tribal structure. They have no access to arcane magics and both sorcerers and divine magics are rare.
Halflings
The halflings are primarily nomadic wandereres of the wild plains in the large central region of the continent. Their role in the history of the world has been either minor, hidden or both. On the border regions of their lands, they are very welcoming and friendly with outsiders, cheerfully trading goods and gossip. However, outsiders are absolutely forbidden within the interior of their lands, trespassers are lucky to be given a chance to retreat to their lands before being killed by skilled warriors they never see. They are led by the elders of different family groups, these elders are the only ones who are aware of the secrets at the center of their lands. Their magics are primarily primal, but they have picked up some arcane magics through contact with outsiders with rare sorcerers and limited divine magics; rare paladins or clerics, no artificers or wizards, though eldritch knights, bards and arcane tricksters are ok.
Humans, semi-humans, and dwarves
They currently occupy the southern half of the continent in its entirety. Centuries ago, humans were enslaved by the yuan-ti. When they attempted to invade dwarven lands, the dwarves fought back and allied with human resistance groups and overthrew the yuan-ti. This alliance has grown into a powerful force, holding back the giant empire and their goblinoid servants. They are run by a parliament of kings, seven from the human lands and seven from the dwarven lands, these kings rule their own lands but abide by joint decrees passed by a vote of ten kings establishing lasting peace in the region. This alliance has grown powerful enough that it has started to cautiously move northward. They are firm believers in advancement of both arcane magics and technology as well as blends of both. Humans are almost exclusively arcane with few divine casters or sorcerers, while dwarves have a strong presence of both arcane and divine classes with almost no sorcerers, primal magics are unheard of with either group; no druids or rangers.
Drow
The drow fled the feywild long before the other races were exiled, settling in the underdark seeking new experiences and power. Hedonistic and self-absorbed, the drow made pacts with demons for power and quickly conquered a large portion of the underdark and were the main rival of, and threat to, the illithid. However, after the end of the giant vs dragon war, the giants and their devil allies sealed away the demons somehow. This caused the drow to lose most of their power and nearly shattered their kingdoms, they now occupy territory near the edges of the giant empire for the deterrent it poses to the illithid. Unlike the other elves, they have no desire to return to the feywild, and while they miss the power that they held from demon pacts, they hold no loyalty and will seek power wherever they can find it. They have no kings, but are ruled by an assembly of various nobles. Anyone can enter into the nobility by either marrying into a noble family or by challenge, leading your family’s best warriors against those of a noble family in a gladiatorial-style combat to the death. They engage in limited slave trade to the giant empire and trading goods with the duergar, but have almost no surface contact. They and the other elves don’t really like each other, but are not in active combat. Almost all members of their society have accesss to at least some arcane magics, and a few have inherited demonic pacts, though their power is significantly lessed, sorcerers exist, but are uncommon, primal and divine magics do not exist; no rangers, druids, paladins, clerics, or divine soul sorcerers.
Duergar
The Dwarves inhabit the southern areas of the underdark, having broken free of illithid rule after long enslavement. Afterwards, they resumed contact with their dwarven kin and, due to their recent experience with the yuan-ti, the dwarves accepted them back into the fold, as did their gods. The duergar currently make up two of the seven dwarven kingdoms, though they are an elected monarchy and guided by a powerful priesthood. They rarely travel to the surface. They are responsible for the safety of the of their lands in the underdark, ensuring invaders can’t enter that way and that the various denizens of the underdark don’t threaten the surface. Their magics are mostly divine with some arcane, rare sorcerers or primal magics.
Yuan-ti
The yuan-ti once ruled an empire covering most of the central and southern areas of the continent. They maintained this empire in a large part due to powerful demon pacts and a large slave population which they also used to maintain trade and peace with the illithid in the underdark. However, the giant-devil alliance sealing away the demons drastically reduced their power and this allowed the dwarves and humans to overthrow their empire. The remaining yuan-ti hide in remnants of their ancient cities. They are led by a priesthood which rule with an iron fist. The purebloods have managed to infiltrate most levels on human society with the exception of the nobility and the priesthood. They have an abundance of sorcerers and arcane magics are firmly embraced. They have no divine or primal magics; no rangers, druids, paladins, clerics, or divine soul sorcerers.
Orcs
The orcs inhabit the tundra north of the giant empire. They were originally a tribal barbaric culture but eventually three tribal leaders worked together to conquer and unite the entirety of their people into a single kingdom and had nearly finished construction of their capital city when the giants decided they didn’t want a unified threat to their north and moved in in force and tore down their city, executed their leaders and scattered their people. The orcs are now tribal raiding groups, angry at the giants for destroying their fledgling kingdom and at the rest of the races for not helping them even though they stood together to help each other. At the same time, they lack a strong leader who can reunite them over the fears of another reprisal from the giants. They have no arcane magics, and sorcerers are rare, but primal is plentiful and the occasional orc gifted with divine magic is acknowledged as being marked for great things.
Goliath/firbolg
At the end of the war between giants and dragons, the giant declared victory and established their empire. They were, however, weak enough that they were unable to maintain control over their canon fodder, the goliaths and firbolgs. These two groups fled the empire and settled in the forests and mountains in the north east of the continent, north of the elvish lands. They live as tribal units that each have their own territories and they respect the boundaries, avoiding conflict with each other. Any incursion into their lands by outsiders is met with a unified response of all nearby tribes. Each tribe is led by the strongest warrior who, in turn, is advised by a council of the eldest members of the tribe. They have a strong presence of both divine and primal magics, but almost no sorcerers and no arcane magics.
Kenku
Formerly near sentient avian creatures gifted with incredible mimicry abilities living in a jungle paradise. Their jungle was destroyed during the war between giants and dragons and both land and creatures were warped by the powerful lingering magics. The kenku gained intelligence and magical aptitude, but at the cost of their wings. They now live in a wasteland scarred by an ancient war. They do not have a political structure of any kind, individuals form groups which merge and split as resources and needs grow and decline. They do have contact with other races, trading relics and weapons found in the ancient battlefield for trinkets or resources they are interested in. Nearly all kenku have some level of magical abilities and while primal magics are the most common due to their strong connection with their ancient homeland, but they have picked up all other magics from the other races due to their mimicry abilities. They have adopted a variety of gods from the other races as well.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 101315171115 Name: Adrie Ilphelkiir Class: Warlock (Celestial) ((Pact of the Blade)) Race: Wood Elf Background: (Sage) Frustrated by the answers (Or lack of in her own opinion) as to the the sin that caused the gods to abandon them, Adrie decided to seek them out on her own. During this search, she came across the sight of a great holy power. A unicorn appeared, and spoke before her. Saying that the sins of her ancestors couldn't be undone, but that it could see that she wasn't going to step away from her quest. It offered her power to find those answers, but she'd have to serve him. Adrie agreed, and the Unicorn's horn glowed, before disappearing. She was alone, in a different part of the forest. There was a burning sensation on her cheek, which revealed itself to be a strange mark when she inspected herself in the nearby stream. The biggest change was her bow. It had gone from the simple weapon she had purchased for her own protection, to something more... celestial looking. Even as she saw it, it seemed to fade from her hands. It wasn't long after that the giants appeared and took her captive.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 121017111413
Name: Kelihew Zakkustain
Race Dragonborn
Class Paladin
Background: Long ago, when the Dragons lost, Kelihew’s family made an oath, that they would not stop fighting until the giants were defeated. When he was born he was a natural warrior, more athletic and powerful than most other people of his town. He would help the town by slaying most monsters who attacked it. But one day, he made a mistake, he unknowingly attacked a group of monsters allied with the giants, and got his village destroyed and him captured.
Name: Nagini Class: Sorcerer 3 Race: Yuanti Pureblood Background: Unfortunately due to my skills the giants easily knew how valuable I could be. After watching them wipe out my town, killing everyone I knew before my eyes, they enslaved me and put me to work doing whatever research they had need of me. Until of course I snapped and plunged a dagger into the side of one of them. I always knew my rebellious outlook on life would be the death of me and now I find myself in the arena surrounded by other lessor races that more than likely they will be in my way to gain my freedom. Though maybe a few of them will become friends, if we live through this anyway.
Name:Smee Class: Rogue (-2-) / Bard (-1-) Race: Goblin Background: Cook (Arena Slave) Backstory: Back in the day, Smee was once a popular performer, a real artiste, and a master of the bongos until he insulted someone he shouldn't have and was promptly reassigned to work in the kitchens of the arena as a cook up. He went about the new job right up to the moment that certain someone who he had insulted mysterious died of poisoning. Smee found himself promptly enslaved a sent to the arena with all the rest. Character Sheet Link: https://ddb.ac/characters/33077218/Gap0ze
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: Ability scores: 151517141316 Name: Yeren I'Valonril Class: Lvl 3 Wizard, School of Transmutation or Chronurgy (If you allow it) Race: Human Background: Yeren is dragged into the arena as his giant overlords had heard about how the scrawny man is able to convert one material to another. How he became a slave is a different story. Yeren was part of an adventuring party hunting who attacked Nightstone but what he didn't realise was that the party he was with were criminals who knocked him out, stole his belongings and left him on the Giants doorstep.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Whistler - Lost Mines of Phandelver [Lvl 8 Barbarian] | Cinta Yuliani Lestari- My Island Home [Lvl 3 Fighter] | Shalana - Allansia Wildlands [Lvl 4 Monk] | Roger Durant- Storm King's Thunder [Lvl 8 Monster Hunter] |Rotthran - The Waterdeep Heist [Lvl 5 Thief]
Ability scores: Ability scores: 151112121214 Name: Yeren I'Valonril Class: Lvl 3 Wizard, School of Transmutation or Chronurgy (If you allow it) Race: Human Background: Yeren is dragged into the arena as his giant overlords had heard about how the scrawny man is able to convert one material to another. How he became a slave is a different story. Yeren was part of an adventuring party hunting who attacked Nightstone but what he didn't realise was that the party he was with were criminals who knocked him out, stole his belongings and left him on the Giants doorstep.
Chronurgy is allowed. Map is not faerun, btw. But I can work names and details in, so feel free to make stuff up.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 119915811
will get the rest together shortly... Seriously excited to see this in action after your telling me about it previously...
Name: Nolla Black Class: Rogue (Scout) Race: Variant Human Background: Entertainer. Backstory:
Nolla is an aspiring minstrel, traveling the border towns and playing her lute as well as singing at taverns, inns, and wherever she could get people to sit still and let her play. When needed she takes work on as a scout for merchants or city militia. Her free spirit though doesn't allow her to stay put too long, and she is soon seeking another town to journey to.
In her travels she came across a black crystal, around the neck of a dead man along one of the roads she was traveling. Moving closer to inspect the body, she touched the crystal and felt something inside reach out to speak to her. A presence entered her mind at that contact, and has spoken to her only a few times through that connection. the crystal was lost long ago, but it was nothing but a hunk of rock ever since she had touched it, the link to whatever was behind the crystal already made inside of Nolla herself.
When she was traveling the lands on the border of the Giant's realm, she was playing in several of the border town, making her way through the area and playing at various taverns as she went. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time though, a raiding party of giants attacked a small village she was staying at, taking many of the inn's occupants prisoner. She was carted off in a wagon with bars, and taken into the giant lands.
During the brief fight when she was captured Nolla shoed the giants how skilled she was with her rapier, daggers, and her light crossbow. She fought like a wildcat, trying to get some of the villagers away to safety. In the end it was not enough to save many, but it did mark her as a warrior to the giants, so she found herself in the arena.
(held off on starting equipment for the time being)
Race: Human
Background: A minor functionary and groundskeeper at a small temple of Torm located deep in the foothills of a northern mountain range, Gregor van Heusen aspired to the ranks of the clergy before his temple was leveled by a rock slide started by a bored giant. He managed to survive, but with nowhere else to turn, he headed to the city and fell into the underground fighting circuit. Being strong from several years of working the land and living at high altitude, he made a decent living as a fighter, but he never forgot nor forgave the unknown giant that destroyed his home. Simmering rage turned into a reliance on drink, which turned into a way for him to make more money in the ring - by using his drunken antics as a distraction, he was that much more effective as a fighter. Convinced that Torm had abandoned him, he became self reliant and dedicated to two things: mastery of his skills and never being without a bottle. He was on the way to a fight when he was ambushed by several bugbears, manacled, and sold to the slavers of the Arena. When he came to and realized that he was on the way to the Giant's Arena, he figured that this was his way to find the Giant that destroyed his home. All he had to do was survive.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 141310111214
With those rolls I think I'll let people with better rolls go. It's probably for the best since I have zero experience with Discord and I would probably slow y'all down.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ability scores: 131814121413 Name: Zruil Baenre Race: Half-Elf (Drow) if not allowed then just Drow Class: Warlock Hexblade Character Sheet The son of a great mercenary assassin and Highborn Drow noble, Zuril did not have a choice in his heritage or up bringing, but he knew he always had a choice to be who he wanted. Zuril was bred to be a warrior that keeps Illithid at bay and keep the power of his noble Drow family strong. However he chooses a path different to his kin and heritage. For so long he was forced to try to conform to a society based solely on power, now he finally got away and can be himself. Kind and sensible, with tainted powers he did not choose for himself, Zuril tries to find his place in a cruel world. On his expedition out of his old "home" he was captured by Giants and taken in as a salve, but not without a fight. Ironic how he used to be in charge of slaves and now he is one. Though, He doubts he will be treated with any kindness akin to what he showed his slaves in secret. It seemed he would be used as some form of entertainment due to his formidable skills that showed in his capturing. Drow are well known for their lethal combat prowess, and Zuril was blessed even among the his people.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Name: Ignatia Fallow Class: Warlock Race: Human Background:
Ignatia was very, very unimpressed with being captured...seriously the last place someone like her belonged was a bloody arena. She missed her books, she missed wine.....gods she missed wine....at least the company was interesting. And if she was telling the truth it was entirely her own fault, another in a series of very bad life choices. Curiosity killed the cat....or in this case deprived the woman of wine...and bacon.....and okra.......who did she have to kill around her for some truffles?
variant human fighter (rune knight if allowed, with a bit of a twist. instead of Giant heritage, it is Draconic. I think it fits the theme perfectly)
Zavid had a hard life. he never knew his father, and his mother was an alcoholic. she used to force him to work to pay for her drink. when he turned six, she sold him to the army. he never saw her again. he lived in the barracks, washing dishes and cleaning to earn his keep. when he was tested for magical aptitude, his rating was off the charts. however, no matter how hard he tried he could not cast the simplest of spells. despite that, he was top of his class. he was deadly with any weapon, but absolutely lethal with a glaive. one day when he was training under a tree, about a mile from camp, a man approached him. at first Zavid was surprised, but he quickly calmed. the man told Zavid that he was his father. now that David had come of age, it was time to reveal his gift. then the man transformed. no longer was a man in front of him, but a massive, vaguely draconic, beast. it explained that it was an ancient warrior. a breed of dragon bred to fight giants. because Zavid was half human, his power would not be so immense, but he could make up for that with his weapon skills. however. Zavid's father explained to him that if anyone found out about this, they would kill him. his kind were nearly extinct, as the giants had hunted and killed them before they became a threat. he taught Zavid the ancient runes of his people so that he would be able to protect himself. then he left. Zavid, dumbstruck by his newfound abilities, practiced at every chance he got. however, he was not careful enough.when he was practicing his runes, he was caught by he city guard and charged with unlicensed wizardry. he was lucky that they had not caught him in his warrior form, or they would have killed him, but instead they sent him to the games where he would come face to face with the enemy he had been born to destroy....
Tlear grew up in a small elven enclave, his family not starving, but needing to occasionally resort to less than honest work to make ends meet. His aunt was skilled in combat, and took him on as a student, which is where he learned to strike swift and sure... ideally without being seen.
His youth primed him for a life is thieving once he left his home, occasionally taking up with bandits and thieves' guilds, as needed. An associate of an associate took him on for a heist job on a giants manor house... But it didn't go well. Someone sold them out, and the mark was ready for them.
After capture, he was sold into slavery, and the arena seems like his best chance to get out...
Belvoril studied hard as a young man, and worked hard too. He was good with his hands, and several tools became his bread and butter. Skill turned to real success when he picked artificing. A prized ability in the Alliance of dwarves and humans, it set him up in the Northern regions for a life of luxury. Or it would have if the goblins hadn’t taken everything from him. Belvoril isn’t sure if anyone else was taken or even alive. But he knows he was targeted specifically, based on the negotiating price between the goblins and a slaver giant. Another giant had stepped in at that point and offered a great deal more saying he had something special in mind for Belvoril.
Basic premise of this homebrewed world is a variation of basic forgotten realms history. Based on these changes, there are limits on available magics, and therefore classes, for each race.
The human, goblinoid, orc, giant, halfling, and old dragon pantheons are intact, the orc pantheon is present, but the outlook is slightly modified, while the elvish and gnomish deities are not present.
Unavailable: Triton, aarakocra, eberron, gith, ravnica, verdan, locathah races, UA subclasses with approval only, no homebrew.
During the war between giants and dragons the giants, prior to the civil war between Bahamut and Tiamat, were persuaded by cultist elements within their ranks to accept a bargain with Asmodeus, the devils would aid the giants against the dragons and in exchange the giants would help the devils against the Abyss. The giants agreed after a test mission in which Asmodeus himself took part in an ambush where the giants’ forces slew both Bahamut and Tiamat. Over time, the giants were persuaded that their own gods were responsible for their initial failure in the war and abandoned them in favor of devil worship. The giants established an empire in the western lands which has been slowly collapsing under its own weight over the centuries and is only supported by an extensive slave trade and the support of the, currently, subservient goblinoid races.
Additional changes will be outlined in individual races sections.
Please post your application with the following:
Ability scores: reroll 1’s every time, use dice roller, please.
Name:
Class: level three.
Race:
Background: You will be starting as a slave in the giant empire, picked for some reason to be included in their latest entertainment. Being ancient and powerful, the giants are endlessly seeking ways to entertain themselves and have created an arena out of a valley, sculpting it to their desires. Please include both how you ended up in slavery as well as how you were selected for the arena.
You will be one of several groups assigned to the arena, the participants are told they will be given one month to find and kill the other groups, or they will all be killed.
Don't worry, the game will leave the arena, its just a good way to start the various races in one place.
My expectations and what you should expect from me.
I will check at least once a day and respond to posts as quickly as I’m able. I expect people to reply and check in at least once a day. I will likely be running this in discord with avrae. I would like players to keep a measure of realism, encumbrance, both weight and size (For example, if you end up with a glaive and halberd in your inventory, please explain how you're able to move and use either one effectively.), as well as rations and rest, please work on the honor system, thank you.
I’m looking for five or six players, but may try and run two campaigns if I have enough player applications that I like. Please include whether you’d like to have the campaigns run separately or in the same world at the same time with a chance to interact.
Map=evil
I may eventually make a map, but for now, please use your imagination.
Any questions, please ask.
Dragonborn/Kobold
After their defeat, the dragons retreated from the continent into a series of islands off the eastern coast and built great cities on them to protect themselves while they hibernated and healed, protected by their loyal followers. Due to the fact that both Bahamut and Tiamat were killed before the civil war between metallic and chromatic dragons, both flights still work together.
They are primarily self-sufficient and engage in very limited trade with the mainland. Foreigners are generally not welcomed on the islands. The islands are led by a priesthood based on the old dragon gods, devoted to protecting the islands long enough for the dragons to return to power.
The only magic available for the dragonkin are divine and sorcerous. This means no arcane or primal classes; wizards, arcane tricksters, eldritch knights, artificers, bards, druids, or rangers.
Elves/gnomes
Near the end of the war between dragons and giants, the bulk of the elves and the gnomes were exiled by their gods from the feywild for some forgotten sin. They sympathized with the dragons and occupied a large forest on the eastern coast, providing a buffer and defense for the dragons while they retreated. They also later helped the giantkin of goliaths and firbolgs in their flight from the giant empire, allowing these groups to settle north of their territory.
Both groups live under a loose affiliation of monarchs who each govern a separate region, essentially one for each subrace. Both groups trade freely with the dragonkin and giantkin and halflings, they have very limited trade and contact with humans and dwarves from the south, and no contact with the giant empire.
Due to their exile, they are cut off from their gods and thus have no access to divine magics. No paladins, clerics, divine soul sorcerers, etc...
Goblinoid
The goblinoids saw an opportunity when the giantkin races abandoned the empire and sought an alliance with the empire. They now serve as the military for the empire and provide it with an endless supply of slaves taken from raids on other races. They have witnessed the slow decline of the giants and are playing a long waiting game for the day when they will be able to overtake the empire for themselves.
The goblinoids are governed by a strict caste system where advancement within, and occasionally between castes, is based on proven worth. Generally speaking, the hobgoblins run things while the bugbears serves as laborers and frontline troops and the goblins are scouts, raiders, and craftsmen. Their government is made up of a triumvirate of the leaders of the military, priesthood and science groups. Advancement in each is possible for anyone based on achievements, while failure is not tolerated at any level and can be grounds for being stripped of rights and forced into slavery.
The goblinoids have access to both arcane and divine magics, though sorcerers are rare and primal magics are non-existent; sorcerers are possible, but have a really good reason, druids and rangers are not available.
Lizardfolk
The lizardfolk have remained fairly neutral and isolated throughout history, occupying a marshy swampland south of the halflings territories.
They govern themselves with a simple tribal structure.
They have no access to arcane magics and both sorcerers and divine magics are rare.
Halflings
The halflings are primarily nomadic wandereres of the wild plains in the large central region of the continent. Their role in the history of the world has been either minor, hidden or both.
On the border regions of their lands, they are very welcoming and friendly with outsiders, cheerfully trading goods and gossip. However, outsiders are absolutely forbidden within the interior of their lands, trespassers are lucky to be given a chance to retreat to their lands before being killed by skilled warriors they never see. They are led by the elders of different family groups, these elders are the only ones who are aware of the secrets at the center of their lands.
Their magics are primarily primal, but they have picked up some arcane magics through contact with outsiders with rare sorcerers and limited divine magics; rare paladins or clerics, no artificers or wizards, though eldritch knights, bards and arcane tricksters are ok.
Humans, semi-humans, and dwarves
They currently occupy the southern half of the continent in its entirety. Centuries ago, humans were enslaved by the yuan-ti. When they attempted to invade dwarven lands, the dwarves fought back and allied with human resistance groups and overthrew the yuan-ti.
This alliance has grown into a powerful force, holding back the giant empire and their goblinoid servants. They are run by a parliament of kings, seven from the human lands and seven from the dwarven lands, these kings rule their own lands but abide by joint decrees passed by a vote of ten kings establishing lasting peace in the region. This alliance has grown powerful enough that it has started to cautiously move northward. They are firm believers in advancement of both arcane magics and technology as well as blends of both.
Humans are almost exclusively arcane with few divine casters or sorcerers, while dwarves have a strong presence of both arcane and divine classes with almost no sorcerers, primal magics are unheard of with either group; no druids or rangers.
Drow
The drow fled the feywild long before the other races were exiled, settling in the underdark seeking new experiences and power. Hedonistic and self-absorbed, the drow made pacts with demons for power and quickly conquered a large portion of the underdark and were the main rival of, and threat to, the illithid. However, after the end of the giant vs dragon war, the giants and their devil allies sealed away the demons somehow. This caused the drow to lose most of their power and nearly shattered their kingdoms, they now occupy territory near the edges of the giant empire for the deterrent it poses to the illithid. Unlike the other elves, they have no desire to return to the feywild, and while they miss the power that they held from demon pacts, they hold no loyalty and will seek power wherever they can find it.
They have no kings, but are ruled by an assembly of various nobles. Anyone can enter into the nobility by either marrying into a noble family or by challenge, leading your family’s best warriors against those of a noble family in a gladiatorial-style combat to the death. They engage in limited slave trade to the giant empire and trading goods with the duergar, but have almost no surface contact. They and the other elves don’t really like each other, but are not in active combat.
Almost all members of their society have accesss to at least some arcane magics, and a few have inherited demonic pacts, though their power is significantly lessed, sorcerers exist, but are uncommon, primal and divine magics do not exist; no rangers, druids, paladins, clerics, or divine soul sorcerers.
Duergar
The Dwarves inhabit the southern areas of the underdark, having broken free of illithid rule after long enslavement. Afterwards, they resumed contact with their dwarven kin and, due to their recent experience with the yuan-ti, the dwarves accepted them back into the fold, as did their gods.
The duergar currently make up two of the seven dwarven kingdoms, though they are an elected monarchy and guided by a powerful priesthood. They rarely travel to the surface. They are responsible for the safety of the of their lands in the underdark, ensuring invaders can’t enter that way and that the various denizens of the underdark don’t threaten the surface.
Their magics are mostly divine with some arcane, rare sorcerers or primal magics.
Yuan-ti
The yuan-ti once ruled an empire covering most of the central and southern areas of the continent. They maintained this empire in a large part due to powerful demon pacts and a large slave population which they also used to maintain trade and peace with the illithid in the underdark. However, the giant-devil alliance sealing away the demons drastically reduced their power and this allowed the dwarves and humans to overthrow their empire.
The remaining yuan-ti hide in remnants of their ancient cities. They are led by a priesthood which rule with an iron fist. The purebloods have managed to infiltrate most levels on human society with the exception of the nobility and the priesthood.
They have an abundance of sorcerers and arcane magics are firmly embraced. They have no divine or primal magics; no rangers, druids, paladins, clerics, or divine soul sorcerers.
Orcs
The orcs inhabit the tundra north of the giant empire. They were originally a tribal barbaric culture but eventually three tribal leaders worked together to conquer and unite the entirety of their people into a single kingdom and had nearly finished construction of their capital city when the giants decided they didn’t want a unified threat to their north and moved in in force and tore down their city, executed their leaders and scattered their people.
The orcs are now tribal raiding groups, angry at the giants for destroying their fledgling kingdom and at the rest of the races for not helping them even though they stood together to help each other. At the same time, they lack a strong leader who can reunite them over the fears of another reprisal from the giants.
They have no arcane magics, and sorcerers are rare, but primal is plentiful and the occasional orc gifted with divine magic is acknowledged as being marked for great things.
Goliath/firbolg
At the end of the war between giants and dragons, the giant declared victory and established their empire. They were, however, weak enough that they were unable to maintain control over their canon fodder, the goliaths and firbolgs. These two groups fled the empire and settled in the forests and mountains in the north east of the continent, north of the elvish lands.
They live as tribal units that each have their own territories and they respect the boundaries, avoiding conflict with each other. Any incursion into their lands by outsiders is met with a unified response of all nearby tribes. Each tribe is led by the strongest warrior who, in turn, is advised by a council of the eldest members of the tribe.
They have a strong presence of both divine and primal magics, but almost no sorcerers and no arcane magics.
Kenku
Formerly near sentient avian creatures gifted with incredible mimicry abilities living in a jungle paradise. Their jungle was destroyed during the war between giants and dragons and both land and creatures were warped by the powerful lingering magics. The kenku gained intelligence and magical aptitude, but at the cost of their wings. They now live in a wasteland scarred by an ancient war.
They do not have a political structure of any kind, individuals form groups which merge and split as resources and needs grow and decline. They do have contact with other races, trading relics and weapons found in the ancient battlefield for trinkets or resources they are interested in.
Nearly all kenku have some level of magical abilities and while primal magics are the most common due to their strong connection with their ancient homeland, but they have picked up all other magics from the other races due to their mimicry abilities. They have adopted a variety of gods from the other races as well.
Ability scores: 10 13 15 17 11 15
Name: Adrie Ilphelkiir
Class: Warlock (Celestial) ((Pact of the Blade))
Race: Wood Elf
Background: (Sage) Frustrated by the answers (Or lack of in her own opinion) as to the the sin that caused the gods to abandon them, Adrie decided to seek them out on her own. During this search, she came across the sight of a great holy power. A unicorn appeared, and spoke before her. Saying that the sins of her ancestors couldn't be undone, but that it could see that she wasn't going to step away from her quest. It offered her power to find those answers, but she'd have to serve him. Adrie agreed, and the Unicorn's horn glowed, before disappearing. She was alone, in a different part of the forest. There was a burning sensation on her cheek, which revealed itself to be a strange mark when she inspected herself in the nearby stream. The biggest change was her bow. It had gone from the simple weapon she had purchased for her own protection, to something more... celestial looking. Even as she saw it, it seemed to fade from her hands. It wasn't long after that the giants appeared and took her captive.
https://ddb.ac/characters/33075495/MWucsC
Name: Bird-Call
Class: Ranger (Hunter)
Race: Kenku
Background: TBD
https://ddb.ac/characters/33148071/7C0t1U
I'd like to roll for gold to buy equipment, but i'll hold off for an answer from the dm.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Ability scores: 12 10 17 11 14 13
Name: Kelihew Zakkustain
Race Dragonborn
Class Paladin
Background: Long ago, when the Dragons lost, Kelihew’s family made an oath, that they would not stop fighting until the giants were defeated. When he was born he was a natural warrior, more athletic and powerful than most other people of his town. He would help the town by slaying most monsters who attacked it. But one day, he made a mistake, he unknowingly attacked a group of monsters allied with the giants, and got his village destroyed and him captured.
Character Sheet: https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/VeloElo/characters/33076048
Ability scores: 15 11 16 14 11 17
https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/33075760/7NmiqE
Name: Nagini
Class: Sorcerer 3
Race: Yuanti Pureblood
Background: Unfortunately due to my skills the giants easily knew how valuable I could be. After watching them wipe out my town, killing everyone I knew before my eyes, they enslaved me and put me to work doing whatever research they had need of me. Until of course I snapped and plunged a dagger into the side of one of them. I always knew my rebellious outlook on life would be the death of me and now I find myself in the arena surrounded by other lessor races that more than likely they will be in my way to gain my freedom. Though maybe a few of them will become friends, if we live through this anyway.
Ability Scores: 15 9 13 10 13 11
Name: Smee
Class: Rogue (-2-) / Bard (-1-)
Race: Goblin
Background: Cook (Arena Slave)
Backstory: Back in the day, Smee was once a popular performer, a real artiste, and a master of the bongos until he insulted someone he shouldn't have and was promptly reassigned to work in the kitchens of the arena as a cook up. He went about the new job right up to the moment that certain someone who he had insulted mysterious died of poisoning. Smee found himself promptly enslaved a sent to the arena with all the rest.
Character Sheet Link: https://ddb.ac/characters/33077218/Gap0ze
Ability scores: Ability scores: 15 15 17 14 13 16
Name: Yeren I'Valonril
Class: Lvl 3 Wizard, School of Transmutation or Chronurgy (If you allow it)
Race: Human
Background: Yeren is dragged into the arena as his giant overlords had heard about how the scrawny man is able to convert one material to another. How he became a slave is a different story. Yeren was part of an adventuring party hunting who attacked Nightstone but what he didn't realise was that the party he was with were criminals who knocked him out, stole his belongings and left him on the Giants doorstep.
Whistler - Lost Mines of Phandelver [Lvl 8 Barbarian] | Cinta Yuliani Lestari - My Island Home [Lvl 3 Fighter] | Shalana - Allansia Wildlands [Lvl 4 Monk] | Roger Durant - Storm King's Thunder [Lvl 8 Monster Hunter] | Rotthran - The Waterdeep Heist [Lvl 5 Thief]
Chronurgy is allowed. Map is not faerun, btw. But I can work names and details in, so feel free to make stuff up.
Ability scores: 11 9 9 15 8 11
will get the rest together shortly... Seriously excited to see this in action after your telling me about it previously...
Name: Nolla Black
Class: Rogue (Scout)
Race: Variant Human
Background: Entertainer.
Backstory:
Nolla is an aspiring minstrel, traveling the border towns and playing her lute as well as singing at taverns, inns, and wherever she could get people to sit still and let her play. When needed she takes work on as a scout for merchants or city militia. Her free spirit though doesn't allow her to stay put too long, and she is soon seeking another town to journey to.
In her travels she came across a black crystal, around the neck of a dead man along one of the roads she was traveling. Moving closer to inspect the body, she touched the crystal and felt something inside reach out to speak to her. A presence entered her mind at that contact, and has spoken to her only a few times through that connection. the crystal was lost long ago, but it was nothing but a hunk of rock ever since she had touched it, the link to whatever was behind the crystal already made inside of Nolla herself.
When she was traveling the lands on the border of the Giant's realm, she was playing in several of the border town, making her way through the area and playing at various taverns as she went. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time though, a raiding party of giants attacked a small village she was staying at, taking many of the inn's occupants prisoner. She was carted off in a wagon with bars, and taken into the giant lands.
During the brief fight when she was captured Nolla shoed the giants how skilled she was with her rapier, daggers, and her light crossbow. She fought like a wildcat, trying to get some of the villagers away to safety. In the end it was not enough to save many, but it did mark her as a warrior to the giants, so she found herself in the arena.
Link:
https://ddb.ac/characters/26238734/UEC9mb
I am fine as you know and easy going!
Whistler - Lost Mines of Phandelver [Lvl 8 Barbarian] | Cinta Yuliani Lestari - My Island Home [Lvl 3 Fighter] | Shalana - Allansia Wildlands [Lvl 4 Monk] | Roger Durant - Storm King's Thunder [Lvl 8 Monster Hunter] | Rotthran - The Waterdeep Heist [Lvl 5 Thief]
Is multiclassing permitted during character setup?
I would prefer one, at most two, at start. You can multiclass later if you’d like, as long as you have a rp reason for it.
Ability scores: Ability scores: 13 11 13 12 13 12
Name: Gregor van Heusen
Class: Monk, level three. https://ddb.ac/characters/32922388/7jVv5D
(held off on starting equipment for the time being)
Race: Human
Background: A minor functionary and groundskeeper at a small temple of Torm located deep in the foothills of a northern mountain range, Gregor van Heusen aspired to the ranks of the clergy before his temple was leveled by a rock slide started by a bored giant. He managed to survive, but with nowhere else to turn, he headed to the city and fell into the underground fighting circuit. Being strong from several years of working the land and living at high altitude, he made a decent living as a fighter, but he never forgot nor forgave the unknown giant that destroyed his home. Simmering rage turned into a reliance on drink, which turned into a way for him to make more money in the ring - by using his drunken antics as a distraction, he was that much more effective as a fighter. Convinced that Torm had abandoned him, he became self reliant and dedicated to two things: mastery of his skills and never being without a bottle. He was on the way to a fight when he was ambushed by several bugbears, manacled, and sold to the slavers of the Arena. When he came to and realized that he was on the way to the Giant's Arena, he figured that this was his way to find the Giant that destroyed his home. All he had to do was survive.
Ability scores: 14 13 10 11 12 14
With those rolls I think I'll let people with better rolls go. It's probably for the best since I have zero experience with Discord and I would probably slow y'all down.
I hope y'all have a great campaign.
Ability scores: 16 10 15 10 16 14
Felix Windfall(Human-V Lv.7 Rogue) killed in ToA, Vallan Houndstrider (Halfling Ghostwise Lv.1 Fighter) in DiAAbility scores: 13 18 14 12 14 13
Name: Zruil Baenre
Race: Half-Elf (Drow) if not allowed then just Drow
Class: Warlock Hexblade
Character Sheet
The son of a great mercenary assassin and Highborn Drow noble, Zuril did not have a choice in his heritage or up bringing, but he knew he always had a choice to be who he wanted. Zuril was bred to be a warrior that keeps Illithid at bay and keep the power of his noble Drow family strong. However he chooses a path different to his kin and heritage. For so long he was forced to try to conform to a society based solely on power, now he finally got away and can be himself. Kind and sensible, with tainted powers he did not choose for himself, Zuril tries to find his place in a cruel world. On his expedition out of his old "home" he was captured by Giants and taken in as a salve, but not without a fight. Ironic how he used to be in charge of slaves and now he is one. Though, He doubts he will be treated with any kindness akin to what he showed his slaves in secret. It seemed he would be used as some form of entertainment due to his formidable skills that showed in his capturing. Drow are well known for their lethal combat prowess, and Zuril was blessed even among the his people.
Drow enthusiast
Lover of lore and magic.
-The White Crow-
Name: Ignatia Fallow
Class: Warlock
Race: Human
Background:
Ignatia was very, very unimpressed with being captured...seriously the last place someone like her belonged was a bloody arena. She missed her books, she missed wine.....gods she missed wine....at least the company was interesting. And if she was telling the truth it was entirely her own fault, another in a series of very bad life choices. Curiosity killed the cat....or in this case deprived the woman of wine...and bacon.....and okra.......who did she have to kill around her for some truffles?
Ability scores: 15 15 16 15 15 12
https://ddb.ac/characters/20591819/ZFESne
Ability scores: 14 14 14 14 16 17
Zavid Forlen
variant human fighter (rune knight if allowed, with a bit of a twist. instead of Giant heritage, it is Draconic. I think it fits the theme perfectly)
Zavid had a hard life. he never knew his father, and his mother was an alcoholic. she used to force him to work to pay for her drink. when he turned six, she sold him to the army. he never saw her again. he lived in the barracks, washing dishes and cleaning to earn his keep. when he was tested for magical aptitude, his rating was off the charts. however, no matter how hard he tried he could not cast the simplest of spells. despite that, he was top of his class. he was deadly with any weapon, but absolutely lethal with a glaive. one day when he was training under a tree, about a mile from camp, a man approached him. at first Zavid was surprised, but he quickly calmed. the man told Zavid that he was his father. now that David had come of age, it was time to reveal his gift. then the man transformed. no longer was a man in front of him, but a massive, vaguely draconic, beast. it explained that it was an ancient warrior. a breed of dragon bred to fight giants. because Zavid was half human, his power would not be so immense, but he could make up for that with his weapon skills. however. Zavid's father explained to him that if anyone found out about this, they would kill him. his kind were nearly extinct, as the giants had hunted and killed them before they became a threat. he taught Zavid the ancient runes of his people so that he would be able to protect himself. then he left. Zavid, dumbstruck by his newfound abilities, practiced at every chance he got. however, he was not careful enough.when he was practicing his runes, he was caught by he city guard and charged with unlicensed wizardry. he was lucky that they had not caught him in his warrior form, or they would have killed him, but instead they sent him to the games where he would come face to face with the enemy he had been born to destroy....
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/GoodBovine/characters/33090965
I am familiar with discord and I have some experience with avrae. I can easily check in multiple times a day
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
Ability scores: 14 17 16 14 18 17
Name: Tlear
Class: Shadow Monk
Race: Wood elf
Background: Criminal
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Spiderwrangler/characters/33091301
Tlear grew up in a small elven enclave, his family not starving, but needing to occasionally resort to less than honest work to make ends meet. His aunt was skilled in combat, and took him on as a student, which is where he learned to strike swift and sure... ideally without being seen.
His youth primed him for a life is thieving once he left his home, occasionally taking up with bandits and thieves' guilds, as needed. An associate of an associate took him on for a heist job on a giants manor house... But it didn't go well. Someone sold them out, and the mark was ready for them.
After capture, he was sold into slavery, and the arena seems like his best chance to get out...
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Ability scores: 14 12 12 15 10 11
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/nschrock/characters/33144712
Belvoril studied hard as a young man, and worked hard too. He was good with his hands, and several tools became his bread and butter. Skill turned to real success when he picked artificing. A prized ability in the Alliance of dwarves and humans, it set him up in the Northern regions for a life of luxury. Or it would have if the goblins hadn’t taken everything from him. Belvoril isn’t sure if anyone else was taken or even alive. But he knows he was targeted specifically, based on the negotiating price between the goblins and a slaver giant. Another giant had stepped in at that point and offered a great deal more saying he had something special in mind for Belvoril.
Paladin - warforged - orange