[OOC] D&D 5E - Forgotten Realms

Welcome to Waterdeep

This campaign will initially originate within this City of Splendors, but will eventually traverse the many expanses of the Forgotten Realms.

We will be utilizing the 5e rule set, starting at 5th level. Stats will be fettered to a 20 point buy. No magic items at the start, but will be rife throughout this homebrew. You can have any starting non-magical gear you desire (just remember encumberance) plus an additional 250 gold.

Any and all races, alignments, and Unearthed Arcana are allowed, but the CS, in its entirety, must be approved by moi.

Character sheets are to be made using mythweaver and PM'ed to me. Once approved, please post the CS url link in the interest check below.

For maps, I am still anguishing which best visual method to employ.

Combat will be mostly conducted in the OOC, but you can always summarize your action in a post, if you so choose, for literary flava flav. IC posts can span a few lines to multiple paragraphs, if ye so desire, but I do request that once every 1-5 days (out of combat), one either posts in the IC, or just explain what your character is doing in a particular encounter in the OOC, if you are not able to do so. In specific encounters, I may be firm and require a strict IC post (mostly for verbal exchanges), before advancing our tale.

Ideally, once we have finalized a total of 6-8 players, including my co-DM, @JBRam2002, I will start the IC.

Anything else? Just submit your inquiries, complaints, or comments below.

See the previous interest check for further details.

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If your character has been approved and you feel comfortable posting it in the Characters tab, please do so.

We are going to start out at level 5, so your backstory can be designed with that in mind, but keep it purposefully hidden from the other PCs. With that limitation in mind, feel free to have an extensive backstory; I WILL incorporate your backstory and make it relevant to our campaign. If you don't want to write much, then we will just tie you in with forward progression instead of backstory integration.

Maps will vary from Theater of the Mind to Roll20 constructions.

To flesh out your character, please PM me any or all of these answers (or not, and munch on them while we progress through the campaign) with a brief concept (minimum of 1-3 lines) of your backstory. These questions serve to help flesh out your character to me.

How old is your character?
What would somebody see at first glance (i.e. height, weight, skin color, eye color, hair color, physique, race, and visible equipment)?
Does your character have any significant personal items?
What additional attributes would be noticed upon meeting the character (i.e. speech, mannerisms)?
Does your character have any personality quirks (i.e. anti-social, arrogant, optimistic, paranoid)?
Does your character have any distinguishing marks (birth-marks, scars, deformities)?
Where was your character born? Where were you raised? By who?
Are your parents still alive? If one or both of your parents are dead when and how did they die?
Do you have any siblings? Have any of them are alive? What do your siblings do? If any siblings have died, how?
Is your character married? Does your character have children?
What social class is your character from?
How has their upbringing affected their world view? How did your character get started in their chosen class?
Does your character have any heroes or inspirational figures?
Is your character religious? Is your character guided by a prophecy? What is your character’s view on magic?
Has your character ever served in the military? Has your character ever been arrested? What for?
How did your character arrive in Waterdeep?
Has your character ever crossed anyone? Does your character have any enemies?
What are your character’s goals in life? How important is the accumulation of wealth?
If your character died tomorrow what would they be remembered for?
Where did your character learn or train their skills?
Why does your character adventure? How does your character view his/her role as an adventurer?
How does your character get along with others?
Is there anything that your character hates? Is there anything that your character fears?

[Gordian Nought]

The campaign is starting in Waterdeep, as you all well know. It doesn't have to remain there; that's entirely up to you. There is a lot of writing about this setting and I thought it might be helpful for you all if I clarified where in the history of the Sword Coast we will be.

* The year is 1370 DR.
* Mystra is the goddess of magic, and she is very much alive.
* Piergeiron the Paladinson is the Open Lord of Waterdeep.

If anyone wants anything else clarified, let me know.

[Gordian Nought]

Recent Events:

Each of you savored a happenstance with a very old man within the last week. Some met him in a bar and shared a few drinks together; others encountered him while traveling to Waterdeep. You all nursed a similar conversation discussing primarily your adventures, and he seemed genuinely interested. He appeared very unassuming and rather harmless but tactfully steered the conversation away from himself, if questioned.

[Gordian Nought]

Any ?s or further requests on anyone's character sheet? Fire away.

Also here are two SRD price lists for potions and scrolls. These are blatantly stolen from 3.5 but for the most part should be equivalent; only spells that share 5E counterparts are allowed.

dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Potions

dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:scrolls

I'm a broken record. Just to be clear; please no backstory via META unless actually revealed in the IC.

[Gordian Nought]

Anything else I'm missing before we start this shindig, @JBRam2002?

[JBRam2002]

Anything else I'm missing before we start this shindig, @JBRam2002?

@Gordian Nought

Starting gear perhaps, although it may have been mentioned elsewhere. We start with 250 gp and unlimited mundane items you can carry. Potions do not count as mundane. If you so choose, you may also have a mount, but the mount must be okay'd by Gordi. I would also point out that mounts require animal handling checks for a lot of things and should not be purchased solely as a force multiplier. Mounts typically refuse to enter obviously dangerous areas, and untrained mounts usually will not attack a dangerous unless you command as an action and succeed an animal handling check. They are best used for travel.

[Gordian Nought]

Yes. After the first post, many will realize the folly of such an investment.

[JBRam2002]

Attention friendos!

Gordi has decided that for the first 5 levels will grant us maximum HP. After that, when we level up, we follow the following rules:

You must roll for your HP according to the hit dice for your class. You may choose to reroll once, but if you do so, you MUST take the second number, even if lower. All HP rolls should be in a place where the DM can verify them (either on Discord or in the RPGuild dice roller).

[Gordian Nought]

Greetings, again! Just another morsel to much on.

Short recovery rest will take an hour. You can spend Hit Die on short and long rests. But...

How would we feel if long rests only rejuvenated half your Hit Die and not your HP?

The rule would be literally thus:

Characters can regain half their HD or equal to their proficiency bonus whichever is higher, rounded down, on completing a long rest, 8 hours.

Remember, potions are available in the city.

Please tally your response below. Thanks and Mods bless.

[rush99999]

How would we feel if long rests only rejuvenated half your Hit Die and not your HP?

@Gordian Nought

I am against this.

[Gordian Nought]

That settles that. :)

[JBRam2002]

Greetings, again! Just another morsel to much on.

Short recovery rest will take an hour. You can spend Hit Die on short and long rests. But...

How would we feel if long rests only rejuvenated half your Hit Die and not your HP?

The rule would be literally thus:

Characters can regain half their HD or equal to their proficiency bonus whichever is higher, rounded down, on completing a long rest, 8 hours.

Remember, potions are available in the city.

Please tally your response below. Thanks and Mods bless.

@Gordian Nought

Personally, I think the resting mechanics in 5e are way too lenient. There's almost no danger and no wound that a good night's sleep can't fix. A 250 HP barbarian gets KO'd? Ah, just rest it off and you're back to full health. There is zero realism with this method.

I would prefer this modification, and have used it in my own games before. It instills a sense of danger and requires the party to be cautious instead of always charging face-first into danger. However, it also requires the DM to recognize this, and to make healing options more readily available.

[Gordian Nought]

Since the party is split on this future mechanic, we take it to a majority wins consensus.

So... Everyone place your bets.

[rush99999]

There is zero realism with this method.

@JBRam2002

Realism left when magic and non-humans became a thing.

[JBRam2002]

<Snipped quote by JBRam2002>

Realism left when magic and non-humans became a thing.

@rush99999

This is true, which is why I'm glad we aren't using Pathfinder's method of gaining only your level in HP on a long rest. 5 HP when your max is 65? Takes a while to rest up from that.

[Gordian Nought]

What would you like to do/know, @The Large Dumbo?

[Gordian Nought]

@Rush99999

Ivestigation - 18.

You glean a breeze, from below and above, but senses are not able to decipher where.

[Daemanis]

Initiative roll for Cerise Rose
1d20= (20)+1 = 21

[Gordian Nought]

@Daemanis

An ocean of pale tide fills your vision, but is not wet to the touch, but warm and inviting. As you toss slightly from your position, a small cadre of pipes fill each of your antecubital fossas, exsanguinating your slightly shriveled biceps. Adorning your umbilicus is a verdant stone shimmering through your white gown. To your horror, shadows loom over the blanche curtain to your stony makeshift bed. You instinctively bolt, wings fluttering away from the booming greeting into a dimlit room, housing two strangers.

One with magical blade in hand, but smaller to the smiling Goliath, weaponless, 15 feet away.

[Gordian Nought]

@Daemanis

Stealth - 7.
Passive Perception - 15.

Ducts of plasma appear to rise to a heightened mesa, covered with a dark cloth. In the center of the room, its position and dressing limits the exposure to stray light.

You do not sense any breeze.

[Gordian Nought]

Moving forward, recall, that each PC has only one Level of Exhaustion but as Hit Points halved, not at Level 1 which is ability checks at disadvantage. Remember that Exhaustion Effects are thus:

Level Effect
1 Disadvantage on Ability Checks
2 Speed halved
3 Disadvantage on Attack rolls and saving throws
4 Hit point maximum halved
5 Speed reduced to 0
6 Death

I am just instituting this variant without the detriment of the other components to allow skills to shine since currently no one has gear.