[OOC] Gaia Frontier (5e)

[Guy0fV4lor]

PALIBRO HATH RETURNETH

[Lucius Cypher]

I’ll try to post something when I stop being a lazy tart.

[Vega7]

Application time! I think I did it all right.

Gandin Ordove

Name: Gandin Ordove
Race: Half-elf
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Appearance:

Appearance

He disguises himself as a human exceptionally well.

Level: 0
Proficiency: +1
Health: 2
Stats:
Strength - 10 (+0)
Dexterity - 13 (+1)
Constitution - 13 (+1)
Intelligence - 12 (+1)
Wisdom - 12 (+1)
Charisma - 17 (+3)

Proficient Skills: Stealth (+2), History (+2), Deception (+4), Intimidation (+4)
Proficient Tools: Disguise kit, forgery kit
Traits:

• Racial Abilities -
  
  *Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
  
  *Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
  
  *Skill Versatility: You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.
• Background Abilities -
  
  *Secret Identity: You have created a secret identity that you use to conceal your true race. In addition, you can forge documents, including official papers and personal letters, as long as you have seen an example of the kind of document or the handwriting you are trying to copy.
• Languages - Common, Elvish, and Dwarvish.

Abilities: None

Inventory: A disguise kit, a forgery kit, some commoner clothes, a belt pouch, and five gp.

Background: Gandin was born to a human nobleman named Garrote Ordove and an elf named Faera. Faera was a capable huntress and warrior and managed to work her way, after a couple years, into the position of the Protector of Garrote. Being so close to the nobleman, constantly accompanying him, and their mutual attraction led to the inevitable; a half-elf child. At this point, Garrote already had one son, named Rolland. However, the mother had died, and as such Garrote remarried to Faera. Rolland remained next in line of succession, but Garrote quickly began to spoil the young Gandin.

Faera turned from Protector to a mother in addition and began educating him what the humans could not, namely Elvish and Dwarvish, though she never spoke of her home or her past in any detail. Garrote's choice of mentors taught Gandin the history of their people and Common. They taught him manners, etiquette. They taught him how to speak in a way befitting his status. This was all around the age of seven or eight. That was when something terrible happened.

One night, Rolland went to talk to his step-mother Faera, mostly to ask her if she would be willing to divulge her past to him, when a group of eight elves broke into the room, the guards outside already dead. Rolland, heavily outnumbered, took a heavy beating. Faera, despite her vicious skills, could not beat them, and, according to Rolland later, didn't put up as much a fight as he believed she could have. They took Faera alive and escaped without losing any of their own.

Garrote grew bitter in the time that followed, and he began to believe that Faera had planned it, that the elves were an extraction force meant to bring her back to the home that no one seemed to know about. Garrote believed that she had tired of him, and, as he believed elves are wont to do, decided to move on. In the following years, he banned Gandin from talking in Elvish, wearing the half-elven clothes Faera had made for the young boy, and talking to any elves. When Garrote spoke of Faera, he always spoke of her flaws, how she had secretly hated him and used him for his wealth. Garrote quickly began to favor Rolland, abandoning most of Gandin's mentoring and outright disallowing any lessons that could possibly put elves in a positive light.

 Gandin, easily impressionable at his age, took to it quickly. He became ashamed of his half-elven heritage. He took measures to appear more human to ithers, from growing facial hair to dropping all usage of Elvish slang to avoiding elves and half-elves to even changing his graceful movements towards more human-typical gracelessness. Subconsciously, however, since he still remembered his mother with a little fondness, he began to resent Garrote and the way he spoke of Faera. It didn't help that, even though Gandin tried to be the human son Garrote wanted, he simply couldn't change himself like that, so Garrote increasingly avoided him in favor of Rolland and began growing almost actively spiteful towards Gandin, who he saw as a reminder of Faera. By the age of 26, Gandin had enough. Rolland was the senior child and also a human pureblood, meaning Gandin would never surpass him, and his education had stuttered to a stop, leaving him as unable to defend himself and care for himself as one of the higher up servants of Garrote. So Gandin took what money he could from his father and spent it all traveling far away. Gandin still did everything he had done before to impress his father, but now also was angry with his father, leaving him alone in the world. Only Rolland had been sympathetic, but he hadn't dared endanger his position close to Garrote. A year later, and, now with some worldly knowledge under his belt, he has arrived at Gaia's Frontier.

[Lucius Cypher]

@Vega7

Not bad at all. Only problem is that you seem to have forgotten your half-elf ability score bonuses, which is +2 to Charisma and two floating +1 that can go into any stat once sans charisma. So with your current set up you’ll have 17 charisma and at least two stats up by one. Here is a little online ability score calculator to help you figure out your stats.

[Vega7]

@Lucius Cypher

Oops, you are completely right. I actually did use that calculator, I just forgot to look at the total score instead of the base ability score when I finished. It's fixed now.

[Lucius Cypher]

@Vega7

Don't forget that now that your charisma is a +3, your Deception and Intimidation goes up to a +4. aside from that everything is good to go.

[Vega7]

@Lucius Cypher

Oops, my mistakw. I fixed that too. I'll go ahead and put it in the character tab.

[Rabidporcupine]

Don't suppose there's room for a new fella, is there? I've been kicking around the idea of Urist McUrist, worlds tallest dwarf! Except he's actually just a human who was raised by dwarves, and either doesn't realise or refuses to accept it.

[Searat]

Welcome, rabid one.
I see no issue there but its up to @Lucius Cypher though.

[Lucius Cypher]

@Rabidporcupine

Make a sheet and I shall cast my EYE OF JUDGEMENT upon ye. Just the one eye, I’m having surgery on the other.

[Rabidporcupine]

@Searat
Cool, thanks! I should mention though that this will probably be my first proper serious DnD campaign, because usually me and my friends are kinda laid back rule wise. Combine that with me being kinda dumb in general, and I may end up making a few mistakes every now and then, so I just wanna apologise in advance, and make sure you realise I'm not actively disobeying the rules, and am instead just getting them wrong by accident.

[Lucius Cypher]

@Rabidporcupine
My EYE OF JUDGEMENT shall judge you accordingly.

[Rabidporcupine]

@Lucius Cypher

Ok, here's Urist. I'm pretty sure I didn't screw it up, but if I did get something wrong, just let me know and I'll fix it.

Urist McAglam, worlds tallest dwarf!

Name:
Urist McAglam

Race:
Human

Age:
Twenty-one

Gender:
Male

Appearance:
Just... Just try to ignore the fact that it's Thomas the Tank Engine fanart... It fit the aesthetic I wanted too well to pass up...


Level: 0

Proficiency: +1

Health: 4 HP

Stats:
Strength - 16 (+3)
Dexterity - 11 (+0)
Constitution - 16 (+3)
Intelligence - 9 (-1)
Wisdom - 11 (+0)
Charisma - 14 (+2)

Proficient Skills:
- History
- Insight

Proficient Tools:
Smith's tools

Traits:
Languages: Urist can speak, read and write Common, Undercommon and Dwarvish.
Feature: Respect of the Stout Folk
As well respected as clan crafters are among outsiders, no one esteems them quite so highly as dwarves do. You always have free room and board in any place where shield dwarves or gold dwarves dwell, and the individuals in such a settlement might vie among themselves to determine who can offer you (and possibly your compatriots) the finest accommodations and assistance.

Abilities:
N/A

Inventory:
Smith's tools, a maker's mark chisel used to mark your handiwork with the symbol of the clan of crafters you learned your skill from, a set of traveler's clothes, and a pouch containing 5 gp and a gem worth 10 gp

Background:
Clan Crafter
Urist McAglam is, in his eyes, the world's tallest dwarf. And why wouldn't he be? Sure, he may be physically human, but all he'd even known up to the age of nineteen had been the tunnels and caverns of his own home colony of Lharfaern, not far from the frontier. When he was a mere infant, barely even able to move, a group of miners found him grumpily trying and failing to crawl through the bowels of the earth, with little to suggest how he could possibly have gotten there. After a brief search of the area turned up no new information, the miners decided to take the boy to the town hall, knowing that their mayor would want to know about the boy before in case it turned out important. While the mayor was fairly concerned that the presence of a parentless baby in one of their mines might sour relations with the humans of the nearby settlements, nothing came of it in the end, and the question of what to do with the child was brought up. It was then that one of the older dwarves in the settlement, a well known and respected blacksmith named Vhandam chimed in, claiming that he had been thinking it was about time to start looking for an apprentice. While many others complained, more than a few of them having hoped to become his apprentice themselves, he had already made up his mind, and so the knewly named Urist McAglam was placed in the care of the legendary smith.

While Vhandam was never what one might call a 'brilliant parent', he proved to be quite a capable mentor. Even while he was learning to talk, Urist was slowly learning the ins and outs of the forge, and of weapons. When other children of his race would just be learning not to stick their hands in the hearth, he was being taught nearly the complete opposite, and being shown how to safely handle white hot metal. Of course, it was slow going, and there were more than a few heated arguments between the two, but it was clear that the idea of teaching Urist from pretty much day one was working. After about fifteen years of spending around half his day devoting himself to metalsmithing, he was beginning to reach a level of talent rare among people his age.

However, this led to a new problem. Thanks in no small part to his friendship with the other children of the settlement, along with the tendency of all dwarves to revel in the stories of their ancestors and their exploits, Urist began to develop a small obsession with the idea of creating the weapon of the next great dwarvish hero. One that, as he often put it, would 'forge destiny'. While Vhandam didn't exactly see this as a goal to be discouraged, it meant the boy was beginning to ignore their other, more mundane duties, such as the forging of hoes for the farms, and even the heads of the pickaxes that form the very backbone of their culture! It was at this point that, deciding a change of pace might be in order anyway, Vhandam started taking Urist out of the workshop every now and then to see the results of their handy work in person. This included quite a few visits to the ever growing mine networks, and a few less than subtle reminders that, without things like pickaxes, there could be no great dwarvish cities, nor could there be blacksmiths, for that matter. And while the message was about as subtle as a cave in, and frequently led to no shortage of grumbling from the boy, he eventually came around to the old mans way of thinking. It was only a few years later that Vhandam surprised Urist with another phase of his training.

Leave.

Vhandam told Urist that, while he was progressing about as fast as he could hope for from some 'annoying human brat', his skills would only stutter to a halt if he only stayed in the one colony all his life. Therefore, he was to leave and travel the land, learning what he could from other masters, and how it might also benefit him to spend some time amongst his own kind. However, he chuckled and corrected himself a moment later, explaining that he could hardly say that when he couldn't even consider Urist anything other than an unusually tall dwarf at this point. As Urist began to get his things together to leave, many of the other dwarves he had grown up with amongst to bid him farewell, making sure he would remember to 'come back home as soon as he could'. These, along with everything he had learnt growing up in Lharfaern, were what pushed him over the edge, and where before he had felt like he was still something of an outsider, he now found he considered himself more a dwarf than a human.

And so, Urist McAglam, the worlds tallest dwarf, left his home in search of a new place to settle down and continue to master his trade. And hey, where better than that frontier town Vhandam recommended? It had a nice big temple to Crugh, it was one of the closer settlements to Lharfaern, at least comparitively, and he was sure he'd find many a master who could teach him their own tricks of the trade. The chance to have a little more adventure than usual and make a bunch of new friends while doing it wouldn't hurt either!

Yeah, that place might do nicely...

[Vapor]

Been wanting to get into a 5e game.

Got some reading to do, looks like...

[Lucius Cypher]

@Rabidporcupine

Looks good, accepted. Welcome to the game.

@Vapor

Make a CS and my EYES OF JUDGEMENT (the other one healed up) shall decide if you are worthy.

[Vapor]

@Lucius Cypher

Two questions.

1) The opening states that the players are commoners, but the Noble background is there. I'm thinking a noble from a recently scandalized family looking to clean up their name, possibly? I also might go for an Urchin, dunno yet.

2) I'm a little unclear on religions of the area. Grugh is a thing, but what about other gods?

[Lucius Cypher]

@Vapor

You’re a commoner in terms of class. Even if you’re of noble background, you don’t have any benefits of a class, such as a hitdie or any particular proficiencies aside from what you get from your race and background.

The other gods exist, Grugh is simply the current dominate church of the Frontier Town. By no means is he the only dominate god in the area of country.

[Vapor]

@Lucius Cypher

Here's an attempt.

Hider

Name: Alucio Aversano
Race: Human (Variant)
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Appearance:

In armor

Level: 0
Proficiency: +1
Health: 3

Stats:
Strength - 16
Dexterity - 10
Constitution - 12
Intelligence - 11
Wisdom - 8
Charisma - 16

Proficient Skills: History (+1), Persuasion(+4), Religion(+1)

Proficient Tools: Chess Set(Tools you're specifically proficient with, such as artisan tools, instruments, or vehicles like carts or boats. Do not include weapons or armor here. Because the exact stat that determines these proficiency can vary on the circumstance, don't add a modifer either. It will just be assumed it's your own proficiency plus whatever relevant stat.)

Traits (This involves your Racial Abilities, Background Abilities, and Languages)

Racial Abilities (Human Variant:
+1 in two abilities of your choice (Strength and Charisma)
Proficiency in one skill (Religion)
One feat (Inspiring Leader)

Background Abilities:
Retainers: You have the service of three retainers loyal to your family. These retainers can be attendants or messengers, and one might be a majordomo. Your retainers are commoners who can perform mundane tasks for you, but they do not fight for you, will not follow you into obviously dangerous areas (such as dungeons), and will leave if they are frequently endangered or abused.

Languages:
Common (Human)
Draconic (Noble)
Elvish (Human)

Abilities: None yet because I'm level 0.

Feats:
Inspiring Leader: You can spend 10 minutes inspiring your companions, shoring up their resolve to fight. When you do so, choose six friendly creatures within 30 feet of you who can see or hear you and who can understand you. Each creature can gain temporary hit points equal to your level + your charisma modifier.

Inventory:
Fine Clothes
A signet Ring
Scroll of Pedigree
A purse containing 25gp

Background:

Alucio was born the 8th child of the noble house Aversano within the Varjik Kingdom. He had 4 older brothers and 3 older brothers; as such, he was unlikely to inherit any major land or titles. As such, he had little in the way of a future (for a noble, anyway) and so didn't think too hard on it. He buried himself in his studies, and eventually came across tales from the Age of Heroes, tales of great heroes and heroic deeds; of daring rescues and epic romance.

He became enamored with these stories, and continued to read them for all his life. He swore to everyone who would listen that he would serve as a noble warrior of Herioneous, god of chivalry and valor, said to be the patron diety of their entire kingdom. His insistence on seeing the world as such a fairy tale place was more than a little annoying even to his friends and family.

One night on an errand, Alucio came across a sorceress being attacked by a group of street thugs, and jumped into the fray to help her... only to be beaten back and needing rescuing from the sorceress himself. The woman was a tiefling, a woman with an infernal bloodline. She was a deep sapphire blue, with a pointed tail and curled horns like a ram. The scar above her left eye gave her the appearance of a constant raised eyebrow, and her powers ran through her veins in a wild frenzy. Unfortunately, said wild magic ended up causing her massive problems, and Alucio was able to take her to his family's home to recuperate.

After the incident, Damaria and Alucio became fast friends. Alucio's desire to serve justice and righteousness was so simple and forthright as to be endearing to the young woman, so used to liars and scoundrels. Alucio, in his turn, admired Damaria's ambitions; she wanted nothing less than arcane godhood, and she was not shy about this fact. Damaria, in her turn, found his forthright and honest nature endearing; she was so used to liars and scoundrels that a man who wanted nothing more than to serve and fight for justice was a welcome surprise.

However, his desire to be her hero made him gullible and easy to manipulate. The tiefling woman was able to manipulate him into allowing her into the inner sanctums of his home, and to abscond with certain tomes of mighty power.

Though he felt hurt and betrayed, he was also certain that their friendship had not been a lie. He implored his father and mother for a chance to make things right. To find Damaria and convince her to return the tomes. His family allowed it, and so Alucio set out to find Damaria, determined to make himself into a great hero. He would turn her from her wicked ways to the path of justice and light, and make right his error.

He was not the only one sent searching for her, however. Unbeknownst to Alucio, Lord and Lady Aversano sent other noble knights who served their house with their own mission: Find Damaria and kill her for her crimes against the family. Alucio was a naieve and foolish child, too caught up in dreams of heroes and great causes to know irredeemable evil when he saw it.

Alucio, however, had one clue they did not: Damaria had always talked of her endless appetite for the new and the exciting. She had, at one point, mentioned offhand about how one could find unimaginable power out on the frontier of the world, if one had the ambition and will to go.

And so he traveled to the frontier, his request always the same: Any information on a short tiefling woman with sapphire skin and a scar above her left eye.

This time, he would save her and do good.

[Lucius Cypher]

@Vapor

Looks good matey. Accepted. Been a while since I updated the IC, so I'll get right on that. Might move things onto the next day too just so we can more easily segue you fellahs into the plot.

[Searat]

Noted, GM.