D&D Isekai: Render Unto Them A New World

[Lewascan2]

Hrmm, I might actually rock up a paladin. I have an unusued CS for one that I could probably pretty easily convert into whatever CS structure this RP ends up using. I think that and my Wizard are my two most prepped characters.

So, Half-Elf Paladin, Reborn Wizard, or ??? Cleric is the way I'm thinking. I've already got several faceclaims I'm waffling between for the Paladin (or Cleric for one tbh, because both are armored), and I could hunt down something for the Wizard or actually try and use a hand drawn image I've got lying around for the concept somewhere.

Necromancer Wizard

Potential Paladin/Cleric

So, along with that, we probably got so far a Human or Elf Djinni Warlock, a Fairy Sorcerer, and an unknown race Artificer, a Human or Elf of unknown class, and one more unknown. Hype. :)

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

I think I might go with Human for sure with my character.

Here's what I have for appearance so far...

Confused Warlock is confused

Come forth Djinni!

[Lewascan2]

Alright, so as we aren't using stats, I have a question. We are using levels to determine Abilities, Spells and Proficiencies, but I know some abilities are determined by stats. Like, Wizards. A fair chunk of their spell list is determined by their INT modifier; that is, how many spells they can have prepared (their level + INT modifier). And there's some other abilities of other classes that depend on a modifier to determine uses, like a Paladin's Divine Sense. So, how should we handle that?

[Crimson Flame]

[Lewascan2]

Alright, so a thought occurs: do we want any of our PCs to already know each-other pre-Isekai, or is this a full gathering of strangers? It occurs to me partially because I feel like most people don’t go to an amusement park alone. Being that such a place is where we all quite tragically died (lel, technically perished in the hospital, but tomaytoe tomahtoe), I figure there’s good odds we might have some existing PC relationships. The potential is certainly there for the interested anyway. XD

[Crimson Flame]

I would prefer our group be friends before Isekai. Or at least know each other. I love preestablished relationships.

[CaptainManbeard]

Alright, so as we aren't using stats, I have a question. We are using levels to determine Abilities, Spells and Proficiencies, but I know some abilities are determined by stats. Like, Wizards. A fair chunk of their spell list is determined by their INT modifier; that is, how many spells they can have prepared (their level + INT modifier). And there's some other abilities of other classes that depend on a modifier to determine uses, like a Paladin's Divine Sense. So, how should we handle that?

@Lewascan2

I haven't had a chance yet to work out the specifics, but I was thinking of the Conduits having memories stored in them kind of like Jedi Holocrons. Instead of detailing that out for every single class, I'm just going to do it for the classes we end up playing at the start of the RP and I'll probably simplify Abilities, Spells, and Proficiencies into a range of similar effects or something. We'll see.

[Lewascan2]

I would prefer our group be friends before Isekai. Or at least know each other. I love preestablished relationships.

@Crimson Flame

Lol, tbh, that's probably for the best with a necromancer in the party. It's easier to look less sketchy as fuck if you've got a preexisting good rapport with some of the party.

On a side somewhat related note, I have plans for Malcer (said necromancer) to have some of those rare Wizard healing spells in his repertoire, so he can pull some healer shenanigans later on if we don't have any other reliable methods like Healing Potions for days. Might consider a Healer's Kit specialty. XD

[CaptainManbeard]

Also, the amusement park idea was inspired by the old D&D cartoon from the 80s XD.

[Lewascan2]

I haven't had a chance yet to work out the specifics, but I was thinking of the Conduits having memories stored in them kind of like Jedi Holocrons. Instead of detailing that out for every single class, I'm just going to do it for the classes we end up playing at the start of the RP and I'll probably simplify Abilities, Spells, and Proficiencies into a range of similar effects or something. We'll see.

@CaptainManbeard

At least for the Wizard's part, I was basically planning on him treating his Conduit (which is probably a Grimoire) like when a Wizard acquires another's spellbook. Except it's also his simultaneously. So, he's learning how to Wizard from it like an accelerated course. Like a normal Wizard, he's got to study it actively and be academic about how he increases in capability, learning about the Weave in a more personal sense and how to tweak it by mathing at the universe so hard it bends over. As Wizards do. XD

[CaptainManbeard]

<Snipped quote by CaptainManbeard>

At least for the Wizard's part, I was basically planning on him treating his Conduit (which is probably a Grimoire) like when a Wizard acquires another's spellbook. Except it's also his simultaneously. So, he's learning how to Wizard from it like an accelerated course. Like a normal Wizard, he's got to study it actively and be academic about how he increases in capability, learning about the Weave in a more personal sense and how to tweak it by mathing at the universe so hard it bends over. As Wizards do. XD

@Lewascan2

You could say at the beginning, the book has mostly blank pages and then the invisible ink gradually reveals itself as he levels up. Or maybe the book just magically grows new pages as he unlocks new spells from the grimoire or learns them from out in the world and copies the script. Also, feel free to spread your wings a little with magical abilities, since we're ending up with a little more freeform approach, I'm not gonna force anyone into the confines of any one class. For my evil wizard guy I was considering, I may fuse elements of Warlock into him as well and give his grimoire a living eye on the cover or something. We'll see.

[Lewascan2]

<Snipped quote by Lewascan2>

You could say at the beginning, the book has mostly blank pages and then the invisible ink gradually reveals itself as he levels up. Or maybe the book just magically grows new pages as he unlocks new spells from the grimoire or learns them from out in the world and copies the script. Also, feel free to spread your wings a little with magical abilities, since we're ending up with a little more freeform approach, I'm not gonna force anyone into the confines of any one class. For my evil wizard guy I was considering, I may fuse elements of Warlock into him as well and give his grimoire a living eye on the cover or something. We'll see.

@CaptainManbeard

One way I also imagined it manifesting is that he's got all this blank space to fill up and does so himself. Like, consider that the first (highly expansive) part of the book is dedicated to education and walks you through everything you need to know one chapter at a time, and then when he learns stuff, it's up to him to actually successfully craft the spells and add them to his capabilities in the ever-growing spells section that takes up the rest of the book (and probably just grows new pages when needed). Depending on how intuitive this is, I assume the PCs all get a "starter boost", so he probably has a few spells he already knows right out the gate maybe, but going forward, most of the work is on his shoulders to actually be dedicated to the path of the Wizard. And yeah, with that go ahead, I think I'm definitely going to spread out his abilities to have him use necromancy for healing whenever he isn't poking the secrets to conventional healing magic. :)

[CaptainManbeard]

<Snipped quote by CaptainManbeard>

One way I also imagined it manifesting is that he's got all this blank space to fill up and does so himself. Like, consider that the first (highly expansive) part of the book is dedicated to education and walks you through everything you need to know one chapter at a time, and then when he learns stuff, it's up to him to actually successfully craft the spells and add them to his capabilities in the ever-growing spells section that takes up the rest of the book (and probably just grows new pages when needed). Depending on how intuitive this is, I assume the PCs all get a "starter boost", so he probably has a few spells he already knows right out the gate maybe, but going forward, most of the work is on his shoulders to actually be dedicated to the path of the Wizard. And yeah, with that go ahead, I think I'm definitely going to spread out his abilities to have him use necromancy for healing whenever he isn't poking the secrets to conventional healing magic. :)

@Lewascan2

Hmmm... To give them a little bit of that "starter boost" you mentioned, I'm thinking maybe we rework the initial origin idea some. Hmmm... Maybe the day before our characters go to Six Flags, they are checking out a mysterious old antique shop and are drawn to the items that become their Soul Conduits. The old shopkeeper is like "interesting that you should choose these items in particular..." That night, they each have a dream of their Soul Conduits' previous owners first learning about their own abilities, though they initially forget this shortly after waking.

Later that day, they are at Six Flags and go on the roller coaster and get Isekai'd like previous discussed. While they are flying through the tunnel of lights, they each notice their Soul Conduit materialize next to them in transit. They crash down onto the beach outside a small fishing village and suddenly recall the dreams they all had the previous night, which gives them a slight bit of knowledge about their new abilities.

In this new origin idea, they start out with no idea how the items got to Earth, but they suspect the shopkeeper must have known more than he let on. Perhaps some of them believe the items marked them for death. With no idea where they are (beyond the information learned from the dreams), they head into the village and try to formulate some kind of plan what to do. Similar to the Wizard of Oz plot, perhaps there is some great wise sage a few towns over who is said to discern peoples' destinies. Perhaps they decide to head there first to see if they can learn more about their situation.

What do you think?

[Lewascan2]

Hmmm... To give them a little bit of that "starter boost" you mentioned, I'm thinking maybe we rework the initial origin idea some. Hmmm... Maybe the day before our characters go to Six Flags, they are checking out a mysterious old antique shop and are drawn to the items that become their Soul Conduits. The old shopkeeper is like "interesting that you should choose these items in particular..." That night, they each have a dream of their Soul Conduits' previous owners first learning about their own abilities, though they initially forget this shortly after waking.

@CaptainManbeard

Lmao, the mysterious shopkeeper and their store of sus items is a trope I forgot I liked so much. Really brings me back. I definitely like the "dream training" as a way to explain their initial leg up, given they got a crash course.

<Snipped quote by Lewascan2>
Later that day, they are at Six Flags and go on the roller coaster and get Isekai'd like previous discussed. While they are flying through the tunnel of lights, they each notice their Soul Conduit materialize next to them in transit. They crash down onto the beach outside a small fishing village and suddenly recall the dreams they all had the previous night, which gives them a slight bit of knowledge about their new abilities.

In this new origin idea, they start out with no idea how the items got to Earth, but they suspect the shopkeeper must have known more than he let on. Perhaps some of them believe the items marked them for death. With no idea where they are (beyond the information learned from the dreams), they head into the village and try to formulate some kind of plan what to do. Similar to the Wizard of Oz plot, perhaps there is some great wise sage a few towns over who is said to discern peoples' destinies. Perhaps they decide to head there first to see if they can learn more about their situation.

What do you think?

@CaptainManbeard

As for their initial arrival destination, either this or the original work just fine. I like both!

[CaptainManbeard]

Might fuse the two to make it a coastal cave they arrive in that has been used for religious ceremonies by the villagers who live nearby. Maybe some random kid from the village is playing hookie from their studies and is hiding out in the cave when the Isekai characters arrive and the kids goes running to the village screaming lol.

[CaptainManbeard]

Oh man, I can't stop laughing as I envision that opening scene. It will open right at their arrival to the cave, and then flash back to the antique store and over a few rounds of posts we can work our way back to the moment in the cave.

[Lewascan2]

Oh man, I can't stop laughing as I envision that opening scene. It will open right at their arrival to the cave, and then flash back to the antique store and over a few rounds of posts we can work our way back to the moment in the cave.

@CaptainManbeard

The characters watch in dead silence, as the child's screams slowly get more distant, echoing back into the cave.

Malcer: "Should... we be concerned?"

[CaptainManbeard]

<Snipped quote by CaptainManbeard>

The characters watch in dead silence, as the child's screams slowly get more distant, echoing back into the cave.

Malcer: "Should... we be concerned?"

@Lewascan2

The idea forming in my head for what their arrival looks like to the kid is something Sam Raimi might come up with XD. Just you wait. It's gonna be fucking hilarious!

[CaptainManbeard]

BTW, here is a good resource for stuff without the D&D Beyond paywall: http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/

I still need to devise the best way to facilitate growth for non-magic classes since we don't have stats or anything, but for the sake of the RP and story, it might be easier to just say all the characters have at least some magic potential. Like if someone plays a Fighter they could be more akin to a Spellsword or a Battlemage or something. On that site I linked there are spell lists for different classes, so we could just say each character uses one of those lists as a primary magical basis for their character and then also choose a secondary one. I'll link them individually below:

Artificer
Bard
Cleric
Druid
Paladin
Ranger
Sorcerer
Warlock
Wizard

But what do you guys think? And do you think we should keep track of individual spells or just say the characters have proficiency with different types of magic and Character Level just denotes how good they are at it? From a narrative standpoint, there could still be arcane runes and scripts for spells and incantations, but when writing the battle scenes out, we could just describe the magical effect being created rather than keeping track of individual spell names and such.

[Lewascan2]

But what do you guys think? And do you think we should keep track of individual spells or just say the characters have proficiency with different types of magic and Character Level just denotes how good they are at it? From a narrative standpoint, there could still be arcane runes and scripts for spells and incantations, but when writing the battle scenes out, we could just describe the magical effect being created rather than keeping track of individual spell names and such.

@CaptainManbeard

I don't know about everyone else, but for my own part, I was planning to keep track of individual spells. Not going as far as incantations for them, granted, but certainly keeping track of each individual spell Malcer is capable of and making specific mention ICly when he is researching a new spell before it gets used in a later battle or other scenario. And when it comes to proficiency, I'm planning to move Malcer's capacity in the various "Circles" of magic (1-9 and such) according to 5e access to those tiers. So, at level 3, he'll start breaking out the second tier magic, and at 5th level, 3rd tier and so on. When it actually comes to using the spells in practice, however, I'll probably only describe the effect occurring.