[D&D-5e] The Yondering Lands

[Amarga]

Game Name The Yondering Lands

Game System DnD 5e

Theme Strangers in a stranger land and classical adventure

Flavour A whimsical world with mysterious undertones reminiscent of Redwall, Tolkien, ROOT, and Wildermyth,

Plot Summary Just days earlier you had been part of the first team to try and breach the Yonder Sea, a range of water that nobody had ever passed over before. Led by the boistrous Sir Roderick, your team had set out to make history. But it was not to be anything like what you had expected. The voyage was sheer madness, water froze one day, and nearly boiled the next. It all ended when a freak storm drove your ship into a whirlpool, and your last memory was that of darkness and a mysterious whisper, "Yes, you lot will do just fine..." When you all awaken, you find yourselves in a strange land. It's no less wet, but the marshy trees, buzzing insects, and hanging humidity tells you you're far from any sea. Then a warty visage stares down at you. "Oi? What's this then? More strangelings, in such a short time? By my boils, what is the kingdom coming to! Well you'd best come right along, I'm sure his lordship has much to hear and say, if you're anything like the last fellow."

The Yondering Lands Welcome to the Yondering Realms! This place is familiar in some respects, but that only makes the differences stand out all the more. Trees grow tall enough for villages to live in, and the occupants are strange folk of claw, wart, whisker, or feather, tall enough to stand next to those races you are otherwise familiar with. Beetles pull carts laden with twigs through forests of grass, and the locals tell fireside tales of the dark things that lurk in the ruins of long gone civilizations. You, the party, they look upon with wonder. Strangelings they call all of you, whether you be dwarf, human, or elf. Your kind is apparently some sort of legend, and so they give to you the same nickname they give to all strange and mystical beings. Strangeling. As if that isn't enough, your leader is missing! The description the toad boatman gives you leaves little doubt in your mind, Sir Roderick was here before you, but where did he go? The answers are out there, but what you find may only lead to more questions, and step on the toes (or toe-equivalent) of many a proud people. You were ready to find a new world, but this is something else! But life goes on, and if you want to see another day, you'll need to learn how to live in the Yondering Lands.

Character Creation Starting Level: 1 Character name: Race: Any, but avoid beast-esque races Class: All but the artificer Background: Any Ability Scores: Point buy. I don't need your stats or character sheet until the game begins, so don't feel rushed on cranking out your full sheet or anything. Personality: A paragraph or two to give me the basics and how your character will fit into an adventuring party. Physical Description: Pictures appreciated, but not required. Backstory: None of you are from the Yondering Lands, so feel free to make up the culture/history of the outside world you came from, go nuts! Posting Rate: Once a week

Player	Character	Class	Race	Status
Grouchy	Companion Liam	Cleric	Human	Complete
Frederik	Galadur Moonwatcher	Bard	Astral Elf	Complete
Remorazz	Milo Moonpot	Rogue	Halfling	Complete
Togot	Rain Ragnius	Warlock	Human	Complete
Aldon	Urn Understone	Sorcerer	Gnome	Complete
Alemar	Harper Demarque	Ranger	Teifling	Complete
Bjorgulf	Howahkan	Druid	Human	Complete
Dukklord	Veld Evrin	Sorcerer	Dhampir	Complete
Nyx89	Maisie Mossgather	Druid	Halfling	Complete
IrishKatt	Bloop	Barbarian	Plasmoid	Complete
DemonSlayer	Leonora Arnuanna	Paladin	Half Elf	Complete
97mg	Fledidi Pitchidi	Cleric	Fairy	Complete
JohnStone	Danini Driftwood	Ranger	Kender	Complete
Leafsong	Zephyr	Monk	Air Gensai/Half-Elf	Complete
Crocodile	Kragbhar al-Gruun	Fighter	Orc	Complete
Citizen Sam	Cadmun Ashward	Wizard	Human	Complete
Treble83	Remy Haystack	Cleric	Halfling	Complete
silverfeathers	Jane Quartzknife	Cleric	Dwarf	Complete

SELECTION: COMPLETE

[Silent Rain]

Hey, Amarga. Posting my interest piqued. Creative juices churning...

[silverfeathers]

Do you have a deadline for applications?

[Amarga]

Nothing set in stone. Preferably by February but it'll stretch on a week or so longer depending on engagement

[Maya Conti]

I'm interested. Will come up with something soon.

[Grouchy]

App complete.

Character Concept Name: Companion Liam of the Church of Helm Race: Variant Human Class: Cleric 1 (Twilight Domain) Background: Soldier (Everwatch Knights) Personality: Honor and duty are the most important things to Liam, and he has little time for games. Deep down he feels immensely guilty for his past indiscretions, and although he treats others with empathy he is unusually hard on himself. He knows Helm has chosen him to do great things however, and is looking to make himself into a man worthy of respect once again. He is incredibly persistent and stubborn, and once he sets his mind to something he will do his best to accomplish his goal even if he dies trying. Steadfast and laconic, Liam is a warrior with lots of courage who has vowed to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves. Liam struggles with his pride, and would rather set himself on fire than ever admit he was wrong about something. Physical Description: Companion Liam is a broad shouldered man of average height, with short oily black hair and brown eyes that stare with a raptorlike gaze. He has a groomed full beard and a wide flat nose, with pockmarks on both of his cheeks and a small whitish scar on the left side of his chin. He has a stony expression on his face, and does not appear to be the type of man who smiles often. He wears a well polished suit of chain mail armor with a blue and white tabard that has the symbol of a gauntlet with an eye on the palm. A thick brown leather belt is cinched around his waist where he wears a dagger and a small pouch. He carries a massive two handed sword easily in his hands, and he holds himself with the ramrod discipline of a trained soldier. Backstory: A reformed alcoholic, Liam was raised in poverty in Helm's Hold and had an abusive father who often used to beat him when he was drinking. Liam avoided being at home as much as possible in his youth, and would frequently roam the streets with other wayward youths and getting themselves into trouble. Liam took to the drink at an early age, and just like his father he had a short fuse when he was intoxicated. He soon became known as an aspiring street tough, willing to fight anyone over anything just to prove a point. When Liam was twelve summers old, he was large enough that when his father began to try to attack him as he had before, Liam fought back and beat his own father senseless. Shocked at what he had done, Liam ran off to get drunk and try to forget. Liam's father wasn't the same after that, and soon at his wife's urging he began going to temple services at the Cathedral of Helm and swore off drinking. Liam didn't believe him, and even seeing the positive changes in his father's life from his new faith and sobriety did little to sway the troubled youth. It wasn't until he was in his fourteenth summer when his father was murdered in the streets protecting a young woman he didn't know from a group of thieves that he finally realized his father had changed. This rocked Liam - his father was never that type of man before, and he died nobly defending someone else. Perhaps there was something to this religion stuff after all. Out of respect for his late father, Liam began attending temple services at the Cathedral of Helm and soon he found a worthy aspiration in the God of Guardians. Liam swore off drinking and began helping his mother around the house, and soon he was an energetic zealot for the Helmite faith. He tried out for and was accepted into the Everwatch Knights, a group of professional bodyguards working for the Temple of Helm who would hire the bodyguards out to earn coin for the Cathedral. Liam proved to be a steadfast soldier as he saw a second chance at an honorable life and jumped on it with both feet. He showed himself to be a promising bodyguard, and on his third protection detail is when the Watcher chose Liam for his own. Liam and a handful of other Everwatch Knights were escorting a diplomat from Helm's Hold to Luskan when they were attacked by a group of would-be assassins. The Everwatch Knights managed to fend off their attack, but as they were fleeing one of them shot a poisonous arrow at Liam. To this day, Liam swears he felt an otherworldly presence as his sword turned perfectly to meet the arrow in flight. The assassins were just as shocked as he was, and they fled into the night. It was then when Helm spoke into both his mind and his heart, calling on him to perform his duty and to fulfill his destiny as one of the chosen protectors of Helm himself. Liam returned to Helm's Hold a newly chosen man just a few months ago, and he was subsequently reassigned to the Companions of the One True Vision and underwent more basic training. He is now fresh out of his training, has had the title Companion bestowed upon him, and is ready to follow the path Helm has laid before him. Assigned to accompany Sir Roderick as his bodyguard to explore the Yonder Sea, Liam feels the Vigilant One has placed him on a worthy path.

[Hal Hammerhand]

 

The Hart of a Leader: Name: Evette Hartcrown Race: Human (Variant) Age: 17 years old Class: Barbarian Background: Outlander (Hunter-Gatherer) Personality traits: -I watch over my charges like a litter of newborn pups -I have a lesson for every situation, drawn from observing nature Ideal: -Change. Life is like the seasons, in constant change, and we must change with it. Bond: -It is my duty to prove that I am worthy of succeeding my father as leader of my tribe. Flaw: -I put myself in unnecessary danger for others to prove myself. Personality: Evette tries to appear confidant around any of her companions, trying to be the leader her father would be proud of, watching over anyone like a litter of pups. She begins any conflict with the same confidence but often loses it when plans begin to go wrong and she often loses her cool. Unfortunately, she still sees losing her control as a compromise that she can't afford as a leader of her people despite the power she gains from her rage. Appearance: Evette is somewhat diminutive compared to the Large-sized Greatclub. 2d8 with Dis. Raging 2d8massive club she carries but she does her best. She stands around six foot tall and weighs around a hundred and sixty pounds. She has long golden-blonde hair wrapped in a brad that reaches her waist and atop her hair rests the crown of the Hart Tribe, a sturdy leather band with the antlers of a hart, passed down from leader to leader since her grandfather's grandfather watched over the tribe. She prefers the light-weight, tanned leathers of her people, a kilt and jerkin, leather cord and fur wrapped around her hands and feet. She always wears a silver band that wraps around her bicep, a gift from her mother said to grant protection from evil. Backstory: Evette is the warrior princess of the Hart Tribe in the northern Fjord lands of Skiagro. Her father was Tormand Hartcrown and while he did train his daughter all of her young life to take over for him, the time was cut short. Evette was fifteen summers old when her father passed away and passed the crown to his daughter. It was a lot to lay on a little girl but the tribe would accept no one but a Hartcrown to sit on the throne of their people. Evette did the best she could and while her bloodline made her word law, her lack of wisdom, despite being beyond her age, wasn't enough for the people, her decisions based on a young heart. Tribesmen began to split off and leave the tribe which in time, would spell doom for the tribe as a whole. Evette had to prove that she could be as strong a leader as her father had. Evette set out with her father's club in a quest to prove herself to the world. When she met Sir Roderick and heard of his voyage, she saw it as the greatest opportunity to prove herself. Post Rate: 1-2/week, Active on weekends.

[Frederik]

Galadur Moonwatcher - The Woodland Academic Character name: Galadur Moonwatcher Race: Astral Elf Class: Bard (Going for College of Swords) Character in One Sentense: Elven Indiana Jones, but studies plants and beasts at a school for magic users. Background: Witherbloom Student Personality: Galadur is adventures, polite and posses a great deal of humor. He is outgoing and direct, but can sometimes disappear into his own mental world or his research.He travels with a goal in mind, extra credit and research, but as a true wandere it is the journey and not the destination that is importent to him. Galadur see himself as the archtypical elf. When he left Witherbloom for his extra credit work, he was perhaps a bit nerdy, but by now Galadur excels in all the skills importent to elfs, such as magic, archery, swordplay, song and music. Sadly that have also made him become a bit arrogant. Physical Description: Galadur is a handsome and athletic elf. He tries to balance style with pragmatisme. Galadurs hair was original white blonde, like that of other Astral Elves, but he now he darkness it a bit, so it is easier for him to hide in the forest and so he standsless out in a crowd. Galdur almost always carries his rapier and a waterproof notes book. Backstory: Galadur is currently on his third academic year at Strixhaven, which he have been for around 17 years by his own account. The exact story about why Galadur is not at Strixhaven, but wandering around and categorising plants and animals, is long, complicated and includes no less than 2 demons, the headmaster, three different professors, an unrealistic large Dung Beetle and the misplacement of a swamp. The result was pretty clear though. Galadur will fail “Basic Summoning 101” for a third and final time, if he returns from extra credit activity, while professor Gobsmacker is still alive. Goblins is a rather shortlived race though and Gobsmacker have properly been dead for many years, but that is not importent to Galadur. After a life of education he have found out that he really enjoys wandering around the land, categorising plants and trying to brew new potions. Galadur also enjoys companionship. Traveling with other adventures are not only safer, but also allows him to categorize rare and dangerous creatures and areas he would normally have to stay far away from.

Seems interesting. I am going to write an application. I have mostly been playing pathfinder on rpgcrossing, so I am not sure what the standard is for 5e is ere. How do we make stats and do we use feats?

[Maya Conti]

 

Sofia Mirthfall - Paladin (WIP) Name: Sofia Mirthfall Race: Human (Variant) Class: Paladin (going for Oath of Devotion) Background: Acolyte Personality Traits: -I can find common ground between the fiercest enemies, empathizing with them and always working toward peace. -I've spent so long in the temple that I have little practical experience dealing with people in the outside world. Ideal: Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) Bond: I owe my life to the priest who took me in when my parents died. Flaw: My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my god. Personality: -work in progress- Physical Description: -work in progress- Backstory: -work in progress-

[Silent Rain]

Rathe Collin Name: Rathe Collin Race: Human Class: Bard Background: Lorehold Student Personality: Rathe is inquisitive and good-natured. His passion for learning, especially of history and arcana, and his desire to help others, motivates nearly everything he does. He discovered his gifts of music and storytelling from a young age, and found them to be the perfect conduit to marry his two passions. Physical Description: Rathe is an attractive, by human standards, young man. Compared to many of the students that attended Strixhaven, he is rather fit, a byproduct of his martial training. A mop of reddish hair adorns his head, that perpetually has the look of being unkempt. He wears clothes that are fashionable, but also practical. A sword normally sits at his hip. Backstory: Rathe had received an invitation to attend Strixhaven as soon as he was of age, though this was of no surprise to anyone. Both his parents, one a sorceress, and the other a mage with several tomes published on astral and planar travel, were both graduates themselves and made frequent donations to their alma mater. What did surprise them however, has his pledging to Lorehold. Rathe was possessed of his his parents' interest into the arcane, but he was equally interested in the history of things and the stories that surrounded it. Despite their initial misgivings, they soon came ti support Rathe and his interests. It was several years later that he graduated, a bard in his own right. He spent the next couple of years traveling, though accomplishing little. As time passed, he felt the growing shadow of his parents' accomplishments began to weigh heavier on him. He wanted to make his mark on the world as they did, but had not yet figured out how. It was not long after that he learned of the voyage that was being prepared to attempt breach the Yonder Sea. He joined the expedition team the following day. From the Journal of Rathe Collin Day 13: I woke to the sound of banging against the hull of the ship. Upon reaching the main deck, I found that the sea had turned to a massive sheet of ice. Thankfully, it was not thick enough to prevent the ship from breaking through it, but I would be lying if I said that the sight of it was not troubling. Day 15: The ice is gone. In its stead, the sea has began to increase in temperature to the point where bubbles can be seen rising to the surface as it nearly reaches boiling temperature. Much of the crew has begun wearing little more than their small clothes to deal with the heat rising from its surface. With steam filling the air, and scores of dead fish floating on the surface, it is hard not to think we have somehow sailed into one of the Nine Hells. Understandable, the crew has begun to grow restless. Day 18: A storm has beset the ship, unlike any that I have ever seen. The wind is intense, with no reason behind which direction it blows. The captain has already tied up the sails, thought the masts still creak dangerously. In truth, I am not sure we will survive. After all that we have endured, I cannot help think that some force has worked against us from reaching our destination. This, of course, has only fanned the flame of my desire to learn why, but considering what we now face, I am not sure I will ever get the chance.

[Remorazz]

WIP Character name: Milo Moonpot Race: Strangeling (Lightfoot Halfling) Class: Rogue (probably arcane trickster later on) Background: Criminal (Burglar) Personality: Boisterous with a in-your-face personality. Milo likes lies, the more unbelievable the better, no matter who's talking, in absence of hard-to-believe stories, music is also good, especially if enjoyed while boozing. Despite his felonious career, he's good at heart and believes in playing nice, but he manly believes that a full wallet is better than an empty one. Physical Description: On the lower average of height, even for an Halfling, incredibly thin with dark short hair. Completely unable to grow much facial hair outside of the borders of his mouth, Milo has never seen a razor, must be for lack of thrust of people holding blades around his throat. He wears dark leather clothing, usually well kept despite the halfling's finances. Backstory: You know those people who've never did an honest day of work? That's Milo right there. Grown in the streets of a big city, he always had to hassle to eat. A few times he had been caught, flogged or spent time behind bars. But hey, you win some and you lose some, right? Due to his size and agility Milo was very requested as cat burglar, he was very close to gain entry into a big guild too.. if he didn't get caught in the last heist. He was ready to spend the rest of the year in prison, but some weird dude, a certain Sir Roderick paid for his bail. The guy was some form of adventurer and wanted someone like the Halfling in his team because "You may never know when you need someone with nimble fingers", also he was running short on time and Milo was the best he could find. The thief had doubts.. no upfront pay.. travelling in strange lands.. but everything was better than spending months and months in prison, right? RIGHT???

[SnakeOilCharmer]

Expressing interest. Any source limitations? And how are you doing ability scores?

Planning on applying with a wizard concept.

[Amarga]

Keep it to official stuff is my main source limitation. As for scores, I'll use point buy. I'll add that detail to the ad now

[Togot]

Character name: Rain Ragnius

Race: variant human

Class: undead warlock

Background: Noble

Personality: Rain is shy and unsure of himself due to the lack of encouragement he received from his mother and the severe bullying he endured at the hands of his peers, but he has a good heart and is well spoken and well educated. He always wants to do the right thing and be a good person, though he doesn’t always know how. He is terrified of the entity that dwells within him and what he is becoming.

Physical Description: Rain is a short young man with shoulder length straight golden hair. He looks even younger than he is and has often been described as looking like a lost puppy. He takes pride in his appearance, always wearing fine clothing that reflects his refined upbringing. When he transforms, he takes on the appearance of a ghostly undead king.

Backstory: Born into the noble Ragnius family as the son of the renowned wizard Marko Ragnuis, Rain’s father committed suicide the night he was born. This scandal damaged his mother’s reputation, but Lady Lucia was not some trophy wife. She was cold, intelligent, and vicious. The frequency of her rivals having their lives destroyed or disappearing entirely earned her the nickname, the villainess. Through her cunning navigation of the king’s court, she held on to her prestigious position. Unfortunately for Rain, she put no such effort into his upbringing.

Not once did she tell her son she loved him. Not once did she embrace him. She left her servants to raise him and showed little interest in his well-being. As a result, Rain grew up with deep insecurities and a lack of confidence which singled him out among the ruthless world of affluent children he was surrounded by, but none were worse than the children of the Rand family, Miguel, Liguel, and Castor. The three siblings always sought Rain out and brutally tormented him in ever escalating attacks for years on end. Then one day on Rain’s twentieth birthday, the siblings ambushed Rain and kidnapped him. Rain found himself tied down on a floor with a magic circle drawn beneath him. Miguel, Castor, and their father Escaldos were standing around him attempting to perform a demonic ritual. When Escaldos moved to stab a dagger through Rains’ heart, something happened.

Rain felt a cold chill run through him, and he spoke words that were not his with a voice that was not his. “You shall not harm my precious vessel.” His chains were broken, and he felt something compelling his body to move. He lashed out with green magical power, killing the three men. With the casters killed, the magic of the ritual went wild and destroyed the tower that Rain had been held in. he survived the incident though most of those present in the tower were killed.

The investigation that followed led to the destruction and imprisonment of most of the Rand family with one very unexpected exception. Lady Lucia petitioned the king to allow her to take Liguel Rand into her family. Not only that, but she proposed an arranged marriage between the only daughter of the Rand family and her own son, Rain.

She did this for two reasons. First, it would allow her to gain control of the Rand estate and fortune which was considerable, and second, Rain’s part in the events had made him the center of the court’s attention. There were many young maidens flirting with him, and his mother did not like this one bit. She saw these girls as vultures trying to worm their way into her family. By marrying her son to Liguel, a girl with no power, Lady Lucia would maintain control over her house and its future. There was just one problem, Rain wanted nothing to do with it.

For the first time in his life, Rain confronted his mother. He was incensed at her callous disregard for his feelings. He asked how she could do this to him, to not only take the woman who tormented him under her roof but to force him to spend the rest of his life with her, especially after her family had tried to kill him. His mother dismissed his outrage as childish which only angered him further. He demanded to know why his mother didn’t love him and, having an epiphany, asked her what she knew about what had happened to him. His mother revealed that Rain had been born still born. His father had been unable to accept it and took him into his study for several hours. During this time a massive storm formed out of nowhere. Then, she heard the sound of a baby crying from the room. When she looked inside, she found his father dead, having cut his wrists and drawn a magic circle on the floor in his blood, and there in the center of it was Rain, inexplicably alive.

Faced with the horrifying revelation about his own existence and unwilling to marry the woman who had tormented him most of his life, Rain did what many neglected youths do, he ran away from home. Now he wanders aimlessly, struggling just to survive while trying to uncover the nature of the being that inhabits him.
RP Sample:

 

“How could you do this to me?” Rain shouted. His normal gentle features and voice twisted in anger.

“I’m doing this for you, why can’t you understand that?” his mother, Lady Lucia said. She had the same long golden hair as her son and fair features. Her delicate frame made her seem deceptively frail, but her expression was as hard and unyielding as iron.

“For me?” rain exclaimed incredulously. “Not only do you invite my tormentor to live under the same roof as I, but you arranged for her to marry me! Do you have any idea what she’s done to me? her family tried to murder me!”

“Her family’s sins are not her own. Stop dwelling on the past. This is about your future.” His move responded dismissively.

“What future?” Rain asked. “Being married to a woman who made my life a living hell? I do not love her!”

“What does love have to do with marriage?” His mother asked angrily. “Marriage is about survival and mutual benefit. She has no house, no family, and no future. Stop being childish.”

Rain stared at her in disbelief. “You care so much for her, and so little for me,” he said. “Why?”

His mother looked away, uncomfortably. “You exaggerate.”

“Do I?” Rain asked. “Not once in my entire life have you ever told me you loved me. Not once have you ever embraced me. not once have you ever shown me affection. You treat me like I’m some dog you never wanted.” Rain stared at his mother’s discomfort, and a disquieting thought occurred to him. “Mother, do you know how I survived that explosion that destroyed te tower and killed Liguel’s family? Something happened to me. Something strange. You know, don’t you.”

Lady Lucia turned to look back at her son, and he could see the disquiet in her eyes. “What am i?” Rain asked.

“My son,” his mother answered simply.

“What else?" Rain persisted.

His mother hesitated before answering, “I don’t know. The day you were born, you were stillborn. Your father was distraught. He took you into his study, and an hour later a violent storm suddenly appeared. Shortly after that, I heard the sound of a baby crying in his study. When I looked inside, there was Marko lying dead on the floor, his wrist cut open, his blood all over the floor. He had used it to draw a magic circle, and in the center of that circle was you, alive and crying.”

Rain stumbled backwards, grabbing onto a nearby chair to support himself as he reeled from the revelation. His mind struggled to process the implications of his mother’s words. So many questions. What was he? What was that entity that compelled him to kill? What did it mean by its precious vessel? So many questions and no answers. But Rain did understand one thing. This place was no longer his home.

Theme song: I feel like a monster

[Bjorgulf]

Posting interest.

Would Kenku qualify as beast-esque?