[D&D-5e] War of the Spider Queen

[Sageheart]

This is an awesome game concept. I am not ready to come back into RPG Crossing yet due to school, but I would love to lurk and watch this game unfold.

Good Luck everyone!

[Ysolde]

I've picked three groups for Early Access and sent PM's (except one person). Early access starts next Wednesday December 14 hopefully we get at least on post in, skips December 24-27, and continues into a main story quest sometime after the 14th of January.

If you were picked for early access and can't make it until January 14th please let me know (by Monday, December 12th) and you'll be placed in a main story quest on January 14th.

Everyone else there's at least one group slated to start on January 14th so let me know if you finish your applications!

If you just want to watch the main thread is here.

[voodoozombie]

Name: Lua Quiri (Bright Aura)

Race: Aasimar: Radiant Soul (MPMM) Her parents are Drow.

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Class: Warlock: Hexblade. Book +1: Xanathar's Guide to Everything

Family Rank: Lua has recently been accepted into House Platin. She is part of House Staff where she cooks for house members and also acts as Maid/Butler when needed.

Appearance: Lau is a typical looking female Drow. She stands around 5 1/2' tall and weighs a healthy 140lbs. She sports an slender yet athlete build which makes her look large when compared to some of her slimmer counter parts. But that's where the typical Drow looks stop. Lua is an albino drow, known as a Szarkai. Her skin is alabaster-white giving her a slightly glowing look about her. Her hair is gold in color and her eyes are a metallic matching gold, hinting at the possibility of foreign ancestry. When she outside of House Platin she dresses in typical drow clothing, a black over cloak with a hood and soft black boots. Her regular clothing consists of either a dress or a leather top and pants colored purple and black. Her house staff outfit is the same as her outdoor clothing but all white instead.

Background: I remember my parents and I know that they are rare among the Drow. Most Drow take a mate for either some kind of House alliance or for producing offspring. When ny parents first meet, they actually fell in love with each other, and I was the result of their love. Because of their different social status my mother took father as her consort, and they lived together in her House. My mother, Bae (Fate) Arab’afin is a member of House Arab’afin (The Daughters of the Web) and is a low-ranking Priestess of Loth who just began her training. My father Ran (Lesser) is a member of a merchant clan who serves House Arab’afin, but my father isn’t related to any of the clan members. That’s all my parents know about each other. It’s safer for them that way. The less they knew about each other’s past, the better. The only thing that mattered was their love for each other and me. When I was born, my parents said that I absolutely glowed like the light from the surface world. However, being born a Szarkai, would cause my parents a lot of trouble, especially when I barely reached adulthood at age 50.

Up until then, House Arab’afin kept my birth a secret. Because I looked like a surface Elf, they believed that I was a blessing from Loth herself. They intended to train me to be a surface spy for the house. However, a rival house found out about me, House Hlalya (Seers of the Blade) and demanded to turn me over to them. They believed that I should be sacrifice to Loth. They believed that my alabaster skin and gold hair was proof that I was favored by Eilistraee, and that I should be eliminated before my I started to contaminate Loth’s children and make then turn against her.

While both houses were preoccupied in arguing over me, my parents stepped in and helped me the best they could. My mother told me to leave House Arab’afin and never come back. She kissed me on the forehead and left. After she left, my father gave me a piece of paper with the name House Platin on it and a crude map and told me I could find help there. He kissed me on the forehead and left. They didn’t care what the consequences of their actions would bring then, all they cared about was me.

I haven’t been with House Platin for very long, but they welcomed me with open arms. It feels strange to be around others that don’t see me as pawn for their power plays or that I have to keep myself hidden from them because of my birth. I feel safe among the stable life House Platin offers. As for my parents? I don’t what happened to them after I fled. I later learned that House Hlalya made a move against House Arab’afin, assassinating most of the members. My house retaliated like wise. I would like to find out about my parents, but until then I will keep as low as profile that I can. I changed my name and have passed myself off as a surface Elf. Even though I was raised a Drow in the cruel Drow society, I now know that that there is another way of living, and it feels right to me. I have no desire to return to the life I left behind. But questions still remain, besides the fate of my family. How did my father know about House Platin? And when I was told about Eilistraee for some reason the Goddess intrigued me. I wanted to know more. Could House Hlalya have been correct about me all along?


The Player: Have you played with me before?
Yes. It was Curse of Strahd ran by Impaleddearan. I played Nova Moonlight.

What makes you want to play this game?
It’s the interesting concept of the struggle of a Drow House devoted to Eilistraee and the path of good in the middle of a city and a society of evil ruled by Loth. I see lots of potential for roleplay, intrigue and survival in this game.

Do you really think you'll stick with this for at least a year? How about 5?
Yes. I’m in it for the long haul. The longest game I played in was Desert of Desolation ran by fromthe1980s. It lasted 4 years.

[Hal Hammerhand]

I think my application is finished for sure unless there is some other details that need to be added or elaborated on concerning Borrs' relationship with the Drow thus far.

Borrs Padfoot

[PapaHuck]

Gaerth Dakonette, Wyrmsworn of Dakon the Black, House Platin Roleplay Sample Recognition was immediate and sure. The two males warriors were of House Faen Tlabbar, and what’s better, they appeared intoxicated. Gaerth set his trap. Placing his well-used glaive upon a large crate, he began to pull and heave the thing out of the alley as the two approached down the lane, mock-arguing. Just as they came abreast the alley, Gaerth pretended a stumble backwards, and collided with the pair, sure to have them all soiled by the dank puddle at their feet. The dragonborn was the absolute picture of subservience and terror as he stumbled over himself to apologize. "Forgive us, Masters! We are so clumsy and stupid! A thousand pardons, masters, please spare us!" "Idiot!" The athletic-looking drow in fighting leathers struck Gaerth across the face with a leather-gloved hand. "Why under the earth would we spare a wretch as idiotic as you?" His companion in the ornate robe began to smile cruelly as purple magical auras formed about his hands. "No, please, Masters – we knows we are stupid, but we don’t wants to die!" The dragonborn looks about in a panic. His eyes suddenly widen. "If you spares us, we tells you a secret. Yes! We are not supposed to tell, but we tells you, and you lets us live!" Gaerth fixes them with a pitiful look of hope. "Our Master, is near! Not my place to tell, but . . . our Master has a surface elf lady prisoner, yes! You can see her, yes! And very cheap – for you very cheap. And you one of the first. She not even very mutilated yet. Pretty. Yes, pretty. Please, masters, come. Let me earn my life back. She back here. Back door in alley." Stooped and wretched, Gaerth beckons them to come into the alley. "Yes, I look out for you. You knock five times on first door on left. You happy and you spares us!" "Can you believe this idiot? . . . Although I would fancy a surface elf lady. . . . Let’s just have a look, eh? Then most likely we kill him." Gaerth stooped and groveled as the Faen Tlabbar duelist and mage crept toward the indicated door down the alleyway. As the pair passed, a distinct change came over the dragonborn. His back straightened and his fawning stopped. He was much, much taller than the two drow. He casually swiped up his glaive and silently twirled it in a complicated spin, one-handed. He sauntered up behind the two with grace and poise, and, smooth as spider silk, his glaive arced out to take the head off the mage clean. Following the momentum, he brought the glaive down to split asunder his companion. But the duelist was very fast. He only lost an arm in that first strike. He even managed to turn around and half draw his rapier before the butt of Gaerth’s glaive crushed into his chest. Hmmph. I’m almost impressed. The terrible dragonborn’s rage focused through his weapon, pure and hot. It erupted in a flash of power. The drow duelist’s eyes bulged as the blast made a crater out of his chest and most of his organs. Dead before he hit the ground. The veil lifted, the dragonborn avenger stood over his enemies proud and triumphant, and quoted an ancient poem to their corpses in perfect, educated drow-dialect elven. "From the Paradise of God Without remorse drive out the sinful Pair From hallowd ground th' unholie, and denounce To them and to thir Progenie from thence Perpetual banishment." They say there are a million ways to die in Menzoberranzan. Now this was one of them. Well, maybe technically two of them. Wiping the blood off his glaive onto the wizard’s robe, Gaerth dared not take a trophy. All the better to confuse the fates of this pair with one of the other million ways. He turned on his heel and walked out towards the lane. Stepping out of the alley, a dragonborn slave emerged onto the streets of Menzoberranzan. Pitiful and stooped, the thing leaned heavily on the shank of its glaive, supporting its hunched back, as it limped down the road, eyes downcast – just another meaningless slave on an errand. Personal History Gaerth was born to a world of light and hope in a small dragonborn village on the surface he does not even know the name of. Unfortunately for him and his kin, House Xolarrin took the notion to acquire a battalion of dragonborn warrior-slaves. Their action was swift and brutal. Half of the village adults were swiftly killed in the midnight raid, and all the survivors and children were taken as chattel. So it was that Gaerth grew up as a fighting slave in the pits of House Xolarrin. Life was unmerciful and cruel. Becoming hard in order to survive warred with the council of the surviving dragonborn elders that still spoke of the good old ways in young Gaerth’s heart. Death was a casual affair. The Xolarrin enjoyed watching the effect of a column of dragonborn hosing down a horde of goblins with their acid breath. But the dragonborn battalion was never used all that strategically, and, after a time, the novelty wore off. Xolarrin was chiefly interested in magical matters, and the dragonborn slaves were, at best, tangential to that. So it came to pass that their lives were frittered away in some meaningless skirmish in which the full Faen Tlabbar drow military took advantage of some plausible deniability to slaughter a sizable force of Xolarrin non-drow warrior-slaves on the field of battle. The zealous, xenophobic Faen Tlabbar did it lustily, and images of the death and carnage of his remaining people are forever burned into Gaerth’s memory. Who else of his people may have survived, Gaerth knows not, for he was rendered unconscious and left to rot on the cavern floor for days before being discovered by a House Platin exploration party. To his complete shock, Gaerth awakened in the healers compound of House Platin. Unsure what to expect, he came to learn that this drow house was very substantially different from the nightmare he had come to know. Integrating into their society, his hatred for House Xolarrin and especially House Faen Tlabbar grew and matured, but also came to include all of the evil Houses. Gaerth soon found his purpose. It turns out, as much as a House might favor their Wyrm, there is always a good chunk of the architecture (well, most of it, really) that can’t exactly accommodate the magnificence of the true draconic form. And to Drakon the Black, that reality was a constant aggravation. Of course Drakon had taken agents before, to look into the places too small for him to squeeze. But their loyalties were always . . . split. With Gaerth, he had the chance for a true devotee. So he made an offer to him. Serve Dakon in all ways and be his unswervingly loyal agent, and Dakon would see to it that Gaerth would have a chance at the revenge he so deeply craved. Gaerth took a Sacred Oath of Vengeance, with Dakon as his lord. Gaerth was given the surname Dakonette, and the black dragon made him his ward. Gaerth is a very loyal and capable agent to Dakon. Whatever reasons Dakon has to be loyal to Lady Platin, Gaerth has them too. He has come to appreciate the culture of House Platin and the philosophy of Eilistraee over the madness of Llolth. For his own reasons, Dakon desires Gaerth to have status in the house beyond his service to the Wyrm, and has facilitated Gaerth to serve honorably in the House military. For his part, Gaerth is diligent in collecting information for Dakon in places he can’t go, and has also become a very skillful advocate for Dakon’s interests, when Dakon clearly explains them to him. Description As House Platin’s Wyrm’s Dragonborn Agent, Gaerth’s appearance and mannerisms vary radically with context. In violence or on the brink of it, Gaerth is terrible and confident, with a booming voice and a sinister menace. In civil matters with House Platin, he is courteous and observant. Gaerth could never be a wizard, or an engineer, or really any kind of intellectual or scholar. But he does have a deep cunning, and a well-practiced ability to pick up on the mental state and priorities of the powerful drow of House Platin with whom he must interact for Dakon’s benefit. In the larger drow society outside of House Platin, Gaerth appears fawning, servile, and largely beneath the notice of most drow. But it is always done with a keen eye towards turning an advantage and subtly using drows’ own faults against them. Physically, Gaerth is an impressive specimen. He is tall, well-muscled, covered in black scales, and has the ferocious horned head of a dragon. Outside of House Platin, however, he feigns frailty, with a pretended hunched back and slight limp. He nearly always carries his battle-tested glaive, a weapon with which he is a true master. Though much used, he always keeps it in perfect condition, and has replaced the shaft five times in his ten years at House Platin. At his hip, he carries a net for enemies he must capture instead of kill. He wears a dagger strapped to his thigh, hidden below the skirt of his black-painted chainmail coat. Vital Statistics Name: Gaerth Dakonette – He’s had the name Gaerth for as long as he can remember. He likes to think it’s his original given name, but he doesn’t know for sure. He assumed the surname Dakonette since becoming the ward of Dakon the Black. Race: Dragonborn (Black Dragon Lineage) Alignment: True Neutral – Ya Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do Class: Paladin (Oath of Vengeance) Family Rank: Agent and Ward of Dakon the Black Party Role: Sly Wretch Beneath Notice, Expert Dragon Advocate, Universal Tank, Frickin’ Melee Powerhouse (Hate the Game, Not) The Player: Howdy, Ysolde. You may remember me from such classics as: Successfully advocating for the reintroduction of psychotic mind-controlling leeches into society Sweet-talking a nest of harpies into releasing their villager captives in favor of enslaving a gang of bandits Transforming an invading warlord into a chicken Gaerth will be a very, very different character than that, but hopefully at least as compelling. Obviously, I love the idea of a House Wyrm so much that I made an entire character riffing on the concept. Two of my favorite PCs are somewhat tangential to this story. I’ve got a Shadar Kai Raven Queen devotee that considers Eilistraee to be an irredeemable hypocrite for neglecting the plight of the Shadar-Kai and the Raven Queen brought on by their attempt to prevent the schism of the surface elves and drow (whereas Miss E literally shot the king of elf gods with a longbow in that same situation. . . ). And I used to play a Crinti (half drow) itinerant paladin devotee of Eilistraee that faced constant prejudice on the surface world for his drow-like appearance. So I’m excited by the challenge of playing a character of extremely low social status in the larger drow world in an intrigue campaign. And again, there is the dragon angle, which tickles me immensely. Sources: PHB, DMG, XGE Character Sheet

[PapaHuck]

Okey dokey.

App complete.

[voodoozombie]

Lua Quiri is complete!

[IrishKatt]

Eilisandra Platin
4th Daughter of the Matron Mother
The Quirky One


Class
Shadow Magic Sorceress

Alignment
Chaotic Good

Appearance

Beauty can be found in many things in Menzoberranzan depending on where you care to look or who you care to ask, but there are certain instances where a general concensus has been reached. Eilisandra is one of those instances, brought to life. From the very hair that grows from her head; an almost ghostly near glowing white cascade of long flowing hair, like the flame of a spirits torch, to her pure, unconditional, and ruthless service to her family she is both beauty, and danger personified. Her skin a soft lilac hue spotted with small patches of dark purple freckles, supple, and flawless like a statue basking in the darkness. Her eyes were similar to her hair in the way they almost shone with a ghostly light. Larger than most of the sharp eyed dark elves that populated the great city, they only served to give her a more "exotic" look when compared to other elves, though she is usually wild-eyed, or staring off. Big full lips of a darker purple, and more generous proportions on a still lithe frame completed her physical appearance aside from her attire. All of her clothing is of a deep deep purple, that looks as though she wears the very shadows of the city as her clothes. Sometimes she chooses to go out more scant, others she is seen as almost smothered in clothing. An odd one for sure


Personality

While having stunning looks can be an advantage Eilisandra is most often aloof, and consumed in the strange goings on inside her own head than to care about the "draw-backs" of being so attractive. Most flirting attempts go over her head, and unless it is house business or her own machinations she very often isnt putting her all into the situation be it from distractions, or lack of interest. Many have claimed that she is merely an empty-headed doll for House Platin to parade around, or insinuated that she is unintelligent, but none of them see her for what she is. Being alone for a long time can have serious effects on the psyche, and it shows with Eilisandra. People's words are but a weapon here in Menzoberranzan, and one does not just let a weapon harm them. That much must be earned.
Eilisandra is a generally happy person, and doesnt let the dark politics of the city get her down, but this doesnt mean she is unable, or unwilling to make a display, or example of someone should the need arise. As much as she is known for her beauty she is also known for her undying loyalty to her mother's word. While House Platin is a house that has good aligned moral values sometimes problems arise, and need to disappear. What is more unforgiving, and good at hiding things, than the dark? With this philosophy in hand Eilisandra has no problem with any of the more unsavoury things her mother might have need of her for. After all she see's herself as her mother's tool.


Background

No one knows what an opal thinks, they just admire it, and covet it, and go about their day. This was similar to how Menzoberranzan made her feel, going outside the walls of her house, and into the cut-throat world of the city, but not so at home however. Her two lives were both opposites of each other; her one at home in the safe loving walls where she didnt feel the need to put on heirs, or clothes, and could relax, and the One outside the walls where she was an extension of the house, her Mother, her Step-Mothers, and siblings. The pressure, could be rough, but thanks to her mother(s) she was taught some very helpful ways to cope.

Eilisandra was born both beautiful, and odd, from a young age she tended towards being alone despite those who would attempt to flock toward her beauty. So much so that the groups caused her a great degree of fear, and discomfort with such a strong preference to being left alone. As she grew she started to show a great deal of talent for the arcane arts, so much so that they would often manifest against those who got too close, or made Eilisandra uncomfortable with unwanted advances. With training from her family she was able to hone her skills, and take control of the strange power within her.

Once she grew into her own she was a confident powerful she-elf with no fears of being around people. Rather it was the crowds that kept a healthy berth out of fear they meet the same fate as a would-be lover of hers. The 6th daughter of the 6th wife of House Agrach Dyrr got a little too handsy with Eilisandra, and was promptly torn to shreds by beasts made of tangible shadows leaving only a twitching mass for onlookers to gawk at. This of course enraged the twin sister of her "victim" who now plots to get revenge for her sisters "murder" at any cost regardless of the problems it would bring to her house. Being in one of the top 8 houses it is sure that Eilisandra will be dealing with this for decades to come, but it is not something she feels bad for. At least the physical act, the fall out her family may bear because of this is something she feels very bad about.

The training Eilisandra took to get to this point was easier than she expected it to be as all of her magic seemed as innate to cast as breathing was to do; it just happened. It wasnt until she was able to fully shape and control the form of the shadows into actual creatures that she started to feel a sense of challenge with her magics, and let herself get creative with it. Years of talking, and coaxing the shadows to different shapes formed interesting quirks like her talking to herself... or shadows like people. This made her teacher, Dakon a little concerned as it wasnt be best signs of mental health, but she was so prodigious in her control over shadows that he over looked it. Despite being a black dragon, Dakon and Eilisandra grew fairly close as he taught her the intricacies of innate magic powers. After all who would be a better teacher for a sorcerer, than a dragon? That said during her training Dakon had to restrain her when her shadow powers surged, and went out of control.

The young elf pulsed with magic power as her strong connection with the darkness manifested in tendrils darker than any inky murk in the underdark, lashing at anything within range with extreme prejudice. As they grasped, bound, and even crushed things, and a few house servants Dakon did one of the few things he could that would not endanger the youngling. Weaving the arcane around her he forced her to take on a different form, choosing one he found pleasant, at least in design, as much as a black dragon could anyhow. A cat, though one whose form was not as he had envisioned when he cast the spell initially. What looked like a long haired tabby cat as black as the shadows Eilisandra commanded, but flecked with lines of what looked like silver moonlight showering across her coat as her markings. The event would be one that stuck with her as both a traumatizing event, and the start of her disorder. You see as much as she liked to hone her skills, and learn to master the shadow powers she had come into there were residual effects from Dakon's quick thinking that got in the way of that. Every so often when subject to magics not her own, Eilisandra will revert back to this polymorphed cat form. Never any longer than three minutes, but in a heated situation, or; Matron forbid, a political one it can be enough of a problem to get you killed. Especially in Menzoberranzan. Needless to say this is a secret she holds very close to her chest as she sees this as her greatest weakness.


The Player

 

Have you played with me before?
Yep, in an Avernus game I played an Ogre barbarian named Gore-Blister

What makes you want to play this game?
It looks really neat, and who doesnt love cloak and dagger politics XD

Do you really think you'll stick with this for at least a year?
Yeah, why not?

How about 5?
Stranger things have happened

Sources
PBH+DMG+XGtE

[Clawsome]

Is this still open for characters

[Loun]

Late App Fingers Crossed Name - Sixteen “Sixt” Race - Hobgoblin (VGtM) Alignment - NG Class - Wizard Family Rank - Bought and freed many years ago. Appearance - Pale red, almost pink skin. Large dilated black eyes. Black hair cropped short to the head with a receding hairline. A slightly darker red 16 is branded on his forehead. Sixt doesn’t often smile. If he does, though, most of his teeth are seen to be missing. Sixt stands at about 5 ft (152 cm) tall. His shoulders are squared when in safe company, otherwise he slouches and keeps his eyes down. He wears a simple brown tunic robe that goes just past his knees and is tied with a belt, and sandals that lace around his calves. Background - Sixt was born to a goblinoid tribe inhabiting caves well above the Underdark. Due to his comparative intelligence over other goblinoids, he was likely destined to hold some rank of note in the tribe. This all changed when a rival tribe seized control. The common practice was to kill any threats and enslave the rest. Sixt was still too young to pose a threat. For a few years, Sixt was moved around multiple masters. He doesn’t remember when he was branded with his new name. He doesn’t remember his given name. All he remembers is going deeper. Eventually he was sold to a traveling Drow slaver caravan and brought to Menzoberranzan. Although he didn’t know it at the time, he was fortunate to catch the eye of a House Platin merchant. He was brought back to the estate and immediately set free. But what does freedom mean for a hobgoblin in the City of Spiders? What use is freedom if outside House Platin’s walls he would likely be killed or captured again if caught unattended by his betters? Sixt knew enough to make himself useful to his benefactors. By chance, Sixt started as a maid for one of the house wizards. It didn’t take long for the Wizard to notice Sixt slacking in his chores whenever anything sniffing of magic was about. Instead of disciplining the hobgoblin, the wizard chose to open Sixt’s world to more than most would believe. Over the years, Sixt’s proficiency in the arcane arts developed to a powerful level. Eventually, he was allowed to go on expeditions out of the city as a support unit. Despite his unease with the caves and their hidden perils, he discovered that freedom once again flamed in his heart. It was a small flame and Sixt was determined to protect it. The Player - I haven’t played with you before but I won’t hold it against you. I want to play this game because of your emphasis on commitment. I’m looking for a game to commit a distantly finite amount of time to. I’m very comfortable committing for one year. If I say that I’m comfortable committing for five years, I’m not being honest. This has nothing to do with my willingness to commit and everything to do with the chaotic nature of life.

[Ysolde]

Originally Posted by Clawsome

Is this still open for characters

Yes. I have one group available for the 14th of January.

Updated the table

[IrishKatt]

Ive Updated Eilisandra with her magical accident, and embelished who her powerful enemy/rival is, at least to th point of knowing what house they're in, and their standing within said house.

[jr1v3]

I am new and I barely know about the underdark but like you I have this concept of a tabaxi bard that I cannot get out of my head and how this peculiar cat person ended in the underdark. I wonder how a bard is look upon in the drow society because reading the description of Elistrae godess, I realized that music is not something that drows like maybe? would you allow it?

Even so, my tabaxi will add a spice of danger and a touch of humor that will embellish this history of intrigue and betrayal with his mercurial choices and Ideas. I also wonder if you would accept the eldritch adept(I will choose mask of many faces) and shadow touched feats.

[Ysolde]

Originally Posted by jr1v3

I am new and I barely know about the underdark but like you I have this concept of a tabaxi bard that I cannot get out of my head and how this peculiar cat person ended in the underdark. I wonder how a bard is look upon in the drow society because reading the description of Elistrae godess, I realized that music is not something that drows like maybe? would you allow it?

Even so, my tabaxi will add a spice of danger and a touch of humor that will embellish this history of intrigue and betrayal with his mercurial choices and Ideas. I also wonder if you would accept the eldritch adept(I will choose mask of many faces) and shadow touched feats.

New players are welcome. Just read through the information over here… https://www.rpgcrossing.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20237

Added Sixt. Ten days before the last group is chosen.

[Loun]

Originally Posted by Ysolde

Added Sixt.

Cool!

Does this mean I should definitely go through character creation? Been holding off since it's a level 9 start and wanted to make sure the character will be played