[D&D-5e] The Yondering Lands

[Amarga]

Unfortunately yes

[Bjorgulf]

No worries, race was somewhat secondary to my concept. I will come back with it shortly.

[Aldon]

Character name: Urn Understone

Race: Mark of Scribing Gnome

Age: 30

Class: Sorcerer

Background: Haunted One

Personality: Often broody and gloomy, this evaporates quickly when his natural inquisitiveness gets the best of him. It will take until his curiosity is satisfied before he catches himself and quickly returns to his sullen, child-like sulk. He is incredibly guarded about personal information and prefers to keep unavoidable conversations limited to discussing present or future matters only. He is happiest when undisturbed and allowed to pursue creative tasks. He often covertly watches and studies the easy-going and natural interactions between others with well disguised longing.

Backstory: Urn was named after where he was found. Inside an urn.

During his youth, he came to the conclusion that he must be insane. And he would prefer others not know the truth of that.

So he became quieter and more reclusive.

For a time, he worked at one of the many message stations, receiving messages for nearby nobility or factions and passing those on. However, this involved far too much social interaction for Urn's liking. So, he continued his training and eventually became a cartographer.

Urn prefered to stay on the move, travelling alone and creating his maps with his own unique artistic flare. He took great pride in his craft and and appreciated that he could lose himself so completely in his work, whether travelling or drawing, that he could almost ignore the memories and flashbacks that could not possibly be his own.

When an opportunity arose to take a ship to uncharted lands, Urn had no second thoughts or doubts.

Appearance: Urn is 3 foot tall gnome of slight build and pale complexion with dark hair and pale blue eyes. He has a Greater Mark of Scribing on his chest, although he is never seen without a shirt.

[Alemar]

Application Name: Harper Demarque (as in demarcation) Race: Tiefling (Lineage of Dispater if available. Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes) Class: Ranger -X-X-X- Sailor Background Trait #1 I am driven by wanderlust that led me to far away shores. Trait #2 The Sea is freedom. To go where ever I want, when ever I want. Bond I pursue fame and wealth to secure someone's love. Ideal The ancient traditions of worship and sacrifice must be upheld. Flaw Despite my best efforts, I can be unreliable to my friends. Personality: Happy-go-lucky and friendly to a fault, Harper may not always keep a smile on her face. But it tends to return as quickly as the winds change. Her lust for adventure and excitement has a tendency to get Harper into trouble; But luckily, sometimes the best cure to an adventurous heart, is to simply indulge and say "Yes". Harper is content to go with the flow and see where adventure carries her next. Background: Harper doesn't talk about her past much, claiming that she was found on a ship as a baby and simply stayed on. The Captain might have taken it as a sign (or an omen) to have a demon child swinging and swaying on the tide below decks in her little hammock. But he somehow knew that to throw the hapless babe overboard would surely spell ruin for his ship. And to his credit, as long as the child was aboard, and happy, he seemed to have nothing but fair winds, and fine seas. He named the thing "Demarque" as in the term for marking safe passages and borders on maps, knowing that when she came of a proper age, she would be able to choose a name of her own. One evening when she and the Crew were docked and watering themselves in a Tavern, Dee as she had begun to call herself met a young man... Well, a Bard... He had hair that shone of the coins everyone was always arguing over, and eyes that reminded the young teen of an oncoming squall. She knew right then and there that she loved this man, even if he didn't yet. She spent all evening listening to this man. Trying to build up the courage to speak to him while he played a strange stringed instrument. Finally she approached her would be love. "Excuse me Sir, what is your name? I mean, what is that thing that you play?" Turning to her, his smile radiant, the man gave her an appraising glance; Then plucked a small silver brooch the same shape as his instrument from his collar, and handed it to her. "It's called a Harp, you may simply call me Harper... Here, take this to remember me by. " He chuckled knowingly. Ever since that day she has been smitten, and has even begun to call herself by that name. She hopes that one day, she will be rich and famous enough for her love to take notice, and then they can sail the world together, having their fill of adventure, and eachother, to their heart's content.

[cappucina]

Starting Level: 1
Character name: Ulloa Mistlight (pronounced you low ah)
Race: Wood Elf (+2 dex and +1 wis)
Class: Druid Circle of Stars
Background: Sage
Ability Scores: w/point buy probably Dex 14 for 16, Con 14, Wis 14 for 15, Int 10, Str 10, Cha 10
Physical Description: Wears leather armor and clothes in a naturalistic style, muted earth tone colors. Very comfortable in that leather armor. Smaller and more slender than a human around five feet tall and 100 pounds. Does not look physically strong, but does look quick, alert, and athletic and you would assume capable of using the wooden walking stick and the bow she has on her back. Ulloa has tan skin, long brown hair pulled back off her face, hazel eyes. Graceful.
Posting Rate: Once a week sounds good!

Expedition explanation: Possibly caught the eye of someone on tour who was connected to the game expedition. Maybe in exchange for being very helpful with some advice on the application essay she got a spot with Sir Roderick's group? She's agreeable to a fast track out of the training and into some real exploration if that opportunity presents.
Personality: Wood elves are largely seen as calm and level-headed, preferring nature and small communities over urban civilization and Ulloa fits all those stereotypes. Ulloa is a little quirky tho, and a little more sociable. She is observant and lingers around after lessons or meals to chat further and ask questions; she's not at all gruffly off putting as some wood elves tend to be with other races. That's probably why she was assigned tour guides.
When not doing tours, or nautical coursework, or "mixing with the other guides" she is interested in the cartography of the starry sky. She's a Sea Guide in training now, but eventually wants to go on the long expeditions and finish a complete map of the stars that one can see from the material plane, and where they are at which season over which latitude and longitude, which is an epic life's work project fit for an elf who could live a few hundred years. It will be a significant contribution to society if she can get it done. On the expedition with Sir Roderick, Ulloa will offer some nature skills, maybe a little knowledge of currents and tides, and the ability to talk to some of the more intelligent fish if they are worried about sudden unexpected shallows or rocks under the surface of the water.

Backstory: Based off of a weird real life British Sea Guides for girls sometimes in the 20s-up to WWII where it is very difficult to see what they actually accomplished other than a boaty social club. I took it and used it as springboard for this character's backstory. I changed a lot but kept their Code of Living exactly the same because it is priceless. Ulloa is a third year/Junior of the Sea Rangers and one of her jobs is to give tours to potential applicants and others interested in the glorious history of the Sea Rangers.

 

Welcome to the main docks of the Sea Rangers. My name is Ulloa and will be your tour guide. Please follow me, have a care to be aware of the mooring cleats and ropes which we must navigate around as we visit our historic ships.

The Sea Rangers or Sea Guides as we were first called, is a Wood Elf organization that offers chosen applicants the very finest in nautical training for crewing long distance sea expeditions and exploration. Our founding Leader was the famous adventurer, Verona Copperskin, a truly heroic and inspirational figure. The Sea Ranger motto is “experientia docet” - or experience teaches. And it is this guiding philosophy that attracts hundreds of student applicants each enrollment season. Our faculty are retired adventurers and even a pirate or two! The Sea Rangers, today, is considered one of the top nautical schools in Faerun.

Ulloa leads the tour to two vintage ships called the Golden Hind and the Wren and continues her tour.


The first official Sea Guide crew was 'The Golden Hind' captained by Copperskin herself which was registered in DATE Here. Next came 'Wren'*which was registered in DATE HERE. Dame Vera Laughton was the Captain, and Remy D'Avigdor was trained as the Lieutenant. Later Miss D'Avigdor became the first Sea Ranger First Pilot…..by DATE all Sea Guides were also known as Sea Rangers. These pioneering sailors launched a new era in Wood Elf history of global sea explorations - what started out with just these two ships is now expanded into a fleet of over 20 galleys, 30 warships, 50 sailing ships, and hundreds of longships and keelboats (though those smaller ships tend to do more local travel of course) in numerous successful expeditions into the Shining Sea, The Sea of Swords, The Great Sea and were some of the very first to venture far into the Trackless Sea. Sea Ranger Crews are open to all those who belong to Wood Elf communities who lived by the sea, river, or lake and have access to boating facilities. The Sea Section still attracts many young elves who shared the common interest of Seamanship. Let's go aboard the Wren where we have recreated the interior as it was back when D'Avigndor was onboard as her Pilot.

Ulloa leads the group across a plank from dock to ship with rope handrails. She leads them onto the main deck and talks and then takes them below decks and talks some more. Pointing out where the students bunked, what they cooked and ate and drank, they maps they made on display in frames on wall, what they discovered on some pedestals under glass. She ends with this:

There is an indescribable common bond that seems to unite all sea loving people. It was once said that Wood Elves preferred the forest, but of course the blood that runs in our veins is as salty as any humanoid..our national heritage includes the SEA! 
All girls joining the ships company must be prepared to read and study; to meet and mix with others; to enjoy the skills of craftsmanship and show strength and fitness of body and spirit. There will also be time for fun, adventure, and happy comradeship for all those that join our ships company.

Ulloa passes out copies of their application and their handbook and explains the details and deadlines of the application process. Then she continues:


As you will find in this handbook SEA SENSE…which is our Sea Ranger Bible...it states that junior Crews are open to any Wood Elf girl between the ages of 19-51yrs. inclusive. They would be eligible to be apply to the Sea Rangers after passing the Sea Ranger physical fitness enrollment test which includes able to swim 50 yards. After acceptance, full training is planned to cover a period of five semesters from the date of enrollment.
 After the courses, they are assigned to a ship on a probationary period of two years as an intern. After a successful internship, they will be assigned a permanent role in the Sea Rangers. The character training given to the sea ranger crew was based on the Promise of the Original Sea Guide Association as written by Veronica Copperskin herself. These conveyed a code of living which included........

* Honour
* Loyalty
* Helpfulness
* Friendliness
* Courtesy
* Kindness to animals
* Obedience
* Cheerfulness in difficulties
* Thrift
When we join the Sea Guides we all make a vow. I will recite it to you now.

I promise on my honour to do my best to do my duty to my Captain and ship, to help other people at all times, to obey the Sea Guide Laws, and to render service by taking this promise out in to a wider world.

Ulloa smiles at her tour group and then asks if there are any questions and starts answering, The laws and the code are different sets of rules that we follow. The code is the spirit and the laws are the rules. The laws are printed in the handbook on pages 4-5 while the code is on the 2nd page.

[Amarga]

Yeah I'm down for a bit of multiclassing in the future

[IrishKatt]

hoping that a Thri-Kreen would not be beastial in nature as it seems the giant bugs they have are all "livestock" like creatures which would create some interesting roleplay opportunities :P

Otherwise I have an idea for a Plasmoid, or a Reborn Kobold :P

[Remorazz]

Out of curiosity, stats rolled or point buy?

[Togot]

Added an RP sample for fun

[Amarga]

Unfortunately thri-kreen is too bestial in nature because not all insect species are livestock

[Alemar]

@Cappucina A Ranger Sailor huh? wonder if our characters would know eachother

[cappucina]

You know what, I might have stepped on your toes. I looked at all the applicants classes on page one and decided to do Ranger because no one else had. But you beat me to punch and ours are very similar. I did see your picture and I thought, "I wonder if Tieflings will be allowed" but I didn't inspect your class. I scanned your paragraphs and saw you played the harp and I saw the word Bard and I thought you were a bard. But, I didn't look at the class. I just assumed you would be a face character and that Ranger was unclaimed. That was totally unintentional to duplicate your gal, but it was sooooo lazy of me. I got super obsessed with the Sea Guide idea and wasn't paying attention.

And you are spot on. Our characters are identical.


However, I could easily go druid. I was already leaning into druid. Let me rehabilitate my reputation with you. Lol.

But, I have to keep the Sea Ranger organization backstory. I already went too far in with that.

[Bjorgulf]

Howahkan Character name: Howahkan Race: Human (Variant) Class: Druid (with plans to dip 2 Tempest Cleric early onArctic) Background: Folk Hero Personality: Even though Howakhan projects a guarded and distant demeanor, he can prove to be quite the talkative companion given the right circumstances - especially on topics he's passionate about. The few friends he had managed to make and - most importantly - keep, would describe him as reliable, trustworthy and quick to lend a helping hand whenever someone might find themselves in dire straits- be them friend or stranger. One thing was quite certain - once one loses Howakhan's trust, it's neigh impossible to gain it back. Physical Description: Howakhan is exceptionally tall for a human, making for an imposing presence, especially considering his almost perpetual serious expression, hidden behind graying full beard, bushy eyebrows and intelligent, deep set eyes. He is wearing a well kept, brown leather armor, inscribed with faint druidic runes which seem to have decorative purpose, rather than arcane or otherwise. Howakhan walks with a faint limp in the left leg, the cause of which was never disclosed to anyone. He carries an intricately carved wooden pipe but, curiously, is never used for smoking - perhaps he just plays with it as a means to distract himself while deep in thought. Backstory: The third son of a Blacksmith and midwife in the remote mountain village of Nayavu, Howakhan found his calling early on. He exhibited a talent for medicine from a very young age, especially towards the village animals, to the delight of the local farmers. By the time he was 7, he already was the best farm doctor in the - admittedly small and remote - mountain village, tending to the ailments of mountain goats, skinny milk cows and the occasional merchant's horse. By the age of 12, people were coming from miles around to ask for his help, and by that time he extended his knowledge to humanoid ailments as well, even though he preferred the quiet and unwavering gratitude of animals. He led a quiet and peaceful life for a long time, never yearning for excitement, adventure or expecting gratitude beyond what was voluntarily displayed by the people he helped. Until, that is, the proverbial dark and stormy night. Half-way through his trek to the nearby village of Sinte Maza, answering a desperate call for help from a lifelong friend, an unexpected blizzard hit the Righton Pass he was struggling through, reducing the visibility to almost zero and chilling Howakhan to the bone. Without any immediate means to protect himself from the wrath of the freezing storm, the druid desperately searched for shelter, but the biting snow was covering the landscape, hiding any potential sanctuary behind a thick, white veil. The stark realization he might not make it had an unexpected, calming effect on Howakhan. He found a rocky outcrop, got down on his knees and raised one last prayer to Silvanus, being thankful for a life lived in the service of his peers. As cold was about to take him, a weird, warming sensation enveloped Howakhan - almost unconscious, he became aware of a soothing, incorporeal presence. The vision had no shape or colour, yet somehow appeared crystal clear. It spoke of destiny not yet fulfilled, a distant land in need of his skills and companions not yet known, holding the promise of friendship and devotion. After what felt like an eternity, Howakhan woke up numb and shivering in a cave he did not remember crawling into. The most startling sight was a new set of druidic runes etched into his leather vambrace, simply spelling 'Yondering Realms'. Setting the stage for the Cleric dipVaguely aware there is a higher authority in play, higher even than Silvanus, Howakhan gave in to the pull of fate and made his way to the nearest port, with the singular goal of reaching this mythical realm and fulfill his calling.

[Aldon]

So many amazing characters *nervous sweating* @DM do you know how many characters you want to pick?

[Alemar]

Originally Posted by cappucina

You know what, I might have stepped on your toes. I looked at all the applicants classes on page one and decided to do Ranger because no one else had. But you beat me to punch and ours are very similar. I did see your picture and I thought, "I wonder if Tieflings will be allowed" but I didn't inspect your class. I scanned your paragraphs and saw you played the harp and I saw the word Bard and I thought you were a bard. But, I didn't look at the class. I just assumed you would be a face character and that Ranger was unclaimed. That was totally unintentional to duplicate your gal, but it was sooooo lazy of me. I got super obsessed with the Sea Guide idea and wasn't paying attention.

And you are spot on. Our characters are identical.


However, I could easily go druid. I was already leaning into druid. Let me rehabilitate my reputation with you. Lol.

But, I have to keep the Sea Ranger organization backstory. I already went too far in with that.

No, wait what? If you want to play as a ranger, They're not that similar, and I have no problem with that... Please! Play what you want to, I went with the pirate emoji because we're both sailors