[D&D-5e] Strixhaven: Academy for the Gifted

[Eyepatch]

Happy late New Year, everyone! Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

I'm posting interest, and I assure you, a build and backstory are well on their way. They'll probably be up by tomorrow night, if I can find or make a suitable picture for the guy. I actually had a few questions, too, if you don't mind me taking your time.

Can we use custom backgrounds? I'm glancing through all the ones I can find, but they just wouldn't give my character the exact feel I want. I would be a much more apt addition to the party if I could have some freedom when it comes to making a background that fits better.

Are feats or multiclassing going to be allowed? They're technically variants, and you seemed to have a vehement vendetta against variants. /j

Are we allowed to specify the plane our characters come from? Personally, I think it would be helpful to give shape to our backstories. For example, I kinda have some banger ideas that would be bonkers outside of Ravnica.

I'm sure I'll have questions in the future, so feel free to angrily PM me and tell me to stfu anytime.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and thanks to everyone that applied. Everyone's app looks great! I'm really interested after reading the hook and descriptions, and I have no doubt that this is going to be a banger campaign. Stay golden!

Edit: I'm a clown with a big red nose. I just saw the previous time someone had asked about feats, so I now know that they are, in fact, allowed. Sorry about that!

[Eyepatch]

Application Name: Pippin Class: Fighter Race: Half-elf Alignment: NG Background: Stonemason Backstory:   Pippin was born with the name Pierre-Andre, to a human and an elf. Understandably, people weren't too happy with this union. In fact, Lia(his mothers)'s family was so unhappy that they blacklisted both Heaton (his father) and Lia from working at almost any institution in the city. Not only that, but the wealthy elven noble family placed a substantial bounty on their heads. Obviously, they were more than a little angry that their daughter had eloped with a human. And so, Pierre-Andre's birth was messy and dirty, but miraculously, the baby was healthy and attractive. Heaton and Lia knew they couldn't raise the baby while on the run, so they did the only thing they could think of. Pierre-Andre was sent to live with Heaton's parents. The baby's birth wasn't recorded anywhere; as far as Lia's parents knew, she didn't have a son. And thus, Pierre-Andre was safe. Heaton's parents were kind to him, and Pierre-Andre's grandmother always told Pierre-Andre that he reminded her of Heaton. The three of them lived in an old but dilapidated castle; constant matinence was required to make sure it would stay standing during the winter. However, young Pierre-Andre and his grandfather were more than happy to work together to make sure it was taken care of. The trio lived happily for about seven years, before Pierre-Andre's grandfather began to suffer from some sort of sickness. Pierre-Andre's grandfather refused treatment; rather, the extra money he had was going towards Heaton. Then, when Pierre-Andre was eleven, his grandfather passed away. His passing triggered something in his wife. She grew resentful and bitter towards Pierre-Andre; she would tell him that it was his fault that his grandfather had died. She was too weak to work on the house, so she made Pierre-Andre do it; he slaved away making sure everything was working well. All the while, she sat on a rotting rocking chair and demeaned him, even threatening him with starvation from time to time. Pierre-Andre worked harder than he ever had before. It wasn't uncommon for him to carry dozens of stone blocks across the entire castle just to earn dinner. His hands and feet were bloody from being scraped on rough stone for hours on end. He worked like a slave for five years, and grew strong and tough. Then, when he turned sixteen, almost by magic, his grandmother passed away. Lia's parents swooped in quickly, and skillfully swiped away the deed to the castle, by some legal means. Now homeless, Pierre-Andre started to look for a job at sixteen. He gravitated towards the stonemason's guild. The smell of stone dust and feel of cut blocks felt like home. Using the few skills he had learned while being raised by his grandparents, he got a job cutting stone chunks from a quarry. It was enough to let him afford a crummy apartment near his work. He worked hard, and landed a decent promotion. In his new, slightly higher job, he was responsible for cutting the chunks of stone into rough blocks. One of his fellow stone-shapers caught his attention immediately; Igan, an orcish fellow. They hit it off immediately; Igan told Pierre-Andre about how his village was destroyed by another orcish band, and that he was the only survivor. Through all that, however, Igan had made it his philosophy to be happy all the time; after all, there was always a silver lining somewhere, no matter how thin. Igan was cheerful all the time, no matter what. Pierre-Andre was fascinated by this point of view; through all his struggles and hardships, Igan managed to lift the spirits of everyone around him. Pierre-Andre and Igan grew close; their relationship was something between father-son and brothers. However, Pierre-Andre's paradise in stonecutting didn't last long. When he was nineteen, he and Igan were drafted into a war. The city had waged war on another city-state, and it needed soldiers. They fought together on many, many occasions, and saw countless horrors together. Through it all, Igan smiled and laughed and made jokes. He made it bearable for everyone in the platoon. However, Pierre-Andre could see how tired and worn Igan truly was. Igan gave Pierre-Andre the nickname Pippin; a word that meant 'small' in the orcish tongue, as a joke about Pierre-Andre's impressive size. "Doesn't matter how big you are," Igan would roar in laughter, "You'll always be pippin to me!" The war dragged on, but Pippin had finally found someone that truly meant something to him. Then Igan died. The platoon was ambushed during the night, and many good soldiers didn't make it out. Igan was one of them. A knife was aimed right at Pierre-Andre's throat, and Igan made the ultimate sacrifice for a brother. Pierre-Andre served the rest of his service in a mental daze. Finally, the war ended in a cease-fire. Pippin came home to his job at the guild a very changed man. The memory of Igan burned fresh in his mind. Pippin made a vow as he processed the death; Pippin would carry on Igan's legacy by making people smile. That's what Igan did. No matter how awful things seemed, he smiled and told you that 'you got this, soldier. Keep that chin up and those eyes proud.' Pippin would always stay optimistic from now on. And so, he twisted his tear-streaked face into a smile. Igan would always be with him, so long as he kept on smiling. He went home a new man, at twenty years old. At work, he did better work than ever. Due to the increased amount of open positions, he rose in the ranks quickly, and amassed a small fortune for himself. He used his new job and money to buy the old castle back from Lia's parents, and set to work on fixing it up. He spent years working on it, and turned it into something beautiful. The carvings were intricate, every square foot the product of hours upon hours of work. One day, a high-ranking guild official decided to pay him a visit. Seeing the grandiose castle, he was stunned by the carvings and architecture. He decided to help Pippin apply to an incredible cross-planar school to study architecture and stonework. The high-ranking guild official was an alumnus from their stone working program, and was confident that Pippin would have a decent shot at getting in despite his lack of magic. They worked together to write a letter to the school, and Pippin is eagerly awaiting the response as we speak. Application:   Hello, Office of Admissions. This letter was written from the desk of Dariam Pittance, an alumnus from Strixhaven. I attended years ago, and progressed well through the Prismari College. I believe the student I am recommending is a very special case; he displays an incredible knowledge of aesthetic awareness, as well as a great deal of technical accuracy in stone-based creation. I believe that if he was tutored at Strixhaven, he would graduate as one of the most decorated architects Strixhaven has ever seen. Not only that, but I have never met a more optimistic and high-spirited candidate as himself. He would bring an air of joy and contentment to Strixhaven, that would make the atmosphere even more welcoming. In terms of character and ability, Pierre-Andre is a shining example of the qualities that Strixhaven strives to embody. I urge you to give heavy consideration to him; he won't let you down. Signed and sealed, Dariam Pittance Sample Introduction: "Hey, there's what's your name? I'm Pippin. So nice to meet you." The youth standing before you gives a bright grin, radiating with warmth and a barely contained excitement. His bright blue eyes stand in stark contrast with his mahogany skin, and the blue robes he's wrapped in are lightly covered in grey dust. "You headed to introduction too? Cool! Let's walk together. I also wanna say that I love what you've done with your hair. It really makes your eyes pop." The grin on his face never wavers. The two of you make your way down the packed hallway. "So, where you from? Oop, 'scuse me! Oh, that's new, never heard of it. What's it like? 'scuse me. Mhm, mhm. Wow! Wish there were beaches that nice where I come from. Saying goodbye must have been hard. Y'know, I bet the beaches miss you too." He delivers the punchline with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "They waved goodbye a lot as you were leaving." He gives a good-natured laugh at his own joke, awful as it was. "But hey, I'm glad you're settling in alright. If you need anything, anything at all, just find me around the Prismari campus. Later, skater!" With an impish wink, he turns and walks off in the hallway. Standard Array (Including Racial Ability Score Increases): Str: 16 (+3) Dex: 10 (0) Con: 14 (+2) Int: 14 (+2) Wis: 8 (-1) Cha: 14 (+2) Build in Table Form: Level Source Ability 1 Half-Elf Darkvision: See for 60 ft in total darkness without disadvantage, and can see forever with disadvantage 1 Half-Elf Fey Ancestry:Can't be put to sleep with magic, and adv. on saves against charming 1 Half-Elf Ability Score Increase: +2 Cha, +1 to any two (Str, Int) 1 Half-Elf Movement: 30 ft. 1 Half-Elf Skill proficiency: Arcana and History 1 Half-Elf Languages: Common, Elvish, and one of my choice (Primordial) 1 Fighter Second Wind: 1d10 + 2 HP as a bonus action 1 Fighter Proficiencies: All weapons and armor, shields 1 Fighter Hit Die: 1d10 1 Fighter Hit Points: 12 1 Fighter Saving throws: Str. and Con. 1 Fighter Fighting Style: Defense: +1 AC when wearing armor 1 Fighter Skill proficiency: Athletics and Investigation 1 Stonemason Tool Proficiency: Mason's Tools 1 Stonemason Language: Orcish. He was taught by a good friend. 1 Stonemason Skill Proficiencies: History and Religion. They have both been recorded in stone for eons. Character Sheet: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/profiler/view.php?id=90091

[savoylen]

Originally Posted by penbeast0

I adjusted Dreyer's application and character sheet to use the Quantrix College background instead of the customized Celebrity Scion one. When will I ever get another chance to use these backgrounds after all! Should be compete, thanks.

Noted... thanks for the update!

[savoylen]

Originally Posted by Hal Hammerhand

Hey Savy. Happy New Year!

Unfortunately, I have to bow out of this one but good luck, you have a lot of good applications to sort through! I do not envy you!

Too bad... I was enjoying Brighteyes! I've marked you 'withdrawn'... thanks for the interest and hope to see you around. - Savy

[savoylen]

@Eyepatch

Looking good... and I think you answered your own questions. BUT, if you still have any, please let me know. I've got you marked as "COMPLETED" but feel free to tweak all the way up to selection time which should be on or around the 15th.

Well met!

- Savy

[Jrod]

My character is complete baring any feedback from the DM

[savoylen]

Originally Posted by Jrod

My character is complete baring any feedback from the DM

Nice... I got you marked COMPLETED!
Witherbloom?

Thanks, looking GREAT!

[Jrod]

Originally Posted by savoylen

Witherbloom?

That sounds fantastic!

[savoylen]

@Treble83
You're looking COMPLETED but feel free to tweak and change up your entry as much as you like all the way up to selection. Thanks - Paige looks cool!

[delpinator]

Name: Karrig goblinbane
Race: Mountain dwarf
Class: paladin
Background: folk hero
Traits I judge people by their actions, not their words.
I get bored easily. When am I going to get on with my destiny?
Ideal Freedom. Tyrants must not be allowed to oppress the people. (Chaotic)
Bond A proud noble once gave me a horrible beating, and I will take my revenge on any bully I encounter.
Flaw I’m convinced of the significance of my destiny, and blind to my shortcomings and the risk of failure.

Karrig comes from a fallen dynasty. The goblinbanes were vital in the history of the larger clan sapphirebender. In the north of mythandrill before the orcs took most of the lands. The barbaric people's taking the rest as their leader rode on a two headed raven.

Shamens and forgeclerics fortold of a hero who would travel to new lands to learn and grow in order to reclaim the lands stollen from the sapphirebenders. It was when karrig forged his first armor that he learned of his destiny.

Karrig worked in the keep as a brewer. He found mixing the alchemical mixtures of dwarven brew interesting and learned from thari smeltmaster. He worked there for a number of years forty, fifty, or so then the portal arrived.

[savoylen]

We're about 10 days out from selection. Thank you SO MUCH for the interest in this game.

If you were thinking about applying or working on an app, please try to have it wrapped up before the 15th.

Please let me know if you have questions or need any help.

- Savy

[MontageManiac]

Malleus Livius Silvanus Application Race: Half-Elf Class: Wizard (bladesinger goal) Alignment: Neutral Good Background: Custom - Smithing Prodigee (adapted from Prismari Student) Character Description: Young half-elf, perhaps 20 years old, with long hair, magically colored to be blue and red. His ears are slightly pointed, but his facial hair is properly groomed with a straight razor. He has a lean form, built more for speed than strength, but a force of character that's hard to deny. His eyes are a shade of lilac, which helps portray this sense of frailty, but anyone who knows "Mal" can tell you his intense intelligence and quick dancer-like movements are enough to shut any would-be bully down. Example Post Livius, "Mal" to his friends and colleagues, is working late at the town's forge. Unable to afford much of the equipment or space required to make a forge at his mother's home, he trades work at the town's smithy for both some coin and mostly use of the Master Smith's facilities. Master Lucius Domitius Imbrex was the Master Smith of Dertona, the town Livius had grown up in, the town of his mother's birth. Valiria Silvania was swept off her feet by a dashing elven noble when she just entered adulthood, and went off on many adventures with him. The adventures didn't last long, and when Valiria returned to the village with child, everyone knew who he father had to be, even if never acknowledged. If Mal wasn't being humble, he'd acknowledge that Master "Dom" had little to teach the half-elf artisan, and the work crafted by Livius was enough to draw in customers from 5 towns over, and with not a single bit of support from his illegitimate father. So, it was near the end of his shift for the day that a man dressed in red robes, and a woman dressed in blue approached him at the furnace. "Sorry, I'm at the end of my shift for the day. If you come back tomorrow, I'm sure I can help you with-" The blue-robed woman tosses out a scroll-case onto the anvil, and the cherry-hot blade Livius had been working on for the day. With a gasp he reaches forward to try and remove the case from the metal before it catches fire... but the case only seems to glow, unfurling itself to reveal a rolled scroll. Intrigued by the fact it did not catch fire, "Mal" reached forward and picked up the parchment, and with eyes wide in awe, he began to read the notice. "Dear Malleus Livius Silvanus, we have been monitoring your capabilities and have determined you should be given the freedom to pursue a position at Strixhaven University." Mal looks up at the two individuals standing in the small smithy with a raised, questioning eyebrow, "Did my father send you as some kind of joke? I've never heard of Strixhaven University. Perhaps you should meet with someone more gullible, hmm?" Both robed individuals looked at each other and chuckled. Valiria Silvania was pouring tea into the held out cups of the man and woman from earlier who smiled politely and accepted the small cakes she had baked earlier in the day. Mal was sitting at the table with them, eyeing them suspiciously, for he still wasn't fully convinced that they were sent by his father to torture him or his mother in some senseless and base fashion. "Thank you kindly Lady Silvania. We have come from Strixhaven University, a place of arcane study in its own demiplane. We've had an eye on Livius for a number of years now. We know he's begun to delve into some studies of the arcane to assist in his craftsmanship, and we'd like to offer him the opportunity to study at the University. We believe he may have some... strong affiliation to our areas of expertise." The woman sat regally as she spoke, as any noble Mal had seen. The man was far more gruff, but observed the basic conduct polite of a guest. It was the man who leaned forward however, "Aye, not every day someone comes an offers ya the skeleton key to yer future, is it boyo?" Mal raised an arched eyebrow at the red-robed "boyo" character and sighed. "It seems highly unlikely you've been watching me this entire time. Why not say what you're really here f-" "You've been attempting to imbue arcane sigils upon an expertly crafted blade, but you're finding the process vexing. You have no libraries available to you, your Smithing Master has little to offer you, and you have no resources at home to provide you with even a minor practitioner to guide you on your journey." The woman placed her tea cup on the table and folded her hands neatly atop the table. "You're young, maybe you'll surprise everyone. Or maybe you'll teach yourself. Best case situation, you plateau after exhausting yourself and perhaps are capable of some rudimentary spellcasting to imbue a glow-effect on a sword. Worst case scenario? You blow yourself up in the forge and leave this world no better than when you entered it. Strixhaven is an opportunity, there's no free lunch, child. You are free to apply, and even then you may not get in. But..." The woman leans forward on the table and tilts her head, looking first at Mal, and then to his mother, "But, he is one of the first prospective students Rodizzio and myself wished to speak with. We believe he could be an amazing candidate to the Prismari College." Mal held up his hands to pause the discussion, "Wait, Strixhaven University was what you spoke of, what's Prismari College?" Rodizzio, presumably, let out a belly laugh and pumped his fist into the air, "That's the college Syren and I belong to, and were students back in the day. It's considered the College of Arcane Artists. We follow the philosophy that magic should be cultivated to create beauty in this world." Syren nodded and lifted a hand, an image of a building that seemed to be wreathed in flames popped into her palm. "Not only do students at Prismari imbue magical artistry into their works, but the importance of technique and imprinting one's will upon the magical energies is the duality of our school. Students will lean strongly towards one way or the other, however, I suspect you've got it within you to find balance between the two." Closing her hand into a fist, the image evaporated like smoke in the air. Tapping his finger on the table, Mal was thinking long and hard. Could it be that this wasn't an elaborate ploy from his father? Glancing at his mother, he asked without asking: Do you think I should go? Mal walked towards the central library on campus, the image of his mother smiling in their small abode stuck on his mind as he found himself on a completely different plane of existence, Syren and Rodizzio flanking him on either end. "Alright Boyo! Let's get you over to the orientation for your written exam. Hope you got a good night's sleep. You're going to be at it all day! Hahahaha." Syren bowed to Mal, "Good luck Livius, I hope we can see great things from you here." Prismari. If Mal was going to craft his ultimate sword to cement his reputation, it would be here. Who knows how much he'll have to learn, but he was determined to let nothing stop him. His father would not bestow his name or acknowledge Mal, but there are other ways to live as a legend in one's world. Starting Stats: 16, 13, 8, 14, 11, 14 Malleus Livius Silvanus Student Application Level Source Feature 1 Half-Elf Ability Score Increase: INT +2, DEX +1, CON +1 1 Half-Elf Speed: 30' walking 1 Half-Elf Darkvision 1 Half-Elf Fey Ancestry 1 Half-Elf Skill Versatility: Perception, Athletics 1 Half-Elf Languages: Common, Elvish, Draconic 1 Wizard Additional Wizard Spells (Tasha's) 1 Wizard HP +8 1 Wizard Armor Pro: None 1 Wizard Weapon Pro: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows 1 Wizard Saves: INT, WIS 1 Wizard Skills: Arcana, History 1 Wizard Arcane Recovery 1 Wizard Cantrips: GFB, Mending, Toll the Dead 1 Wizard Spells 1st Level: Absorb Elements, Identify, Mage Armor, Shield, Silvery Barbs 1 Smithing Prodigy (Prismari Student) Skills: Acrobatics, Persuasion 1 Smithing Prodigy (Prismari Student) Tools: Smithing Tools 1 Smithing Prodigy (Prismari Student) Languages: Primordial Application Complete (I believe), feedback welcome!

[Mindsiege]

I've included the missing parts in my application post and I'd say it's not a work in progress any longer.

If possible though, please give me any kind of feedback that you could offer. I'm open to make changes to my application to improve on it as time permits.

[savoylen]

@ MontageManiac @ Mindsiege :: Looking GREAT folks - WOW! I've got you both marked COMPLETED! I'll be looking closely at this as soon as I'm back from work today. Thank you both for the hard work on these. VERY nicely done.

[savoylen]

1 Week... I'm getting excited to get this started!

- Savy