[D&D-5e] Shivery Times - A Cold Life for Warm Souls

[97mg]

Hi Folks! Thank you for all those lovely responses above :-)

silveroak: Intriguing! Can you give me a little more to chew on? I do love domestic drama so there is potential here.

HexenArzt: Thanks for your interest! I know amnesia is fun to play, but it also short cuts the need to establish the character in the existing community. Thus, I am very thankful that you'd like her to have settled in Cilsie afterwards, and then has formed some bonds and relationships with the locals. I just scrolled down to your second post. Excellent! What can you tell me about her life before she woke up in this cold remote place? Just thinking about possible hooks here, like people searching for her... or some kind of interesting foul play that landed her here hehe.

Kshnik: Thank you! Look forward to it!

Yoshimi: Whacky! Love it, and the potential hooks Keg could bring are a delight.

DrewW: I think a warforged helper could certainly be able to slot into the community. Could have been manufactured by a deceased former resident or something. Yes, love the plot hook potential!

Ath: I still very much adore your character. Not sure what happened there, my last PM to you was some months ago, so I might have mistakenly been waiting for something to happen. Anyway, you're on the list for consideration! Cheers.

Azure Nokori: Sounds great! Look forward to seeing what you come up with :-)

[Azure Nokori]

Bug Name: Bug Race: A Yuan Ti trapped in a Mountain Dwarf’s body Class: Redemption Paladin Alignment: Neutral Evil (kinda) Background: Charlatan Personality Traits: I'd go to the end of the world to proove I'm the best!...No, I mean....Uh.....something nice...and clean... Like... I'll do anything to help someone in need. Ideals: If I become strong, I can take wh...If I become strong I can... bring out the best in others! Bonds: I got to do everything I can to win back the love of my life Flaws: Shashii has no flaws!!! Shashii is the greatest!! Sometimes I think to much of others and take little time for myself. Concept: It had been several months. Several long, cold, scale-freezing months. Bug cursed his wife for sending him to this frosted-over cesspit. No, no, no. Thisss isss not her fault... He hissed to himself in his native voice. Thisss isss your own undoing, larverbrain... Any person wandering by would see a dwarf, a particularly odd looking dwarf, warming himself by the fire. Yet, unbeknown to the townsfolk of Cilsie, their new dwarvern handman was actual born a Yuan Ti, and to those who believed in the soul, he very much still was. He had not been a dwarf for long, but Bug was still finding difficult with the height, or there lack of, the shortened gait, and the stubby fingers. Indeed, it made him seem more like an anthropomorphic potato more than a dwarf. Redempttttttion is all you have. Clean handssssss, clean heart.... Several months prior, when his skin was still scaled, Bug ,or Sashii as he was known then, was a successful hunter. He won glory and the eyes of many admirers, not to mention the heart of the shaman's daughter. Wooooweeee, now wasn't she a beaut! Scales smooth and glistening like wet onyx. Fangs that could pierce a bullette. She could skin a human in 3 blinks and then make the most incredible stew. She was his greatest achievement and the two wedded a year or so back. Oh things were good, but Bug was still the champ. He was still attracting a lot of attention. And sometimes cold-blood creatures just need to feel the warmth...of other cold-blood creatures. Oh fine, it was an excuse! He just couldn't stop himself. So many scales, so little leather. The way they look covered in blood. What was a Yuan Ti to do? Well, what is the Yuan Ti daughter of a shaman meant to do when she finds her cheating husband wrapped in the tail of another woman? One might, and in this case very much did, curse him to a village in the coldest reaches of the world. But at least there was something for him still in her heart, in that she granted him a form that would endure the elements in this ice-hole. Perhaps, it was a test. If he could endure, if he could survive in this squat body and make his way back to her, show her he would trapse the very bottom of hell to get back to her. Maybe she would forgive him. Maybe.. ? Appearance: Bug looked like a dwarf, if someone had just skimmed the encyclopdia entry and just grabbed a few keywords. One would be short, another would be broad, aaaand that would be about it. It was his wife who cursed him with this form and she indeed was not one for reading about those horrible little fleshy races. It seemed that she missed the part about beards, for Bug was pretty hairless, save a tuft on his head that mimic a mushroom. She had got the general two eyes, two ears, one nose, one month thing right, but proportions were not her thing. flat ears, flat nose and big wide eyes. Hence the name, Bug. Geez, Non-Yuan TiNYTs could be mean.

[DrewW]

Originally Posted by 97mg

I think a warforged helper could certainly be able to slot into the community. Could have been manufactured by a deceased former resident or something. Yes, love the plot hook potential!

Thank you, that's wonderful to hear. I'll get to work on a character application.

[HexenArzt]

Originally Posted by 97mg

Hi Folks! Thank you for all those lovely responses above :-)

silveroak: Intriguing! Can you give me a little more to chew on? I do love domestic drama so there is potential here.

HexenArzt: Thanks for your interest! I know amnesia is fun to play, but it also short cuts the need to establish the character in the existing community. Thus, I am very thankful that you'd like her to have settled in Cilsie afterwards, and then has formed some bonds and relationships with the locals. I just scrolled down to your second post. Excellent! What can you tell me about her life before she woke up in this cold remote place? Just thinking about possible hooks here, like people searching for her... or some kind of interesting foul play that landed her here hehe.

Kshnik: Thank you! Look forward to it!

Yoshimi: Whacky! Love it, and the potential hooks Keg could bring are a delight.

DrewW: I think a warforged helper could certainly be able to slot into the community. Could have been manufactured by a deceased former resident or something. Yes, love the plot hook potential!

Ath: I still very much adore your character. Not sure what happened there, my last PM to you was some months ago, so I might have mistakenly been waiting for something to happen. Anyway, you're on the list for consideration! Cheers.

Azure Nokori: Sounds great! Look forward to seeing what you come up with :-)

I honestly didn't even think that far ahead at the time. But here goes...

Due to the chaos of her Wild Magic, Virella was constantly getting herself in trouble in her former village of Ilton. She had been on thin ice with the leaders there for some time, but they finally casted her out after she set fire to their town hall. Virella had meant to cast Color Spray into the sky during the village's festival at the end of the night, instead she cast Fireball and hit the town hall. Thankfully no one was inside or injured, but the mayor fo Iltold told her she was banished.

After traveling North for some times, bouncing from village to village, she found herself in snowy terrain with little food until she past out, hitting her head on a rock.

[silveroak]

Name: Phann Aelfdottir
Race: High Elf
Class: Artificer (Battle smith)
Background: Guild Artisan

Appearance: Phann is slender with platinum blonde hair, pale skin and icy blue eyes He hair is worn long to cover her ears and her makeup is chosen to accent her more human features and cover her elfin heritage, the better to blend into a predominantly human community. Her clothes generally show a bit more skin than is appropriate for the weather, but in a casual manner suggesting simply that she is not as cold rather than that she is trying to attract the male attention it inevitably invites.

Character Concept: An elfin woman who has made her way in a human community she is beginning to be alienated by the extra years she lives, the loss of her friends to time, and the complicated inter-generational nature of the relationships she does have.

Backstory: An elven woman of about 80 who was orphaned when her mother died here 77 years ago. she has grown into a highly competent smith (artificer), who was in a relationship with Jessica, a local girl who Phann grew up with and fell in love with, but Jessica died of old age a little over a decade ago, while Phann still looks like a healthy young woman, leaving the local humans a bit perplexed on whether to treat her as an old widow or a young, and in many cases potentially wooable, woman.
Those old enough to remember do know that before she settled down with Jesssica she had a habit of leading on young men as well as apparently some young women. That was 70 years ago now, so who know what, or who she might be interested in now. She is however, still the town blacksmith and a very capable one at that.
she has an animated statue (steel defender) of her deceased wife in their home, which leads to further uncertainty about her relationship situation in the village.

Why I would like to play this game: I'm interested in a more social less combat driven game,

Writing sample: Phann stood over the gravesite as the iron casket was lowered into the ground. She didn't shed a tear which simply glistened on the corner of her eye instead. she had forgone makeup in mourning, and shaved her hair in grief. With her sharp, elfin ears pointing like daggers from her bald pate she had never looked more alien to the people of the village. Normally a loss like this would bring the community together in support. Today they simply felt uncertainty as this young looking ancient alien woman stood watching the casket sink into the earth. The wrought iron captured every detail of Jessica's face, not as it was when she died but as it had been forty years ago, at the peak of her beauty.
The ceremony finished with some words to the gods, at least those gods who would approve of Jessica's relationship with Phann. Then Phann returned home wordlessly, not greeting the well wishers with words of sympathy, and leaving the feast of supportive food uneaten. Most of it was meat dishes anyways, most of the village didn't know that it was Jessica who ate all the meat. Slowly the crafting resumed and horses were shoed and nails were placed out for sale. Plow blades were repaired. Phann returned to the long haired, bright spirited young woman she had been, but the village never quite saw her the same, and could never quite ignore her ageless years the way it had when she was married to Jessica.

[Revlar]

Name: Thalrus Truefrost
Race: Mountain Dwarf
Class: Ranger (Hunter)
Background: Guild Artisan (Carpentry)

Concept: Thalrus has been born and raised in this small village. His parents, merchants, became trapped in the town when they visited. They hoped to trade for rare goods only found in these climates. However, when the ice truly set in, they were forced to settle in for months. However, they came to love the beauty of the landscape and the such a close knit community. They stayed and had a child, Thalrus.

He has made himself an integral part of the community. Having very little need for merchants, his parents taught him skills instead. He learned to build. First chairs, then cabinets, and houses. He even left the community to learn from true masters of the craft. Not just to build, but to do with artistry and detail. There is no end of work for him to do. In these climates, small inconveniences can turn deadly. Whether building or patching what is broken, he leaves behind artistry in his work.

Thalrus also enjoys hunting. The hunting he does is always shared, meat divided between all his neighbors. He keeps trophies sometimes, but he he seeks to hunt sustainably. Harmony with environment is key in such an icy place. Although, as part of the challenge he seeks in hunting, he choose to use almost exclusively thrown weapons. (He also may be a little less than skilled in archery.) His expertise also means he is a protector of the community, bringing down threats to his beloved community

Why do I want to play: I want to try a different kind of roleplay. I always aim for a bit of comedy, but I've never really had a slice of life type game. It's a different concept and I am down for it.

[Kshnik]

App Name: Jigis Snowbunting Class: Fighter 1/Druid (Spores) 2 Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Background: Inheritor Concept: Jigis arrived in Cilsie over twenty years ago. Outside of being a wood elf there was nothing descriptive about Jigis that stood out. The only things folks comment on was the odd amulet hanging from his neck in the form of a stone which contains, what appears to be, roots that had burrowed within. When asked, all Jigis explains is that it is an item that he inherited. Jigis bought a house located off to the side of the town. Now there is a line of young nut trees that rest on the north part of his yard running east to west. A dagger’s throw south away from the nut trees are fruit trees that bear cherries and berries of various types. South of these fruit trees are dwarf fruit trees. Even further south are various shrubs. After the shrubs are various herbs and finally the last line of growth are tubers. Surrounding the smallish plot of land is a living fence grown from a type of northern willow. Jigis has a few types of domesticated small animals; rabbits, chickens, and goats. Folks die. Even in a place like Cilsie. Especially in a place like Cilsie. Jigis is the one that handles their burial, cremation or any other rites of death. He believes that life and death go hand and hand. Without death there is no life. Jigis is strongly against the undead, seeing this as a disruption of the Life and Death balance. Jigis, by handling the city’s deceased, makes sure no undead comes around. Jigis also uses his knowledge of arcana along with his druidic training to provide healing to the citizens. He creates berries of healing. He provides shelter for those in need. He always has extra food. As his needs are minimal. Why I'd like to play the game: The game interests me and I enjoy your character Puddly. Writing Style: Play with you in another game with my character Jatt which should provide you enough about my writing style. I can easily, thought not quickly, write up a writing sample if needed.

[Red Leper]

Time: Name: Castian Forsythe Class: Rogue (Swashbuckler) Alignment: Chaotic Good Background: Criminal (Spy) Personality Traits: -I would rather make a new friend rather than a new enemy -I don't pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds. Ideal: -Loyalty. I was once loyal to nobility but now I am loyal to love and my own heart. Bond: -I bear the pain of being separated from my true love and seek a cure for it. Flaws: -I am stuck in the past and I refer back to it often. Appearance: Castian is a wiry human standing around six feet tall. He keeps his hair styled a certain way but it is far from neat, somewhat unkempt and he periodically sweeps it out of his face while his mustache is a little untrimmed but always curled. His eyes are sharp and gold in hue and down his left eye is a scar from long past. He has an earring shaped like a skeleton key hanging from his left ear and tattoos with some feathery motif going down his neck from beneath his ear and extends beneath his jerkin. He wears a tight fitting jerkin with light leather jack over it, snug trousers and calf-high boots. On his hip is a fine rapier that he sharpens often and keeps it neat and polished. He wears a polished gem hanging on a silver chain but hides it beneath his tunic. When he goes out into the cold, he wears a green cloak with a white fur mantle and hood. While his swagger around the barroom would suggest that he is a drunkard that gambles and drinks his life away, his armor and weapons are too well-kept and the man too alert for someone who has given themselves over entirely to alcohol. Concept: A human that fell in love with an elf. What started out as orders to infiltrate a group of mercenary adventurers became something more. The group stayed together for a couple years before they lost their first member in battle, Zerxes, a Dragonborn Paladin. Lost love, drove the next two members away, Zerxes' lover, Rhiannon ventured back to her people, closely followed by her brother. Lost faith drove the cleric to build a temple and go into long-standing communion with his deity. Loss of work persuaded the party's wizard to find employment at a magical academy. Castian and Gilgalane remained together for several more years, the elf woman watching the human begin to age finally drove home a realization and a fear in Gilly. She called their relationship little more than a tryst and claimed it could never last, "I could live for centuries and you are only human.". In his grief he put himself in a self-imposed exile, far away from everything, in Cilsie seeking semi-retirement from adventuring, electing to drink and gamble in the only tavern in the village. He doesn't take the villager's money in these transactions, just enough money for meals, drinks and another night in his room. He tells stories of his adventures longingly, feeling that if he doesn't cling to the past, he'll lose the memories of his true love. He awaits something that will spark him into action again. Why I'd like to play the game: I feel like this game would give me a chance to explore the depth of a character concept more than other games from the way I read the introduction. Writing Style: The Flight of the Zelbinian

[Red Leper]

I wasn't sure if you wanted something fresh for Writing sample but I linked a post from a game I'm GMing. Otherwise, the application is finished, I think.

[Dechado]

Hullo! Just dropping by to say 97mg is a fantastic DM, and you should totally apply to one of their games! Go go go!

[DrewW]

In Eberron, the Thronehold Treaty allowed all warforged to become emancipated and treated with the same rights as courtesies that all the other races are afforded. Creation Forges, where the warforged were made, were dismantled and forbidden. However, a special individual named Merrix d’Cannith, operating out of an illegal creation forge buried deep within Cannith South’s holdings in Sharn, continues to produce warforged for the sake of various experiments.

When d'Cannith learned about a connection between Eberron and Faerûn, he just had to send multiple warforged through, partly out of scientific curiosity and also simply for the chaotic fun of it. The various warforged appeared randomly all over Toril at random heights and depths.

One unfortunate warforged, a class Guardian-1 model Dynamic-30 Neuraloid, designation G1D30N, appeared high in the sky over Cilsie and fell like a meteor, piercing deep into the frigid earth on impact and becoming frozen there.

After almost three years, the otherworldly patron The Hexblade reached out to G1D30N and promised to give him the power to free himself in exchange for a lifetime of servitude. G13D0N readily agreed to the deal. As soon as he was granted the pact magic, he began the task of casting the cantrips Eldritch Blast and Create Bonfire over and over again, each time breaking or melting away some of the icy earth around him.

Once he had freed himself, he wandered into Cilsie, where he was welcomed, tentatively at first, but soon he was accepted and loved by everyone. They nicknamed him "Gideon", and he became an integral part of the community, his abilities as a machine doing wonders to ease the day-to-day lives of the citizens of Cilsie.

Now two more years have passed, and his patron has remained curiously silent...

[Remorazz]

going for a far-fetched idea..

[97mg]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all these wonderful creations!
I'll confer with the current players and see what we can do.
I'm half on the fence about starting a second group to allow more players in, who can co-exist in the same village as the others... mmm.

[Red Leper]

I am going to withdraw. I don't think I'm going to have time for a game. Thanks for the opportunity to write

[Dingbat]

Application: Farmer Jim Name: Jim Bexley, "Farmer Jim" Species: Human, mark of finding Class: Fathomless Warlock (the tentacle is reflavored as the Nuckelavee's grasping hand, pressed into service). Background: Farmer Concept: Jim had gotten his powers as a warlock by accident, so far as he knows. One night, his dog got out and he had to chase the silly thing in the snow. The mountain passes can be treacherous, and a slide down a ravine later, he managed to find himself in a cave. There he found a rather peculiar sight. A human skeleton was propped up against the wall beside a glass lantern. Drops of melt-water slowly plunk-plunk-plunked into it, though it was looking a mite low. On the skeleton itself, apart from tattered clothes and odds and ends, Jim noticed that it wore an amulet around its neck of three bones bound together with gold. The lack of a ring finger on its left hand suggested it might be its own bones making up the amulet. Morbidly curious, he picked it up. In his mind, he heard the dead man's voice echoing. It told him that there was the essence of a great demon hidden within the lantern: the Nuckelavee. The man had been a cleric of a sea goddess, who'd fashioned the lantern, and tasked him to take it where there would always be fresh, clean water available, the sole weakness of the Nuckelavee. He hadn't prepared for the trip through the arctic landscape, but managed to set up the lantern as he had, with some divine aid. Would Jim make sure to take up his mantle to become the custodian of the demon? Jim said he would, provided that he get help around the farm. Thus, Father Servi was reborn as an undead thrall to become a farmhand. He was very thrilled... (/s). Why game? Why?: I like these kinds of survival games, and I like the odd bit of absurdity it offers. Also, I found out in the new rules that you can have a skeleton as a warlock familiar, and had to try it. Writing Sample: elsewhere on the site (don't have a lot atm, just joined)