[D&D-5e] The Shadow of the Devourer

[nande]

Originally Posted by penbeast0

If any of the other characters would be willing to be Charm's guardian, that would be lovely!

This actually gives me an idea for a character.

[silveroak]

Bry would be willing and able to be Charm's guardian. Presumably they met sometime after he left the tribe seeking the acorn.

[Alemar]

I believe I'm complete except for the Secret part... Waiting for a few more completions to make my decision

[penbeast0]

Originally Posted by silveroak

Bry would be willing and able to be Charm's guardian. Presumably they met sometime after he left the tribe seeking the acorn.

If we get picked, I'd love that.

[Osellic]

I sent you a PM as requested. Will add the secret text for character companions now as well.

[Lentil Sponge]

COMPLETED!

Basics Name/s: Rainbow (Formerly Adriaak Unk & Isabelle Chevalier) Race: Kobold Class: Rogue (Swashbuckler) 4 Gender: Female Alignment: Neutral Good is her tentative aim (Chaotic Neutral as Adriaak, Lawful Good as Isabelle) Age: 25 Background Urban Bounty Hunter Personality Trait (Rainbow) "Two seperate personalities live in my head, fighting for control. I don't know where they end and I begin." Personality Trait (Adriaak) "Hey! I gotta joke for you! C'mon, don't be like that! Laughter is what makes life worth living!" Personality Trait (Isabelle) "This frightens me... and I'm going to do it anyway. As any noble knight knows, only cowards fear nothing." Bond "I am the result of two destroyed lives. They both are looking for Isabelle's child." Ideal "I am living proof that, no matter how bad things look, there's always a solution. Adriaak values pragmatism and the good of the many whereas Isabelle values idealism and the rights of the few." Flaw "I frequently lose control of myself to the others, when I don't give it up willingly. Adriaak is selfish and hedonistic. Isabelle is unforgiving and dogmatic."

Expanded Appearance: Rainbow got her name quite easily. Her entire physiology, her body language, even the colour of her hair and skin, changes depending on the personality that is more dominant in her head. In either state she keeps her hair short for practicality and fashion, shaving much of the rest off. She is perfectly built for stealth, with an athletic frame and dark scales all over her. Some scales are more coloured than others, however, and this is how one can tell who's in control. When Isabelle is in control, her hair, eyes and scales are tinged blue. She dresses conservatively, her body language is stiff and deliberate, and she only says what she needs to to get her point across. By contrast, Adriaak calls attention to herself, loud in her actions and her words. Her red hair, eyes and scales are accompanied by a brazen in-yo'-face manner and an almost constant smile. Personality: Rainbow is a very strange kobold to meet. One second, she will be morose, serious, and polite, offering you the food on her platter. The next, she'll be gorging on food and drink gleefully, spouting off a barrage of dad-jokes and terrible flirts. She is unpredictable, to say the least, and it's easy to suppose that one is merely a mask for the other. A persona she puts on to get whatever it is that she wants, whether it's greed or righteousness. That's half-correct. The truth is a lot weirder; she's both. Rainbow is the result of an experiment gone horribly wrong. Thus, she flips between the two people who she used to be, so that she can achieve both of their conflicting aims. Isabelle was a noble soul, but not one who forgave easily. She was highly emotional, not that her efficient demeanour would suggest it, and aspired to be a beacon of righteousness in a grim world - a hero of the downtrodden. Adriaak, as one of those downtrodden, was far more cynical. While she put on a goofy, friendly persona to catch people off-guard, she knew that there's no such thing as a truly good deed. So she stopped trying to do good deeds altogether, and focused on feeding herself and having fun. So, often, it falls to their mutual creation and host, Rainbow, to find a compromise between them. Rainbow herself is something of a ghost within her own mind, a distinct personality yet not. A union of two very different, very traumatised minds. One who always has hope that good deeds can be done, but is under no delusion of it being easy.   The eternal problem with kobolds is that they both make for easy targets for would-be do-gooders, and for fearful unpaid labour for would-be ne'er-do-wells. Isabelle Chevalier was the hapless squire to a knight with more pride than talent. Adriaak Unk was a lowly member of the kobold tribe that said paladin attacked. The kobold tribe had fallen under the sway of a dark sorcerer who was tapping into evil powers he didn't fully understand. The knight attacked and got herself and her squire captured, and the two were subject to tests, tortures and experiments ghoulish and gruesome. So Isabelle and Adriaak met. Both had grown up in small, poor communities. One, a village of humans. The other, a nomadic kobold tribe. Isabelle had a daughter to provide for, Marie, a girl born out of wedlock to an unknown father, which made Isabelle something of a pariah in her community. In addition, brigands would very occasionally attack the village, looking for easy prey. Marie always admired the militia who would rush in to save them, and it was these three factors that made Isabelle give Marie to the local priesthood for protection and venture out as a page and squire to a knight. Redemption in her community's eyes, respect in her daughters, and returning to the world the favour of saving her village. Adriaak's tribe was one big family, but she only truly bonded with her younger sister, Oodaki. Younger than her. Sickly. A burden to the tribe and a target to bullies, but Adriaak took that burden on without question and fought off the bullies. But the young, starving kobold's life was miserable, so Adriaak also was determined to make it better. With jokes a plenty, and toys whittled out of wood, and all of the food she could spare. Oodaki was always gleeful whenever Adriaak was around. This made Adriaak only more heartbroken when her sister died of a disease, and the rest of the tribe was just quietly relieved that they didn't have to stretch out their meagre resources quite so thinly. From then on, Adriaak bitterly hoarded what food and gold she did get, becoming greedy and hedonistic overnight with no one left in life to share with. Isabelle had put on a brave face at first, against the tortures from the sorcerer. But then, after one particularly awful session, she began screaming about her daughter. Begging to be allowed to see her Marie one more time, please. Adriaak overheard and, against all of her instincts, visited Isabelle in her cell later. She pitied her, memories of Oodaki in her mind. Her initial plan was just to release her, but she came upon a dying woman. The dark sorcerer's experiments were too much, and Isabelle would soon be no more. Little did either know, magic was in the air. Magic with a very twisted sense of humour. Adriaak grabbed onto the dying Isabelle to support her. That's when the human began to melt. Drooping impossibly, like her figure was liquid. Adriaak tried to help her up, but only got Isabelle all over herself. Then, looking at her arm, she saw the flesh falling from her bones. Both screamed in panic. And then they screamed in one voice, and with one set of lungs. The guards happened upon them and, in terror from what they beheld, fled. The sorcerer did too, not understanding his own creation. And, like that, a foolhardy decision to be selfless for one more time, Adriaak was no more. Rainbow was born. Rainbow was a creature confused but filled with purpose. She spent her formative years hunting down what remained of her old tribe, until she had slaughtered the dark sorcerer and found the knight that Isabelle had served. In those years, she discovered that she had become a far more skilled warrior than either Adriaak or Isabelle, with the determination and bravery of one and the sneakiness and athleticism of the other. But the two tormented each other and Rainbow, a new creation who knew not what she was, or what she wanted. Secretly, she was somewhat terrified that, once she had actually done everything her two halves had done, that there'd be nothing left to do but tear each other apart. All she knew was, when the knight was saved, she could find Marie. Adriaak could have redemption in helping a mother find her child, and Isabelle... well, they'd cross that bridge when they got to it. Until she had returned to Isabelle's home and found that, in one of those many many raids that had occurred, Marie had been taken away by the brigands. A slave, or a religious sacrifice, or something worse. Rainbow knew exactly what she had to do next; find Marie. The process was long, with many false leads and dead ends, but the most unlikely place for Marie to have been taken soon became the only place - A Place On No Map. From the dark sorcerer's ramblings, Rainbow remembered a place that might fit that description... the Demiplane of Dread. 1) Tell me what your characters greatest achievement is. - That Oodaki's life was as good as it could be, and that Marie was raised to be the best girl in the world. 2) Tell me what your character’s greatest fear is. - That when Rainbow has found Marie and saved her, that there will be nothing left but for her split personalities to tear her apart. Worse, if Marie is already dead. 3) Tell me something in your character's past that they are particularly proud of. - While both are supposedly unhappy with becoming Rainbow, Adriaak is very proud that she was able to save Isabelle's life, in a weird way. 4) Tell me something in your character's past that they are ashamed of. - Isabelle harbours secret guilt over Marie's birth, and is in turn ashamed of that. Adriaak hides the shame of a lot of her old crimes under the excuse of "I did what I had to so I could eat."

Roleplay Sample   "He won't tell you." Rainbow, for a moment, twitched, as if the voice in her head was whispered into her ear. She could feel Adriaak forcing her to ignore it - she had been out of control for so long, she wasn't willing to give it up. This was the best lead that they had had in months. Isabelle had relied too much on the goodness of the priesthood, the nobility and the knightly orders, and they would never get her to a place on no map. But Adriaak knew who to talk to. And besides, it was fun. The scarlet hairs brushing past an eyeline of the same colour, the taste of mead on her lips, a cigar of mind-rotting leaf betwixt her fangs - why would she give up this line of enquiry when it was so much more pleasant than hiking to a cold church and being told nothing? "Oi. You good?" Rainbow looked back to the orc across the table and gave him a wide smile. "Good as gravy, Big Guy," she purred, sliding a few more coins across the table. "That a big enough bet for you?" The orc was one of three, and no names had been shared so 'Big Guy' would do. He shared shared a dark look with the others. The shadows from the inn around them, and the noise from the other patrons, seemed to tighten the very air around the table. No matter how open and wide the room was, it was claustrophobic. "This is a lot of money you're throwing away, just for an old wives tale," Big Guy pointed out. Rainbow snorted with a little laugh. "I can tell you've never been married. There's three things you never ask a lady, mate; don't ask her if she's been put on weight, don't ask her how orc tusks feel downstairs, and don't ask her why she needs to know something." The biggest orc laughed through his thick nostrils. The others looked at him. "What? I'm not insecure enough to not find that funny!" "Hey, don't worry, some human girls really like it. They're freaks, the lot of them," Rainbow cooed sympathetically. Her claw rapped a little on the cup it sat upon, before lifting up. The dice beneath bore the numbers that she had long ago guessed none of the orcs would be pleased to see. "Unless one of you has been hiding six fives this entire time, I think this means I win." The table became a chorus of shouts and boos. The other two orcs just threw their cups to the floor, sending wood rattling about the tavern. Reluctantly they shoved their money towards Rainbow and stormed off, ranting about needing more beer. Big Guy didn't move. His hand stiffened, and his eyes were fixed on Rainbow's dice. Then, steadily, he looked up. "No." Rainbow blinked. "Ummm... what, you have fives or something?" "Deal's off. You cheated." Big Guy rose from his seat, making it very clear that that was the end of the conversation. "Hey, ******** it is! You lost, fair and square!" That's when Big Guy lunged across the table, hands slamming down and sending gold coins scattering about. "I never lose! Bother me about that stupid place again, and I'll wring that little head off that little neck of yours! Gottit?!" Rainbow was completely silent. She got it, alright. "Good." Big Guy stood up and turned on his heel. One of the barmaids had come by to try and inspect whatever commotion was going. Immediately, his mood improved. He took a handful of her rump and squeezed tightly. "Rainbow, stop him!" Rainbow's eyes squeezed closed. Not here. Not yet. His friends were still in view. "Come up to my room later, babe. Might be some gold, and I won't cause any trouble tonight," he threatened, before walking to the door and stepping into the dark. The barmaid winced, and then her eyes set on Rainbow. "****! **** **** **** ****!" Adriaak's voice rattled through her. Yet it was Adriaak's smile she wore. "It's all good, ma'am," she said. "No one likes it when kobolds beat them. Elves are much sorer losers, believe it or not." "Adriaak, I'm sorry, but it's my way now." The barmaid's eyes widened, and Rainbow almost caught her own reflection in them. Her skin tone dulled. Her eyes brightened like shining sapphires. The hair atop her head began to pool over, from blood to the sea. "You.. your... "Just a old trick," Rainbow lied, hopping down from her seat and stubbing out her cigar in her flagon. She briefly looked back to the table behind her, aching with gold. Then back to the barmaid. "Have it, as compensation for dealing with him." The barmaid almost fell to the floor in shock. "Yeah, Isabelle, that's nice and all, but we could've used some of that cash to... you know... survive." Rainbow ignored the argument that was beginning in her head. Adriaak's method at least got them this far; Big Guy proved he knew about Ravenloft. Now it was Isabelle's turn to get results. She walked about, the little taps of her feet barely audible. The door opened and closed without Big Guy any of the wiser. He was looking away, the only light in the night being the stars above and his fat cigar. Rainbow sneered, drawing her blade slowly. "Pig." She sliced the hand that had groped the barmaid. Then the wrist. Blood splattered about. His wails were caught as she leapt up, her claw smashing against her lips. Then she drew away the cigar from his lips with her other, her feet hanging onto his shuddering chest as he panicked and gave out muffled screams. "Isabelle! He's our own chance to get to Marie! What, him groping some girl we don't know is enough to throw your own daughter away?!" Rainbow ignored Adriaak, inspecting the cigar carefully. "You're going to bleed to death with that cut. Very quickly. But I can cauterise the wound and save your life... if you tell me how to get to a place on no map." Big Guy's arms went limp. Terror, maybe, or simply blood loss. Wide eyed, he steadily nodded. "Clever boy." She kicked him to the ground, and took his wrist firmly. His cigar in her other hand. She buried the stub in, the coal-like end blazing. The orc groaned as she forced the fire across his wrist, as if she was knitting his skin back together. A scorched scar was left in her wake, and all the while her blue eyes dug into him like daggers. "Start talking." It took Big Guy a few moments to catch his breath, pain leaving him stunned. Then, slowly... "If you wanna get to Ravenloft... th-there's an old woman you need to find... in a wagon..."

PCs Selected Keeping this in secret.

[Lentil Sponge]

@Vaynol - Sorry in advance for posting so close to your closing date, but I have found myself with more time to write and play games than I have for a while, and I need to get back into the flow. And this somehow screamed to me, as did my admittedly very weird character.

[Vaynol]

Sorry all, I’ve had a lot of issues crop up in my personal life recently which means I need to step away from the site, this game won’t be going ahead.

[Alemar]

Hope things start to improve for you Vaynol... Good luck!

[penbeast0]

Don't want to be running a dark game like this if things are difficult. Think light, fluffy, like Willow. Get your feet back under you and good fortune to you and yours.

[Drachenspirit]

Thanks for the notification.

[Greyling]

Hoping for a happy and healthy personal life to both Vaynol, and everyone else

[Drifter One]

Life is hard and often unfair.

Best of luck.