[D&D-5e-2024] In the Shadow of the Dragon

[BurrowingOwl]

Originally Posted by Aisede

No idea who River Tam is, but I think you're misinterpreting my meaning.

Sharing a class doesn't mean sharing the same schtick. In my Goblin Queen game, we have two wizards. One is an elderly bearded guy in it to get money for his children. Mine is a lanky anxious girl who needs money to buy herself an education. Same class, entirely different themes.

That's exactly what I mean - having two characters of the same class is fine, but having them be too close to each in concept, personality, etc. probably isn't great. Like, it wouldn't be awesome if someone else in the game also wanted to play a lanky, anxious wizard girl needing money to buy herself an education, right? Obviously, there's exceptions - anything can be fine in D&D as long as everyone involved is cool with it - but if you were playing with a relative stranger and you hadn't worked it out in advance, it'd feel a little rude for them to want to play a character who was too close to yours.

Also - watch Firefly. It's streaming in various places. I promise you won't regret it.

[Alemar]

Originally Posted by Aisede

No idea who River Tam is

She was a child genius who was "selected" by the government to go to a "special school" where they would challenge her and bring out the best of her brilliant mind... by running experiments on her brain and turning her into a psychotic psychic assassin.

You're really missing out on not seeing Firefly it was a great TV Show that the network mishandled then killed because it wasn't getting good ratings (they aired it in multiple time slots so nobody knew when it was on, and out of order so nobody could follow the story) you can find it on Netflix I think??? it's a space western, complete with space cows and everything!

[Lentil Sponge]

Application Name: People in Willowrest THINK it's Countess Melody Sebastine, (or one of a hundred other aliases) but her real name is Cleo Zatwi Class: Rogue (intending to become a Thief) Age: 23 Species: Human Origin: Charlatan Alignment: Chaotic Good (with leanings towards Neutrality) Backstory: Duke Valewind had received a letter that explained the situation. It was really quite simple. A minor noble within the Kingdom of Eryndor, one Caliban Sebastine, had a real problem with his daughter, Melody. She was a terrible brat; lazy, rebellious, bad-tempered and ill-mannered. She had gotten that dreadful tattoo of a skull on her left arm, and that was the final straw. So she had been forced to pack her bags and sent to Willowrest. Caliban had begged Duke Valewind to force his daughter into the Opal Guard, where hopefully the Conceited Countess would learn some discipline and humility at long last. Most wouldn't blink. An odd request, sure, but not exactly unheard of. But those who knew what to look for would find... oddities. The handwriting looked like Caliban's, but the deeply religious man would never refer to his daughter as 'damned' no matter how bratty she was. And there was that noted art forger, Hannah Meegerev, who mysteriously disappeared... she had also had a tattoo of a skull on her left arm. So had that infamously cruel highway robber, Chera Durptin, before she was seen falling off of a cliff to her "death". And before then, there was that strange religious prophet and scarification zealot, Malissa Dearthorn. Same skull tattoo, and she disappeared too. Cleo Zatwi has had as many masks as she has years and tragedies. The Zatwi family owned a franchise of less than reputable inns, brothels and casinos, and that was exactly how they liked it. They made more money than they would running legal businesses, but weren't in quite as much danger as they would be if they were out-and-out gangsters. Cleo Zatwi was just another one of the girls. From a house full of sisters, she learned how to sweet-talk, sucker-punch and sneak, and the value of living well. She was kind yet greedy, rambunctious and quick-witted, with a heart of gold as long as good food or wine wasn't on the line. She often let her big mouth get herself into trouble, and usually her big mouth got herself out of trouble too. The only thing that her family wasn't proud of was her habit of hiccupping whenever she was under great stress, which sometimes made her less sneaky than they would like. But her 13th birthday changed everything. That's when the skull on her left arm arrived, and the voices in her head arrived. Cleo Zatwi wasn't just a kid in a criminal family. She was the 13th Daughter of a 13th Daughter, born on the Holy Day of the Scorpion Queen. The Scorpion Queen was a dark goddess, one of pain, madness and death, but a greatly weakened goddess. Long ago, she had been defeated by the flames of tendragons, and had been awaiting her rebirth. And, with the stars aligned, Cleo Zatwi had been marked as the vessel for the Scorpion Queen's rebirth. An apocalyptic cult targeted Cleo, seeing her death as the way to free the Scorpion Queen. In addition, Cleo began to fade, weakness taking her, and she was only able to survive by causing pain in others. Covering the Skull Tattoo was torture for her, and though it racked her with guilt, she had to cause pain in others just to keep herself alive. Just as the little voice in her head told her to - an aspect of the Scorpion Queen herself, a little cruel voice that taunted her and tempted her with how easy it would be to become an avatar of the Scorpion Queen and open hell upon the world. Initially, her family fought off this cult and protected Cleo, but after several years she realised that her entire family was falling apart just to protect her. She vanished in the night, intending only to return home when she had rid herself of her curse and the Scorpion Queen. But, ultimately, she couldn't rid herself of her old life. She enjoyed rich food, alcohol and elicit drugs too much. She'd come up with new personas, usually living large and hedonistically, and using her charm and her sneakiness to live well, find out what she could about the Scorpion Queen, and cause pain only to those who deserved it or volunteered. But then someone would get word of a woman with a Skull Tattoo, the Scorpion Queen's followers would find her again, and she'd have to fake her death, run away and start all over again. So, down to her last few cigars and coins, Cleo Zatwi bet everything on one last scam. Posing as a snobby rich girl, Cleo made her way to the town of Willowrest. Drawn there by rumours of an ancient black dragon, one of the ten who had defeated the Scorpion Queen so long ago. If she could get into the Opal Guard, and use them to find and get an audience with this Black Dragon... the Scorpion Queen's curse may finally be lifted, and Cleo may finally be able to go home.

[Lentil Sponge]

@ Admin Bhelogan - I've finished my character. I've put in some random details about the world, but if there's anything that needs changing to better fit your plans for the game, or just any other reason, feel free to ask.

[Admin Bhelogan]

I THINK I have everyone's applications listed in the OP. If I missed yours, please PM me.

[Admin Bhelogan]

Also, added a due date timer to the OP for applications. We have enough I am tempted to move that up to the 4th, however, I will be traveling the week of the 7th, and I have no delusions that I will have time to go through and make selections until the week after.

[jr1v3]

Good luck for my fellow applicants! Even If I don't get selected, let me share gratitude to everybody for the good time we spend together. I hope we can keep getting these pleasant encounters once more!

[Aisede]

Man, everybody really goes all out with their character applications. It makes me feel like I'm slacking, but maybe that's just because I was raised in a different roleplay environment. One where characters are created spontaneously and write their own stories, often from scratch. I can tell you now, I couldn't write three paragraphs about one of my *strongest* characters before I began to use her.

[Admin Bhelogan]

Originally Posted by Aisede

Man, everybody really goes all out with their character applications. It makes me feel like I'm slacking, but maybe that's just because I was raised in a different roleplay environment. One where characters are created spontaneously and write their own stories, often from scratch. I can tell you now, I couldn't write three paragraphs about one of my *strongest* characters before I began to use her.

To be fair, this was true for me when I first started doing PbP as well. e.g. the level 18 druid I talked about earlier? Started with a 3 sentence backstory.

I've gotten better at it, slowly, after using this format for a long time.

[Oakie]

Application Name: Todbakki Whisenzok Class: Druid Origin: Forest Gnome Guide Background Story: "What'ya wanna do a damn fool thing like that fer?" said Dâ Klaknedam. The old gnomish Archdruid was sitting on his "throne," as it were, a rock in the middle of the Grôngoran, a holy circle of ancient oak trees. His shaggy white beard nearly touched the grass! "Can't be trustin' them townsfolk. No, not even the gnomes! Best you stay here and watch over the forest with the rest o' us, like we always done." "But Dâ! With respect!" said Todi, "Last time war broke out between the townsfolk of Ardenia and Eryndor, it was a right mess. Lookin' to be heckin more crazy this time round." Todbakki Whisenzok was a young male forest gnome, barely into his beard and just raised to Forest Warden. "If'n they get to squabblin' again, it might well be worse than last time for the forest and the forestfolk: more clearins burned, more trees felled fer house lumber and siege machines, more animals hunted out by them hungry Willowrest townsfolk, more cricks made fouled," said Todi. Dâ Klaknedam was listening and considering Todi's words carefully. "And then there's them stirrins that Ol' Blackie's comin' out the mountain! He'll sure mess up all if he do!" "Oh, that's flyspeck," said Dâ Klaknedam. "He's been dead afore I were born — and I'm damn near 400, by golly! Them rumors is started by the kobolds who don't want no one comin' into their caves. Can't blame 'em! Ain't a lick a truth to it, though." "Are ya sure, Dâ?" said Todi, "They melt trespassers down somehow. And other kinds of cavefolk been showin' up in the forest. I talk to 'em. They sure on the run, and it ain't the kobolds that done scared 'em!" Silence came back to the oak grove as Dâ Klaknedam chewed on Todi's words. After a long, long while, he spoke. "What'ya gonna do with that Opal Guard, then? Why'd they want you?" "I'll tell Opal Guard that I'll guide and track when they need it of me, and make medicines rest of the time. Fightin' folk always need medicines. That'll sell it," said Tobi. "And 'tween you and me, it'll be good to have a fella on the inside, is my thinkin'. I'll work to keep them townsfolk from messin' with forest too bad. Try my best, anyhow." Dâ Klaknedam thought some more. Then he said, "What your parents say?" "Ma just cried, but Pa said he saw my point. They don't like it, but they don't object." Dâ Klaknedam sighed and gave his blessing. "Well, don't tell 'em nothin' you don't need to nohow, and watch out fer yourself. Them townsfolk is a darn sight tricky and got too big feet to boot!"

[Lazer]

Application - Asgril Bristleheart Name: Asgril Bristleheart Class: Monk Species: Dwarf Background: Criminal History: The long and the vertically challenged of it In the tunnels and caverns of home, Asgril had been a miner. Of course when he tells this fact to surface folks they invariably smile and nod, the more foolish ones perhaps saying something along the lines of, "that makes sense," or, "well sure, aren’t all dwarves?" There is nothing which infuriates Asgril more than this type of petty anti-moradic nonsense, and upon being assaulted with such bigotry he would not be above countering with a long and exhaustive list of the many varied and noble professions undertaken beneath the mountain, from the industrious smelters who take the miners’ hard-won ore and turn it into lustrous gold, durable iron, or pliable bronze, to the illustrious smiths whose tireless labour churns out miracles of metal every hour of the day. Then there are the architects who direct the stonemasons, the mushroom farmers keeping everyone else well fed, the priests, scouts, soldiers, teachers and traders, and of course the brewers! Did you think the miners just pissed out Dwarven ale? Is that what you thought?! Anyway, Asgril was not a brewer, a smith or a badger-tamer (yet another under-appreciated dwarven profession). No, he had been a miner. He had spent his days at the rock face, following seams of cassiterite or pyrite as they twisted through miles of living rock, a pick-axe like an extension of his arm. It was good honest hard work, and he missed it profoundly. At least he missed the idea of the work. As a romantic concept it was perfect, but if he thought very hard and remembered the blisters, or the way he had coughed up bile blackened by rock-dust every morning, or the constant and inescapable aches which flashed around his skeleton every time he moved, well those were things he was glad to be rid of. If caught during one of those brutally honest, introspective mornings which sometimes followed a particularly vociferous night in a tavern, he might even go so far as to admit that he had one or two regrets about how he had handled his dissatisfaction with those less-pleasant aspects of his former profession. Maybe… maybe he shouldn’t have been so literal in showing his foreman what he could do with the pick-handle. And maybe he could have reined-in his natural honesty just a little when speaking to the magistrate about the incident. Perhaps he could have taken a few moments to think through whether he should say, oh, that the foreman’s wife had the most thoroughly plumbed tunnel in all of the Craggy Peaks. If only he had just remembered that the magistrate was the foreman’s father-in-law he may never have been banished from the realm! But that was all a long time ago, by human standards. Thirty years now he had been up here in Willowrest and the surrounding demesnes. He had adapted. He had carved out a little niche for himself here, and if the so-called ‘authorities’ considered his work to be ‘dishonest’ or ‘downright criminal’, well, that was their prerogative, but he was just doing what he could to survive. Some folks, he had noticed, had more than they needed, while he needed more than he had. He had taken it upon himself to redistribute the wealth more equitably, and that had met with some resistance from those in power. Most recently this new commander in the Opal Guard had decided that punitive measures would not be enough, not this time. No, Asgril was to be made to take ’restorative action’. He was to join the Guard for not less than five seasons, to serve therein faithfully and to his full capacity. Asgril had been dubious, but as the alternative involved the removal of one of his hands (which one to be decided at the discretion of the officiant) he had agreed. It couldn’t be too bad, could it? Guarding stuff? It’s not like it’s real work.

[jr1v3]

Originally Posted by Aisede

Man, everybody really goes all out with their character applications. It makes me feel like I'm slacking, but maybe that's just because I was raised in a different roleplay environment. One where characters are created spontaneously and write their own stories, often from scratch. I can tell you now, I couldn't write three paragraphs about one of my *strongest* characters before I began to use her.

I could give you some tips I use to make a character Backstory.

1. I tend to imagine how he is in the present and then I think about how were his beginning and the between that led him how he is right now.
2. Once you have the 3 important happenings: Beginning, the between and the today. You analyze his Present personality and what kind of event could unfold him to be that way when that way could be different.
3. In fact roleplay all the between in those three important happenings that connect the three.

Example of my Character

1. The present: Thomas, A Orphan that grow in a band of street child. Beginning: Thomas, A Farmer kid with a humble lovely family filled with love. The Between: A victim of the raging war made him an orphan.
2. Personality in the present: A grateful compassionate man with a deep regard in having a loving family. But how? The lost of his parent could lead him to revenge instead of that. What did it happens to become that way? The pain of his lover ones could led him to anger, why he didn't do it? Because his Mother beliefs, the believed in the power of love, family and friendship. and helping each other.
3. I role played in my head how this kid affronted the lost, what he did to survive. Did he steal? no... his mother teaching and the respect of his mother wishes didn't let him do it. He would work hard, doing anything. The money from honest work is better than stolen one as he father use to said and the family don't steal each other. So he would work hard and support their new family, the forgotten ones like a big responsible brother.

Here you have. Simple but effective!

[Aisede]

Originally Posted by jr1v3

I tend to imagine how he is in the present and then I think about how were his beginning and the between that led him how he is right now.
Once you have the 3 important happenings: Beginning, the between and the today. You analyze his Present personality and what kind of event could unfold him to be that way when that way could be different.
In fact roleplay all the between in those three important happenings that connect the three.

You're missing an important factor: you might not know how they came to be their present self. Context is usually generated as it becomes relevant. That is to say, "who were your parents" might not be relevant until it comes up IC. By then, you might have a decent idea who they are... Or maybe not? In either case, you generate context in that moment.

Let's go back to Karakusa, my adventurer archetype character.

Karakusa, during her conception, was a very stereotypical adventurer; she had a cute little short sword, basic leather armor, and she lusted for treasure and glory. I wanted to play aorund with the idea with a friend of mine, so we made up a mysterious cave for her to go explore. In the beginning, she was just... The kid with a sword, and she was in way over her head. That's it. No backstory, no parents, no skills- She was a character whipped up on the spot to play around with. Then came the nuance: she encountered a magical talking door (Called Ma, the guardian of The Maw), and here, Karakusa demonstrated she had a decent upbringing by using "ma'am"

Okay, so she's polite. Clearly raised to be respectful.

After getting past that obstacle, she spends some time invetsigating the opening of the cave, searching for possible hazards, and a torch. I decided that she must have visited people in the local tavern and listened to their stories. Soak up some wisdom. So she has basic survival skills, and is aware that traps and monsters are a thing.

Stuff and things happen. She navigates through the dungeon, and then she finds treasure.

I knew in that moment Karakusa loved treasure. It's just... You know, a thing you KNOW in that moment. You realize that this is a core aspect of their character. Years later, when I use that same character concept with my now-ex gf, that characeristic cemented itself as kleptomania. And not the funny haha type of kleptomania, but a real psychological condition that can endanger her life and the lives of others. It's something she goes on to struggle with over the course of her journye, often overcome with a sudden intense urge to steal a seemingly worthless object, then lying if confronted.

As time goes on, I create a mother character for her as well (Which my GM played), this fussy anxious thing who is constantly worried about her daughter's behavior, and who doesn't see her as an adult. Or, at the least, mature.

Again, this came hours, if not days after I first began using Karakusa.

The point I'm getting at is that sometimes it's impossible to factor in the past. I can tell you now I have very little idea who Lady Elara is, or how she might possibly factor into Abigail's backstory. But- if given the opportunity -In time I'll find a suitable answer, and you can bet it will factor into her present.

Originally Posted by jr1v3

The present: Thomas, A Orphan that grow in a band of street child. Beginning: Thomas, A Farmer kid with a humble lovely family filled with love. The Between: A victim of the raging war made him an orphan.

Also, the beginning and the inbetween have been factored in, as best I can with what resources I have at the moment.

The present: Abigail has arrived in Willowrest to instill some semblance of order/balance

Beginning: Raised at home to be charitable, and spent time mingling with the commoners. That's also the inbetween.

[jr1v3]

Well, If you don't know her past then probably nobody knows. What you are describing is what you normally do in a live table where normally you have little time to tweak those things but in a PBP is different. You have time to polish and embellish that backstory and the Key on that is the little details that don´t reveal a lot but tell how unique that character is.

For example, what I would do if you read this sentence "Raised at home to be charitable, and spent time mingling with the commoners." And ask question like this: How she was raised that way? How she learned to be charitable? why she was raised that way? what kind of home does she came that she ended to be that way? Mingling with the commoners means perhaps she is a Noble or a from a family with abundant resources like a rich merchant? If she is from a noble upbringing, why a noble that are normally invested in Here I am using what the settings describepolitic struggles and clear ambitions would do that? Are his parents that honorable?

Anyone can be charitable but everybody have a series of events and train of thoughts that lead to that. Also the sentence "mingling with the commoners" Imply like some kind of obligation that comes from someone of an upper social status.

So, I use that kind of rumbling to fill some gaps and write an interesting background, nothing less nothing more and those details brings an interesting backstory to read.

Anyway, it is just me wanted to give you ideas to help you write a background, with this I am not saying your way is wrong. I am convinced you can roleplay a great character or become an amazing player to play along with.

[Aisede]

What I am describing is perfectly normal in the vast majority of freeform roleplay circles. We have time, I assure you– it simply isn't the norm to go into so much detail. In some cases, there isn't even a profile (or, in tabletop terms, a character sheet).

I acknowledge tabletop is different, but from what I've seen, it's not that different.