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Under raging storm clouds, A lone figure stands silhouetted against the ancient walls of Castle Ravenloft. The vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich stares down a sheer cliff at the village below. A cold, bitter wind spins dead leaves about him, billowing his cape in the darkness. Lightning splits the clouds overhead, casting stark white light across him. Strahd turns to the sky, revealing the angular muscles of his face and hands. He has a look of power-and of madness. His once handsome face is contorted by a tragedy darker than the night itself. Rumbling thunder pounds the castle spires. The wind's howling increases as Strahd turns his gaze back to the village. Far below, yet not beyond his ken, a party of adventurers has just entered his domain. Strahd's face forms a twisted smile as his dark plan unfolds. He knew they were coming, and he knows why they have come-all according to his plan. He, the master of Ravenloft, will attend to them. Another lightning flash rips through the darkness, its thunder echoing through the castle's towers. But Strahd is gone. Only the howling of the wind-or perhaps a lone wolf-fills the midnight air. The master of Raven loft is
having guests for dinner. And you are invited.
Here is our discussion thread. Our first task is to make a party.
The basics are this, everyone will use the standard array OR roll 4d6 drop the lowest method of stat building. (If you don't have ANY stat at a 14 after rolling, you can drop your lowest and make it a 14)
Pretty much anything is fair game from the Core Rules or UA articles. I urge you all to work together when making a party so you can cover as many bases as possible. Some of you might even tie your characters together pre adventure in some way.
Thanks Niles! I am excited to be apart of the group and I am ready for some party building! What roles in the party is everyone else interested in filling? I personally want to play a class I haven't played in 5E yet, so I'd prefer not to play Sorcerer, Bard or Fighter. I've played a bit of Monk and Paladin, but not enough to include in this list.
I am going to give rolling my stats a shot, even though it usually lets me down:
11
14
14
13
14
12
But not this time! Well, I'll be keeping those stats that's for sure.
Thanks for choosing me as well!
Just to clarify...standard array for stats or take your chances with the dice, no rolling then taking the array if the rolls aren't so hot.
Oh, can we roll for a gothic trinket perhaps? I find those always create good character hooks and ideas.
Yeah that is the general idea, but I'm not a hardass about things. I want you guys to have fun, if you roll like crap I'm not gonna make you keep those crappy rolls.
@Paleking Yeah you can roll for a Gothic Trinket. If you don't have the table just roll a d100 and I'll post your results.
K..Rolling
= 13
= 14
= 10
= 15
= 7
= 13
15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8
pretty much a wash between that and the standard array.
Variant humans?
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Thanks for having me, GM Niles!
Not sure what I want to do yet. I really like the direction they took Monk, but I've already made quite a few in Pathfinder, so I'm going to give it a rest. I am really unsure of what I want to do yet though. Maybe a Druid or a Warlock? Or a Rogue? Not sure. I enjoy making scout types and stealthy characters in general, but I don't want to be locked into that as a role yet.
I normally like point buy, but I think Standard array is fair for 5E. So I'll do that. Rolling is fun for some things but I'd rather avoid the risk right now.
Let me roll for the trinket at least and we'll see where it goes from there.
"Dice made from the knuckles of a notorious charlatan."
Spooky.
A birdcage into which small birds fly but once inside
never eat or leave
Nice and creepy :)
Thanks Niles. Welcome all. The dice roller typically hates me so Niles how about rolling me some stats from your dice roller, 1st PC with natural 18's, all 6 of them. :)
JK I'll use the standard array.
Kubular if you aren't dead set on the warlock I'd like to give that a shot - kinda like the battle mage idea, otherwise I'm good filling any slot as needed.
45–46 The wooden hand of a notorious pirate
Anyone else have a character idea they are interested in playing?
Can I reroll since Sapzmodeus got the same?
Same as CharlesJ... Wow.
Flag from a ship lost at sea. I could work with that.
Hi all this should be fun!
--> 14
--> 13
--> 15
--> 12
--> 7
--> 16
Well that's pretty decent. I'm happy to play anything really. Does the group need a frontliner? Or a skill monkey?
-> A small signet ring with the emblem of a bat on it. Mmm seems useable :)
Niles does the advanture start in Raveloft or some other world? The mists give an excuse for characters to come from almost anywhere.
Amused that everyone is waiting for everyone else to make a character choice. Niles said we should try to cover all bases so let's make a list of some of those bases:
-Tank
-Skill Monkey
-Control
-Damage Dealer
-Party Face
-Support
-Healing
-Stealth
CharlesJ, what roles would you see your Warlock filling? What roles would others be interested in filling?
I'm thinking of perhaps something like a battle scout he will have good deception and intimidation skills with the charisma side and looking at support so ranged attacks mostly but able to attack in melee as needed.
Stealth - ok
Support - good
Party Face - good with deception and Intimidate
Still playing with the array, I hate negatives. Like point buy even if lower top number on one of the skills
I'm thinking of: Dex barbarian (Like River Tam, but with a different personality), Lore Bard (maybe), or possibly a cleric.
You can delete healing from roles in 5E, I've not yet noticed a dedicated healer was even remotely necessary. So, make whatever you want, I was mostly just talking about making sure that skills were covered. 5E is very forgiving when it comes to party design...5 fighters can make it work, trust me.
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Ahh, I see, mostly skills then, rather than major roles.
In that case, or in any case, really, I'm going to roll to randomly generate my character!
Because I'm having trouble setting down on options by myself.
SORCERER! UNLIMITED POWUH!! *cough cough* Sorry about that. The sorcerer in this iteration looks pretty sweet. I'll try to avoid as much overlap with the warlock as possible.
Wild Magic! Hah! That's sort of funny that came up, even though it was like a 50-50 chance.
ACOLYTE! Okay awesome, I'm getting a cool mystic monk vibe from this character now.
"I've spent so long in the temple that I have little practical experience in dealing with the outside world"
Power: "I hope to one day rise to the top of my faith's religious hierarchy." (Lawful)
"I seek to preserve a sacred text that my enemies consider heretical and seek to destroy"
"My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my God."
Some of these are a little weird together (I'm looking at you, Lawful) but I'm pretty sure I can make it work.
And I know I said I wouldn't, but I think I'm going to roll for ability scores because I'm just in the spirit of it right now!
= 15
= 8
= 12
= 16
= 11
= 12
Hey that's not too bad! That's actually pretty good.
I think she'll be the picture of innocence with all of that Acoylte-ness and no one will ever suspect her ambition beneath the surface. Or something a bit different, we'll see.
Skills-wise I was thinking about Persuasion and Arcana, since I already get proficiency in Insight and Religion from my Background.
I don't know much about that setting or the adventure itself aside from its Gothic themes. I'm wondering about major deities and churches for my character to worship, specifically.
@CharlesJ could you make sure to pick up Investigation unless someone else has it covered?
Also, Variant Humans are fine right? I know Spaz already asked about it, but I thought you may have missed it.
Current thoughts for myself:
Oath of the Crown Paladin
Bladesinger Wizard
Scout Fighter
Some kind of Warlock
Niles, would you allow multiclassing?
Re:Multiclassing Sure
Scout background - custom
Proficient Skill: Stealth, Deception
Tools/Languages: Thieves Tools, Cartagraphers Tools
Benefit: ???
Background includes being trained as a scout for local militia. However the family haunt has begun manifesting itself, causing his unfortunate withdrawal from the force.
Kind of a mixture of several just not sure what benefit would be appropriate. Suggestions?
I might just go with a Mystic from Unearthed Arcana...or the Ranger variant described there....choices , choices. :)
Niles is the Gold Dragon Warlock Patron variant ok for use?
@CharlesJ I'm not really a fan of "fan made" classes, kinda don't trust em. Also, Warlock is supposed to be "tainted" which a Gold Dragon isn't, that's why the choices in the PHB are great Old One, Archfiend or Archfey...not really any good aligned choices there.
I'm now thinking of playing a tempest cleric (has quite a different vibe to anything I'm currently playing), assuming there's a suitable non-evil deity available. Niles which world do our characters come from originally?
Spazmodeus, doesn't the uncharted Arcana Ranger only go up until level 5? Or has there been an update? I suppose you could multiclass anyway.
I was thinking of doing a Paladin 2/Bladesinger X multiclass, but we seem to have a lot of casting already. Might head in a different direction.
I think Faerun is the standard DnD world now. But it can be Golarion if you guys are more familiar with that.
Faerun is fine by me, I know it better than Golorion. The 5e phb doesn't list it but Sylvanus (N) has the storm domain. There is also the CG elven deity Deep Sashelas.
I need to read up on how concentration checks work in 5e before deciding on a build, but I'm wondering about getting the booming blade cantrip (take all the lightning things).
I've got the beginnings of a character sheet here. I'll work on the background too.
@All do we want to start the adventure knowing each other?
Yeah, I'd like it if you guys begin as an already established adventuring group. I was planning on running the "creeping mists" intro to this campaign so you all beginning together in a cohesive group will help that into.
Here's the rough outline of my PC, working on the background info.
Thoughts on the character, he was a scout in the military, however the family curse has caused him to act a little strange which got him relieved of his responsibilities within the unit - something about letting loose an eldritch blast against a shadow that no one else saw....
Currently he works as an adventurer, with the others in the group.
CharlesJ perhaps your warlock was relieved of duty in the middle of nowhere and had a long walk back to civilization and met Gail Grey on the way? A solitary wanderer, she would have been communing with the wild for some time. Could easily throw in an encounter with a wolf pack/bandits/goblins/etc...
we can work with that....
So we have a Cleric and a Warlock so far. I am still a bit stuck between ideas.
Malthorn stumbled as he trudged through the forest. How could he have been so stupid, he was lucky all they did was tied him up and leave him to his fate. Joran had whispered in his ear before they left to just be patient, so he'd waited and before long the ropes fell from his wrist as if by magic.
The older human had taught many apprentices over the years and had taken Malthorn under his wing when he came back from his last trip home, last year. That trip had become a whirlwind of memories none of which Malthorn could completely put in order; but best he could remember. His dad had over the dinner table, told him of the deal his great-great-grandfather had made, and later come to regret. Had warned him that the haunt that plagued his family had returned. And the house had burned down, from which he run with only memories of something dreadful; his family lost forever. Distraught, when he'd reached his wits end that night he cried out to the gods for revenge, and something had answered him in a whisper.
He was granted powers with promises of more to come should he learn to use what he had, and they were helpful; flames of fire from his hands, bolts of pure force at his beck and command, and the abilities to understand anyone talking around him or find their weakness and know where to attack them. His superiors had trained him to infiltrate the enemy, and his spells gave him the fighting chance to escape should he get in a bind.
It had been going well up until about two months ago. He'd got the feeling something was following him, not a great feeling when your the one supposed to be sneaking around unknown. He'd looked behind him several times noticing a shadow on the wall, yet when he arrived nothing could be found, no footprints and no light to have thrown the shadow. but gods last night he finally acted on the impulse to act when he saw the shadow. He's turned and a fanged creature's shadow was upon the wall and moving closer; he'd readied a blast and when something material finally showed itself he closed his eyes and loosed the bolt. Only to open them and find his captain laid against the wall knocked out cold and his sergeant looking at him with mouth agape. He'd tried to plead his case but to no avail, he was released from duty and left tied up in the field they'd camped in the night before. Warned not to follow them.
Howls rang out through the woods, some close by and other farther away answered them, although they all seemed to be drawing closer. He knew better than to press on through the night but desperate men man stupid decisions and this might truly turn into his worst. Loosing a bolt at the bushes nearby that were sporting eyes, he was rewarded with a yelp and the sound of a hasty retreat through the foliage. Ahead there appears to be firelight, a welcome sight that was. Yet would he be welcome? Black hair, yellow eyes and red skin many avoided him as a devil and stumbling into a camp after dark he might well be sporting a crossbow bolt as opposed to a wolves tooth in his backside.
"Hello in the camp, weary traveler seeking safety from the wolves..."
@The Pale King - what are you kicking around?
Paladin 2/Bladesinger X
Or either class individually.
Or a Fighter that dual wields axes.
Or maybe just a Druid because I have never been one in any edition.
I was thinking of making a Warlock that was apprenticed to a Wizard but was failing to learn and ended up making a pact with a creature trapped in the Wizard's tower. But you have your Warlock planned out!
I had bits of him planned out but I'm easy to get along with; the written part was put together during the last hour. I'm far from being able to know what he'll be in 3 or 4 levels I tend to try and fill in gaps and my character change as the story moves forward.
The Bladesinger sounds cool, what's everyone else doing, Spaz mentioned Mystic or ranger variant, and Kubular mentioned having something up tomorrow. I'll kick around a couple other ideas and if need be go with your warlock it's a valid start and I'll fill in a gap. Got to crash for the night will check back in early am.
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Crap, my computer crashed and I didn't save my sheet.
Basic rundown of the character is this Temple Acolyte named Siobhan Lehman (SHI-vaun Lee-mən) has a talent for magic like many other worshippers. Raw and unrefined, but it's Talent nonetheless. She has an ambition to be appointed Magister, THE chosen of Mystra. Upon discovering a prophetic text suggesting she is destined to become the next Magister, she flees the temple, knowing the Masters there would brand her a heretic for speaking of such things. She took the text with her in search of clues about her future. But though the writings are cryptic, Siobhan knows in her heart that she is not wrong, that Mystra has chosen her for a great destiny.
She could just be delusional, but I am thinking of taking the Toughness feat to reflect her Chosen status (Mystra's blessing is supposed to make the Chosen more Hardy than most mages). Or I'll just bump up my Con score later. Haven't decided. Spells wise I'm grabbing control spells. Effect over damage so so as not to overstep that niche.
@Kubular I just spotted your question from earlier re:Gods to worship. While the very first few posts might take place in Faerun, the other 99.9% of this adventure will take place elsewhere in the cosmosphere...however this will not interfere with characters that venerate deities as those deities still have power there.
Heh that would be amusing a future magister stuck in Ravenloft...
You actually have to be pretty careful what you do there or you might stay rather longer than you bargained for. I assume the powers checks and madness checks are still a thing.
BTW what 'era' of the realms is 5e set in? I liked the 2e era time of troubles (well baldurs gate 1 & 2 rocked) and disliked what they did later.
It's a whole new thing iirc. I'm not 100% caught up on Forgotten Realms lore, but apparently they had a thing to transition to 4e and then another thing to transition to 5e.
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@CharlesJ looks good!
Having growing up in such an isolated location it was little surprise Gail was awkward around people. She proved to be bright and hardy and was taught the way the wild and the worship of Sylvanus by her mother and her druidic friends. She learned her letters and how to fight at her father's feet.
Of the many aspects of nature, the one that affected Gail the most was the power and majesty of the storm. She had an affinity for the raw elemental nature of it. Of course this was power to be used wisely, and she was taught to trust to her heart when using it knowing she would have live with it forever.
In her early twenties, wanderlust caused her to venture far from her parental home and somewhere in the sword coast wilds she came across a marauding pack of wolves who had been menacing farmsteads and travelers. She joined forces the local rangers but the pack proved elusive. Late one stormy night, the most unbelievable red-skinned man walked into their camp. His coarse black hair was unkempt, with his uniform in tatters and the air of desperation about him. There was a tense few moments as he arrived but soon it became apparent he was a good sort and Gale and the Rangers let him share their camp.
They came up with a bold plan, Malthorn and Gail would act as bait while the Rangers would swoop in from the flank. The pack fell for the bait and between Malthorn's blasts and Gail's warhammer they took out the alpha male. Frightened, the pack took flight and withdrew into the deep wilds far from men. Afterwards Gail and Malthorn journeyed the length of the Sword Coast gathering new friends as they went...
nice continuation, and open ended enough to let any and all who want to join the company beforehand to write their stories in without hurting the continuity of the existing.
I am thinking I'll play an elf, Gail/Fangdragon how would you feel about my character having known your Ranger mother as a younger elf?
Going to go with the Mystic, I'll think of an addition to Gail and Malthorn's history :)
Getting pounded by work so probably won't have a profile up until Wednesday evening.
@The Pale King sure!
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I still need to finish up gear and choose languages but this is pretty much what Siobhan's sheet should look like. I am still not sure about the spell selection. I was originally thinking of Shield instead of Witchbolt, but because of Sleep's situational uselessness, I wanted to have an alternative first level spell. I was also thinking of burning hands, but I wanted to make sure to keep my spell list from our resident Warlock's.
I also didn't go for the Variant human, there were too many finicky details for me to think about and it'll make it easier to choose where my ability bonuses go at 4th level.
@Spazmodeus The Mystic class only goes to level 5...what were you planning to do after that?
I think there may have been an update that brought mystic to 10 levels.