Ok, it seems that aside from me, there are no "locals". Are we starting in Solace, as the adventure does? Urgo would be a native of the town and preferably, his "best friend" would be someone that spent a majority of his (Urgo's) life in Solace. So we have two elves, one Qualinesti (?) Sage and one Kagonesti Hermit (she seems to have come to Solace after escaping Qualinori?).
Moon-dancer, if you don't mind, since you are skilled in Medicine, Urgo spent a lot of time visiting you for care. It was no secret that Urgo was often severely disciplined by his step-father when he did not do a chore to the precision that he demanded. Not being a bright lad, Urgo often found himself on the wrong end of a lash, and he came to you with bleeding lashes across his back. You know he is a good lad, with rather unrealistic dreams of becoming a Knight of Solamnia.
I am sure that we could have Bel be his best friend that taught him to fight, but he doesn't seem like he would be the childhood friend-type (as in his backstory), though that can be handled with him being npc'd.
Anyway, that said, I wouldn't mind if we could at least get one more. The original companions were actually quite a bunch more than us. :p
I figured that Moondancer came into Solace every month or two to trade, swap stories and sell her potions. She spent her early days caring for children, so it would make sense for her to have taken Urgo under her wing - maybe he came to her aid when she was set upon by bandits on the outskirts of Solace.
I'd set up Moondancer to have a somewhat negative view of the Qualinesti due to her past treatment, but perhaps Larissa was a childhood friend (who may have been disciplined for becoming too close to 'the help') with whom she reconnected after coming to Solace.
Bel sounds a bit like a minotaur wanderer who has set himself up as the unofficial warden of Solace and the surrounding area. If that's the case, he and Moondancer likely see each often out in the wilderness and might pair up to hunt goblins or wild game on occasion.
Also - I plan on taking a level of life cleric when I get a chance, then stick with bard, grabbing some appropriate healing spells along the way. I'll probably try to stay at range early one, but will pick up a shield and some medium armor once I gain proficiency from the cleric level.
I also wouldn't mind seeing another character or two. A rogue would be great, as would a human or two - we're a band of misfits at the moment, and a couple of more 'normal' faces could help.
@ Moon-dancer: That is what I was planning to have him be! :-)
I still need to add his background, but the bare bones is he left Minotaur society and took up in Solace, acting as a sort of protector for the town. He also worked, sometimes, as a bounty hunter still...locating and returning troublemakers and such.
Will flesh it out more, but there is no reason his background cannot be merged with both Urgo's and Moon-dancers.
Bel and Urgo may have found a kinship in the fact that they are really considered pariahs to many commonfolk.
I like the idea of Moon-dancer and Larissa being friends from Qualinesti and Larissa following her friend into exile, but that is for Larissa and Moon-dancer to decide.
I agree that I would like at least one human in the party. Worse comes to worse, I will change to a human character, if no one else comes forward...
DM, what do you think about letting me swap out the Savage Attacks ability for the Goliath's Powerful Build ability? It actually takes away a little combat effectiveness, but I think it fits better thematically.
Ok, no problem. I was just asking, because I think that that thematically, Goliath does not quite fit... but I will take a look at it again and get back to you by tonight.
EDIT: Ok, I looked at it, I think you are right. I will re-skin the Goliath to the half-ogre. I wasn't too keen on the Mountain Born ability, but figuring that many ogres hail from the Kharolis mountains, it kinda makes sense! Sorry about that last minute change!
EDIT #2: Character sheet has been updated!
Hey all, Rael, your Half Elf Rogue (Arcane Trickster) reporting for duty.
Welcome, Rael. ^_^ Still, not a hoo-man in the the bunch.
Feels like I might be the only person not already familiar with the setting/story, so I ask for everyone's patience. :)
EDIT: On a similar note, DM, do you think you could put your houserules in the Campaign Description tab, so I can look there for easy reminders?
@Beliminorgath: If you fill up the "classes/levels" field on your profile page with various vital statistics, it'll appear under your name in all your in-game posts. I've found that this is very helpful for the GM (so they don't have to go open up other tabs to see if they hit you, etc) as well as for the other players.
I hope you do not mind, but I stole your setup....usually I do add the vital stats, but just had not got to it yet :-) Your setup is nice, so I will borrow it!!
Hm, presumably I've been studying magic or otherwise consorting with whatever this "Tower of High Sorcery" is.
I imagine Moondancer spends a fair amount of time wandering, looking for the herbs needed for her potions. At some point in the past five years she stumbled upon the tomb mentioned in her background and began the work of deciphering the pre-Cataclysm priest's journal. That journal might have led her to investigate other sites, or she might have found the staff along with the journal and the old priest's bones.
Also, I wanted to give you a heads up that I will be out of Internet range until late Wednesday. I should be able to post again then.
When his mother passed away, Urgo's life became harder and harder, as there was no one to be a buffer for his step-father's abuse. One day, Urgo had enough! With a sudden flare of anger, the young half-ogre flung the man into a wall in response to a lash from the man's crop!
After checking to see that his step-father was still alive, Urgo quickly packed up what meager possessions he had and left the town for Solamnia. He spent the past 4 years looking for his ancestral home, and after finding one of the knight's greatswords, he imagined that it was his "father's" sword (in fact, it was more likely that it was one of the knights serving his "father") and took a cloakpin that had his family crest. In his years abroad, he learned how to fight, sort of a necessity in the times. The young half-ogre also reinforced his learning of the Oath and the Measure, living the life of a Knight of Solamnia, even if it was in spirit rather than fact.
After learning what he could of the man that could have been his father, Urgo decided it was time to return home, and if need be, face the consequences of his last act in Solace...
Beliminorgath had lived in Solace for 10 or so years when he was called away. A brutal murder had occurred and the fugitive was said to have been travelling north to the Solace area. Bel searched the area and found the fugitives trail leading east to the ruins of an ancient city. From there the path moved south again, and finally north once more, skirting the Wayreth Forest and ending at the town of Crossing. The criminal had taken a ship across to Port-o-Call and seemed to be heading for the city of Solantus. It took the Minotaur bounty hunter almost 3 years to track the fugitive, and he finally caught up to him in the city of Throtl. He seemed to be trying to find a pass into the Khalkist Mountains.
Bel stayed for the trial at Vingaard Keep, then headed home. All told he was gone for almost 5 years, and lucky for him, he ran into Urgo on his way back.
Ok, sounds good!
Feels like I might be the only person not already familiar with the setting/story, so I ask for everyone's patience. :)
EDIT: On a similar note, DM, do you think you could put your houserules in the Campaign Description tab, so I can look there for easy reminders?
Not the only one.
I'm unfamiliar with the Dragonlance setting as well but keen to give it a go.
I'm after a good sized city nearby to be from? I've tried some Google fu but haven't been super successful finding a map that is a high enough resolution to find city names.
Rael grew up as a typical street rat, but over the last few years he has been pulling off more and more elaborate burglaries. The last job went a little south and he had to leave the city in a hurry. He's come to Solace to lay low for a while.
|
Solace is a decent size and where the adventure will begin, Haven is SW of there and darken wood and NE of the qualinesti's realm.
Personally I would recommend one of those two, Solace used to be the capital of the qualinesti before the elves chose to let it go due to frequent raids and have taken Qualinost as their capital. Solace sports some elven architecture.
Here's a map of the region, I circled Solace.
Thanks Urgo! Thanks DaWay.
Haven it is.
Having drawn some unwanted attention to himself Rael hid himself away in a merchant caravan and travelled to Solace where he's been laying low, vowing to himself to turn over a new leaf and slowly working his way through his ill gotten gains.
Ha ha, what if Rael stole something of value from the Seekers? That would be very interesting... ^_^
No problem, Rael! I have been wanting to play a Dragonlance game set during the War of the Lance for a looooong time. Having it in 5e is just the icing on the cake!
|
|
Things to remember:
1. Gold has no value in this world. Each place
has its own currency and its own values for
trade. What one country values may be worthless in
another.
2. Clerical spells have not existed for nearly
300 years. Some people still call themselves
clerics, still belong to worshipful orders; however,
all of these have turned their backs on
the true gods in search of other, less demanding
gods (which do not exist). These pseudoclerics
use the same combat table as true clerics
but have no spell abilities. PC clerics brought
into Krynn from other campaigns lose their
spell-casting abilities at once. Never fear: it is
the goal of this adventure to regain these abilities.
3. No dragons have existed in Krynn for over
1000 years. As a result, most people in this
world smile when dragons are mentioned,
believing they are only folktales to frighten
children. Few believe that dragons ever did
exist; almost nobody believes that they exist
now.
|
|
Geez. I was hoping to get a 1 or a 20 to reward that staff, but congrats Urgo I am awarding you the blue crystal staff McGuffin. For the simple fact of your alignment is the only one that matches the staff.
I am working on the 5e version. The following is the 1e version.
This staff is carved from a single piece of blue crystal. It is about 5 feet long and has a 2-inchdiameter shaft. The ornamentally bladed head of the staff bears a gem in its center
Although you do not remember, a manifestation of the Goddess Mishakal gave you the staff. It is an intelligent artifact of Lawful Good alignment and has an Ego of 10. It can only be used by those of its alignment; others who try to wield the staff take 4d6 points electrical damage. A Lawful Good person may use the staff to heal the electrical damage it has caused. The staff has the following
powers:
1. Strikes as a staff of striking (1-3 charges per
use).
2. Casts any of the following clerical spells (2
charges per level of spell):
1st level: command, cure light wounds,
remove fear
3rd level: continual light, cure blindness,
cure disease, remove curse
5th Level: cure critical wounds, raise dead
7th level: restoration, resurrection.
3. Teleports (at its own discretion, using 15
charges).
4. Deflects dragon breath weapon in a 10
radius (10 charges per use).
The staff holds up to 20 charges at a time. It
regains one charge/day from the combined
influences of Krynns three moons, but it can
be recharged immediately and completely at
the statue of Mishakal (46b). Upon completion
of the Quest for the Disks of Mishakal,
the staff becomes part of the statue again.
Boss, don't forget to post the House Rules in the Campaign info when you get a chance. Thanks!
Okay, I think I'm missing some information on this whole weapon speed initiative thing.
So I have +3 from DEX. Groovy.
Most of the weapons I'm carrying are light and/or finesse, so I get another +2, right?
I'm also a spellcaster who can cast up to 1st-level spells, so I'm also taking a -1, right?
What am I getting wrong here?
You only take the -1/spell level when you cast a spell that turn and you only get the +2 when you are attacking with a light or finesse melee weapon that turn.
I think the way it's supposed to work is we all post our actions with a modified initiative roll and then the GM works out what order it all happens in.
In a face to face session everyone has to declare an action before rolling initiative. When it gets to your turn you can carry out your action or decide to take no action at all.
Oh! Okay, nobody ever told me that. Thanks for the info.
Just as an FYI, since we're all a little new to 5E:
Something I've found when using older edition adventures is that the number of humanoid enemies (orcs, goblins, etc.) is deadly if you keep the numbers the same but use 5E stats. The goofy CRs in the MM make this worse. (The monsters in the MM tend to have very high offense and low hit points for their CR compared to the recommended ranges set out in the DMG, which has a slightly revised system. So while MM most monsters will go down in a round or two, they have a good chance of leaving a mark and are especially dangerous in groups).
Using the encounter building rules from the DMG (p. 82), a five member party of 3rd level PCs has an XP threshold ranging from 375 (easy) - 750 (medium) - 1125 (hard) - 2000 (deadly). Eight hobgoblins and a hobgoblin captain totals 1100 xp, but that gets multiplied by 2.5 due to the number of adversaries, for a total XP budget of 2750 - well beyond deadly for a party of our size.
Hopefully the dice will turn in our favor, but if we end up in a TPK, that's why. I learned that the hard way running a group through the Moathouse in T1 Village of Hommlet a few weeks ago. Things worked better when I adjusted numbers to match the DMG encounter building rules or used waves of mooks when I wanted to keep the numbers closer to the original.
No problem, just thought I'd share after being surprised by it myself. I'm still trying to find a nice happy medium between the glass cannons in the MM and the never-ending bags of hit points you end up with by following the DMG guidelines.
Are we meant to reroll initiative every round?
Hey everybody, remember that when you roll HD to heal, you add your CON mod to each one. Don't shortchange yourself! :D
Gaaah...your right! I completely forgot!!! Well I was to full anyway, but thank you for the reminder Larissa!!!
Hey boss. How did I find the staff? Did a glowing woman give it to me with a message? Did I somehow find myself in Xak Tsaroth? Did I find it on a pair of dead barbarians? How I respond to Rael will depend on how it came to my possession.
|
|
How about we say that you spent sometime with Riverwind/Goldmoon, with this version, let's say Goldmoon was pregnant and asked you to deliver the staff to it's rightful owner after she had received a vision. She left the rightful owner purposefully vague but nevertheless trusting you and your instincts.
How much do I know about this staff? Do I know that it is a relic of the old gods?
I would ask what is special about the staff? How do I find its owner (or who does it belong to)?
I'm guessing that this chase is an encounter and as such counts as a combat for the purposes of this:
City Streets: When not in combat you can find fast paths through any urban sprawl. Travel twice speed through cities (you can lead others as well.)
It's my Urchin feature.
The Chase was fun. I'm really enjoying this. Thanks DaWay :)
I hope Larissa and Moondancer are still with us :)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I hope Larissa and Moondancer are still with us :)
Still here, just not on-camera at the moment. :)