The Witchlight Carnival drifts through the Material Plane every eight years to bring wonder to the denizens of a single town. The fairground is a place of magic and whimsy, crewed by fantastical fey beings. When it departs, its guests are left wondering whether its presence was real or imagined…
RECORD SCRATCH
If you are not familiar, Wild Beyond the Witchlight is a fey adventure with a vibe similar to Labyrinth, Neverending Story, or The Wizard of Oz. Strange things can appear at any turn, many of them silly, but things can grow quite dark as well.
The “childhood” portion of this game would be a two-hour session if played irl – obviously in PBP format it will last longer, but be aware that you will be growing up into a Level 1 character before too long. There is no combat as a child. For that matter, it is possible (though not required) to complete the entirety of Wild Beyond the Witchlight without any combat, if you are canny enough. This adventure is a chance for utility, craftiness, and diplomacy to shine. It will be very RP / character driven.
Be able to post about once a day, and willing to be botted when you can't. Maps will be on Roll20, handouts and such will be on Google Slides.
Step 1. Choose your age. Your character is either a younger kid or an older kid. For the purposes of this adventure, a younger kid is approximately human age equivalent of about 8 to 11 years old, while an older kid is about 12 to 15 years old.
Younger Kids. Your ability score array is 12, 11, 10, 10, 9, 8. You begin play with the Lucky feat. (This feat is temporary, while a child). You are size Small regardless of your race/lineage. You have 4 hit points.
Older Kids. Your ability score array is 13, 12, 11, 10, 10, 8. Your size conforms to the size listed for your race/lineage. You have 6 hit points.
Step 2. Choose your race/lineage. For the sake of things working out, if you play a longer-lived race like an elf, we’ll assume that race ages like humans and such for the first two decades of their lives (ie. an 18 year old elf is a young adult) and shorter-lived races (like aarakocra) will live long enough to still be in their prime once adulthood is reached by the others. Apply any features from your choice to your character, including ability score bonuses. The game will begin on the outskirts of Silverymoon. You can play any official playable race, and note that harengon and fairies were introduced by this adventure in particular.
Step 3. Choose any ONE skill to be proficient in.
Step 4. Choose your stuff. You may have any TWO items worth 1gp or less from the adventuring gear table (must fit in a kid’s pack and can’t be ammo); a snack of your choice and a waterskin; 1d6 coins (they are copper if you’re younger, silver if you’re older); any one trinket from the PHB or Wild Beyond the Witchlight.
Step 5. Additional details. Do NOT select a class or background. Fill in additional information that would be on your character sheet, such as initiative, armor class, and saving throws (you are not proficient in any yet). Select one personality trait. No need to select an ideal or a flaw yet. Share a short description of your character so we get a sense of them!
Step 6. Lost Items. A major plot in this campaign will be that something precious, something intangible, is stolen from you during your childhood visit to the carnival. You might lose your ability to remember names, your sense of smell, your sense of time, your luck…anything along those lines. Choose what you will lose now, so that you can RP having it in the first place, while you’re a child. It should be something you desperately want back, as that will motivate your character to return as an adult.
Step 7. What do you want to be when you grow up? This can absolutely change depending on how the introduction goes, but what class(es) are you leaning towards? Any official ones are fine.
You found her one morning, lost and shivering, with nothing but a wooden tag around her neck to identify her. You looked for her owner (though not for too long!), then adopted her into your gang. You’ve kept her secret and promised to care for her. Juniper is the tie that binds you together and you’ll never, ever let her come to harm…
Recruitment will stay open until March 20 at 11:59PM EST. I am looking for 4-5 additional players – there is one spot already reserved for my friend, Feyrial, which would make for a group of 5-6 when it’s time to play.
Um, so if we don't select a class or background, does this mean we get to start at level 0? It would be nice to start at level 0 and would make sense, otherwise you ain't no class until you at level 2.
Also, I know we are just kids, but can I lose having any type of attraction to others, physical and emotional? Even at young ages, people are attracted to people of the opposite gender or the same gender or both. And emotional doesn't mean he isn't not willing to talk to people, it just means he is unwilling to make friends. He will care about resolving a feud between to factions, but won't shed a tear over who dies cause he doesn't have the emotional connection. He would be looking to get that back, or find out why he isn't attracted to people in that sense.
I am the Feyrial mentioned. I'm submitting this character for play - see profile for more info! :) I am very new to PBP but not new to d&d things.
does this mean we get to start at level 0?
You could call it Level 0 if you wanted. I explained we'd become Level 1 characters once we aged up.
can I lose having any type of attraction to others, physical and emotional?
Sure, that would meet the criteria I posted.
So interesting!
Let me sleep on it...
Sounds very interesting, will get something together.
I already like your one game Fern, you're tempting me into another one. I will need to consider what I'd play.
For your consideration;
Kubub
Half-Orc, Older Kid
HP [8] , AC [10]
STR 12 (+1)
DEX 10 (+0)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 8 (-1)
WIS 12 (+1)
CHA 11 (+0)
Race: Darkvision, Menacing, Relentless Endurance, Savage Attacks
Skills: Athletics +3, Intimidation +2
Gear: Book, Whistle, Snack, silver coins
Lost Item: Cannot remember his mother's face
Kubub was abandoned by his mother at a young age and is being raised (poorly) by his maternal/human grandfather. Growing up, Kubub was tormented relentlessly by (some of) the other children, who picked on him for his ancestry, his protruding tusks and his nervous stutter. His own grandfather was not much nicer. Kubub has found it easier to drive off these bullies if he pretends to be meaner than he is. Despite the persona he has created, those who get to know Kubub well realise he has a heart of gold and will do almost anything for his friends. The book in his possession is a collection of stories about a swashbuckling bard, and Kubub fantasizes about running away from his grandfather's house to follow in this character's footsteps (and maybe find his mother along the way).
Ideally, I would like to go Bard, but we'll see what happens, assuming I am selected to join the game.
Thankyou. :)
I want my character to have cooking skills. He will start with a mess kit and a tinderbox.
Survival as the skill or something else?
Name: Karley Rumblemuffin
1. Younger. 8.14.10.10.9.12
2. Lightfoot Halfling.
3. Sleight of Hand.
4. Bell. Ball bearings. . Spectacle frames in the shape of butterfly wings.
5. hp: 4 / AC: 12 / init: +2 / pp: 9 / personality: I take great pains to always look my best and follow the latest fashions.
6. Lost: Offended fairy who stole her ability to speak/write nouns!
7. Wild mage sorcerer.
Why I'm interested: The RP focus with combat deemphasized.
Expectations: No problem once a day or more, including weekends.
A few semi-recent RP samples:
Monk unlocks ki
Thief gets turned into pudding
Wizard battles children
I want my character to have cooking skills. He will start with a mess kit and a tinderbox.
Survival as the skill or something else?
Survival would work for cooking, sure
Jazz Kraz the LG Half-Elf
Age 15
Str 10
Dex 14(racial bonus +1 from 13)
Con 12
Wis 12(racial bonus +1 from 11)
Int 8
Cha 12(racial bonus +2 from 10)
Speed 30
Fey Ancestry
Darkvison
Common, Elven and Goblin
Items: Mess Kit, Tinderbox and Trinket (An iron holy symbol devoted to an unknown god) The holy symbol is a cross representing the deity Jesus who is not mentioned in the forgotten realms or any D&D realm. He doesn't know the name of this deity or anything about his life or even the details about this death. However he was told this was the greatest deity that ever lived and gave his life on the cross so that we can all have eternal life. He wears this symbol openly and when asked he says this is the greatest deity that ever lived but he doesn't know his name or much about him.
Skills: Nature, Survival, Stealth (his race gave him 2). Not only does he know how to cook, but he also needs to know about which plants and foods are edible, as well as how to sneak up on animals, big game and small game, even game as small as insects.
He lost his physical and emotional connection/attraction to others. He will help anyone but he refuses to make real friends. He will solve diplomatic solutions but if a friend asks him to come over to help him with a simple task the answer is no. Death of friend, loved one or stranger does not bother him. The girl(s) he had a crush on, no more, he wonders why he had a crush on her/them in the first place. He will cry over and have an emotional connection to a pet. He can sometimes think he is better than everyone else.
Personality Trait: I am intolerant of and condemn the worship of other gods. He does not actually condemn them all, just ones that don't have life, light, knowledge or nature domain. He believes deities of these domains are or where angels of his greatest deity and that his deity represents all 4 of these domains.
Classes: He wants to be a sorcerer and control it via the draconic sorcerer, he believes his arcane magic would be a gift from his deity, also he needs spells to help survive in the wild, including ones to help catch and trap animals and insects.
About him: See the above stuff. He is a dark haired, white skinned half-elf, tall and skinny.
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I would love to play a bunny
Dotting for interest.
Quick first thoughts. Older Half-elf kid that would ultimately end up as a bard (glamour or lore) or a rogue (arcane trickster).
S: 8
D: 13 + 1 = 14
C: 10
I: 11 + 1 = 12
W: 10
CH: 12 + 2 = 14
1. 13
2. Half-Elf
3. Persuasion
4. Delicate silver cameo with pictures of twin children opposite one another; Bag of Ball Bearings, Tinderbox
5. TBD
6. Lost his sense of time for something more esoteric. If DM will allow, lost his twin sister.
7. Bard (glamour or lore) or a Rogue (arcane trickster)
If DM will allow, lost his twin sister.
DM allows, that would be pretty messed up and absolutely fit the vibe of this whole adventure.
Something I forgot to mention: This campaign will bring us to roughly Level 8 by the time it ends. That said, if we're all best friends by then and want to keep going, I could rustle us up some higher level fun at that point, if the group was feeling it.
Submissions so far (with tentative classes), for people just arriving to the thread:
Willow: Wild magic sorcerer (or archfey warlock)
Kubub: Bard
Karley: wild magic sorcerer
Jazz: draconic sorcerer
Talomyr's WIP character: bard(glam or lore) or arcane trickster rogue
Oh whoops, didn't realize your friend was doing wild mage as well. I can change to something else (druid or rogue likely).
Usually, in order to be a cook, you should have proficiency in cooking utensils. There are no Profession skills in this edition.
Yes I meant to ask earlier if we could choose a Tool Proficiency as our 1 skill. It sort of makes sense to me, a child could be skilled with a paintbrush or chess set for example.
I can take proficiency in cook's utensils, but I need a way to get that proficiency. No race can give me that ability. He also isn't going for professional chef, but he is going for the idea to cook anything so he can survive in the wild. We are out in the wilderness and we get attacked by goblins. His job is to boil and burn the meat of those goblins, so we have food for a couple of days. Or He catches small game, lizards, frogs, insects, snakes animals that won't run so we have food. Or Hunt deer or something if he needs large game. If I can get proficiency in cooks tools I will, it would give me a bonus to make sure everything is cooked properly.
I can take proficiency in cook's utensils, but I need a way to get that proficiency. No race can give me that ability. He also isn't going for professional chef, but he is going for the idea to cook anything so he can survive in the wild. We are out in the wilderness and we get attacked by goblins. His job is to boil and burn the meat of those goblins, so we have food for a couple of days. Or He catches small game, lizards, frogs, insects, snakes animals that won't run so we have food. Or Hunt deer or something if he needs large game. If I can get proficiency in cooks tools I will, it would give me a bonus to make sure everything is cooked properly.
I would guess that Survival would be appropriate as you describe it above. Later, when I assume you'd get a background as you become an honest to goodness 1st level character, you could pick up the tool proficiency then.
There is also a cooking feat in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything;
Time and effort spent mastering the culinary arts has paid off. You gain the following benefits:
Increase your Constitution or Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
You gain proficiency with cook’s utensils if you don’t already have it.As part of a short rest, you can cook special food, provided you have ingredients and cook's utensils on hand. You can prepare enough of this food for a number of creatures equal to 4 + your proficiency bonus.
At the end of the short rest, any creature who eats the food and spends one or more Hit Dice to regain hit points regains an extra 1d8 hit points.
With one hour of work or when you finish a long rest, you can cook a number of treats equal to your proficiency bonus. These special treats last 8 hours after being made. A creature can use a bonus action to eat one of those treats to gain temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus.
Although I'm not sure about the morality of eating other sentient beings, even if they are goblins.
Oh whoops, didn't realize your friend was doing wild mage as well. I can change to something else (druid or rogue likely).
No worries, she's not set on it. =)
Yes I meant to ask earlier if we could choose a Tool Proficiency as our 1 skill. It sort of makes sense to me, a child could be skilled with a paintbrush or chess set for example.
I'd be fine with that!
Talomyr checking in with his submision, Vashrin Naevirion.
S: 8
D: 13 + 1 = 14
C: 10
I: 11 + 1 = 12
W: 10
CH: 12 + 2 = 14
1. 13
2. Half-Elf
3. Persuasion
4. Delicate silver cameo with pictures of twin children opposite one another; Bag of Ball Bearings, Tinderbox
5. Stories...it was always the stories that grabbed the attention of the Naevirion twins. Growing up, Vashrin and his sister Celeste spent the majority of their time in the inn their mother worked in. They spent the nights of their earlier childhood years listening to boastful stories of traveling adventurers and fanciful tales told by the bards who would frequent the Grand Griffon Inn. Once they were old enough to do so, the pair would often sneak out of the inn and get in all manner of trouble, trying to live out the stories they had heard so often in the inn.
Personality Trait: There’s nothing I like more than a good mystery/story, as such I ask a lot of questions to get to those stories.
6. Vashrin will lose his twin sister, Celeste.
7. Bard (glamour or lore)
Oh whoops, didn't realize your friend was doing wild mage as well. I can change to something else (druid or rogue likely).
I'm not married to it. If you would like to play that, I am happy with archfey warlock - I am one of those folks that's happy to kind of fill in the gaps where we need them. :)
Petro Baggswap:
Here's the basics. Need to think about the background a bit... Basically best athlete in the village but has a bit of a temper. Always the biggest strongest, most athletic of the kids, but somebody took his favorite stickball bat that his grandfather made for him and he's not really happy about it. He just laid it aside for a moment while he played one of the games.
Orc of Exandria
Elder Child (14)
STR - 15
DEX - 12
CON - 12
INT - 8
WIS - 10
CHA - 10
INIT +1
HP 7
AC 11
Saves +1, +1, 0
Skills Athletics +2, Survival +0, Perception +0
Possessions:
Fishing Tackle, Bedroll, Kids Backpack, Waterskin, (2) Hotdogs (Smushed a bit)
SP - 4
Willow Breakbough is a 10 year old, cheerful little tiefling. Her skin is pink (more of a soft, mauvey pink); her hair is black, curly (loose curls), and long; and she has little black horns growing high on her forehead. Her horns are short and pointing straight up into the air. She carries on her a bell, a piece of chalk, and a thimble (that helps you daydream when worn). She has an innate ability for magic, but not a ton of control over it. She wants to grow up to learn to control her magical ability and use it to make people happy.
Willow is a fiercely loyal friend who would do anything to make her friends and family smile. She would willingly put herself in danger to keep her friends out of trouble. She lives with just her father, who is also a tiefling, and her mother has not been in the picture for quite some time (father won't talk about it, but Willow isn't really bothered by all of it - she's never known anything else).
Stats
Str: 8
Dex: 10
Con: 11
Int: 11
Wis: 9
Cha: 14
HP: 4
Size: Small
Feats: Lucky
Proficiency: Persuasion
Personality Trait: My friends know they can rely on me, no matter what.
Inventory: 1 bell, 1 piece of chalk, a thimble that helps you daydream when you wear it, a peanut butter sandwich, and a waterskin.
Lost Item: Will lose ability to smile.
Class Goals: Archfey Warlock
Okay, I misread the inventory, I thought a snack of our choice and a waterskin was suggested as part of the two items.
So we get a waterskin, a snack of our choice, and 2 items. In that case his snack is a peanut butter sandwich.
Older Fairy Kid - 15y/o
S-8
D-10
C-10
I-11
W-14
C-14
HP - 6
SKILL-Intimidation
STUFF-50' rope, a bell, waterskin, candied flower petals, an extremely ornate brooch of dwarven design, 5sp
DETAILS: Kendryl is a very very handsome young man, with beautiful wings just like an angel. He liked being a little different, and he loved that everyone admired his wings. He frequently used Druidcraft and spent hours to paint them like hawk's and eagle's wings for his family gatherings. His magic means a lot to him ...
LOST: His SIZE. Kendyl has lost 'being small' - this is NOT a metaphor for growing up, actually, it will, in fact, work the opposite. Kendryl was showing off, Kendryl was pushing his body and his magic and his power to the limits. It worked. He cast Enlarge. It didn't end though. It hasn't ended. He is different, he is special, he is powerful ... and he is also homeless. He cannot do fairy things, he is too big. He is the size of his friends, and that's pretty cool, but it was only supposed to be cool for an hour or so. He also desparately wants to be understood: the 'big ones' think he is simply not small, they have a hard time seeing that he is actually not fey.
GROWN UP: I could happily share a bunch of young "boy stuff" related to these growing up metaphors, but let's not ;) that said, this is a species that can racially cast ENLARGE & REDUCE. No one wants to 'grow up' more than Kendryl. He wants to master his personal magic [become 5th level], but he may also want to make a pact with an ArchFey (or be a Sorcerer because Willow already picked Warlock); he wants to have the 'power' to be normal again.
I missed the snack detail. Karley will have a bowl of vanilla pudding she prepared all by herself. ;D
Nuruk Faerjhan is a thirteen year old Ravenite Dragonblood whose family had escaped the enslaving by the Draconblood many years ago. Big, strong, but prone to stumbling about, Nuruk is teased over his lack of grace but is admired for his toughness, strength, and kind nature he has. To pick a fight with a friend of his is to pick a fight with Nuruk. With beautiful scales of gold upon his flesh, he is most known for his almost angelic voice. Able to hit undulations and tones that only those blessed by draconic birth can reach, he can commonly be heard singing amidst the children or when wandering around. If one has a need to find Nuruk, just follow the singing.
Stats
STR: 14
DEX: 8
CON: 12
INT: 10
WIS: 10
CHA: 13
Hit Points: 6
Size: Medium
Skill: Performance
Personality: I change my mind or my mood as quickly as I change note in a song.
Stuff: Fishing Tackle, Sack, Waterskin, Pouch, Chalk x 4, A Multicolored Stone Disk, A BIG bag of smoked & seasoned jerky, 2sp, 5cp
Lost: The ability to sing any note of any kind.
Class Goal: A paladin, specifically of the "Oath of Glory"
About a day and a half until recruitment closes!
Got some pretty fun characters here, but if anyone was still planning to sneak a submission in, tomorrow's the deadline! I'll post who makes the cut by Monday morning at the latest, and we'll be ready to go =)
Sammy, Variant Human young kid.
Sammy looks thin, pale and always tired. His parents are poor to the bone, and he will probably inherit that condition. His black hair is miraculously free of lice, but still dirty as hell. Not having any siblings, he's had to rely on pure imagination through his short life.
Sammy is not easily afraid, though, and takes it seriously when it comes to help his friends or when he faces a situation he believes is unfair.
Silver Pieces:
Stats (+1 Dex, +1 Con)
STR: 8
DEX: 13
CON: 12
INT: 9
WIS: 10
CHA: 10
Hit Points: 4
Size: Small
Skill: Stealth, Perception (v. Human)
Personality: I can't stand bullies; the stronger should protect the weaker.
Stuff: Some marbles, a crutch, some fried corn, a waterskin, 2 cooper pieces,
a card (Ace of Spades)
Lost: The ability to talk.
Class Goal: Soulknife Rogue
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Okay folks! Recruitment is closed! It was tough choosing, because you guys all made interesting characters. But the party looks like it's going to be:
Willow Breakbough, a tiefling who is still bouncing between a few ideas for her class
Kubub, a half orc who would like to go bard but 'will see what happens'
Karley Runblemuffin, a halfling sorcerer
Vashrin Naevirion, a half elf who is leaning heavily bard as well
Nuruk Faerjhan, a dragonborn paladin
and Sammy, a human rogue sneaking in on the last day!
Apologies if you weren't chosen, it was nothing personal! If spots open up I will message you and see if you still want to join. Those who were, feel free to jump into the discussion thread and say hello! I'll be posting some stuff shortly.
:(
Will have to cut my 5E teeth another day.
Congrats kids! Good luck growing up ;)