OOC

For oscillating optional cartomancy.

A couple of random character concept generators, in case you want some grist for the mill:
https://whothefuckismydndcharacter.com/
https://tetra-cube.com/dnd/dnd-char-gen.html

Welcome, Raven and Hero! Surprisingly little interest for a 5e game, but hopefully we'll pick up more once things are underway.

Feel free to share any questions or ideas you have for characters or the setting. Let me know if I need to do anything to set up sheets for you - my first time properly running a game on GP.

Sounds good! Thanks man!

I try to stick pretty close to established lore. Anything way out in left field we need to know for this setting?

Nothing beyond what I've described in the setting thread, so far. I'm treating it being pretty much by the book D&D assumptions unless the dice dictate otherwise.

Welcome Moridin!

Thank you. I just now logged on, and am in the process of reading stuff so that I can get a character together.

And Smiley makes four. Welcome aboard!

So far it seems like we've got a hobgoblin war-mage, a nice but not-too-bright gnome who sees dead people, and a brawny, insightful monster hunter. Feel free to check out the setting info and house rules, then head on over to the dice roller thread to see what the fates have in store for you!

You with us, Smiley?

They smiled a lot, but they didn't talk much.

All right, with three characters done or nearly so, I'll start working on an intro thread. Should be good to go in a day or two!

Welcome CancerMan!

Question: Do we think we already know each other? I am not sure that we have

As I said, I'm going to roll some random connections as inspiration. You're welcome to use or disregard these as you see fit; I think preexisting connections are fun, but some people don't like them, preferring to let relationships emerge organically, which is perfectly reasonable.

The method I'm using, which I came up with off the top of my head, is to roll a d6 to determine an ability score: that defines the sort of connection, relationship, or event between the characters. Then a d4, to determine whether the connection is strongly negative, slightly negative, slightly positive or strongly positive.

Trees Glūm: With Glanduk, Intelligence, strongly negative. Perhaps the hobgoblin bested you in a battle of wits, made you feel foolish with his superior book-learnin' or tricked you with some false fact?
Glanduk: With Milo, Strength, slightly negative. Did the brawny halfling outdo you in a brawl or athletic contest in which you were competing (sort of a Gimli-Legolas rivalry), or does your hobgoblin pride rankle at being outshone by someone half your size?
Milo: With Thatch, Dexterity, slightly negative. Does the half-orcs clumsiness grate on you? Did he stumble and crash through the undergrowth while you were sneaking up on some prey? Do you wish you could show him how to enhance his physical might with some agility and grace?
Thatch: With Trees, Dexterity, slightly positive. Both Thatch and Trees are pretty clumsy. is this a source of commiseration between them? Or more abstractly, as a fellow foreigner does Thatch admire Trees' extensive travels and wandering feet?

I like those connections for Thatch based on Dexterity. He is very clumsy and heavy-footed, despite his good intentions. He is far from subtle, and trained more as heavy infantry than skirmisher so his tactics are probably very different from Milo's.

Thatch might be drawn to Trees as a fellow foreigner, and I think he'd appreciate the music or stories from the bard as memories of home. Thatch does appreciate tales around a campfire or in a tavern.

I love the slight tension with Milo. I might be using a wand now, but I am very proud of my time as a cavalryman in my horde. Glanduk is very intelligent, but sees the world in a more combative way, pursuing direct solutions. I think I wouldn't have done anything explicitly to show off my intelligence though...

Bam. Intro is up.

I'm going to introduce the characters sequentially over the course of the following days to prevent a crush of PCs walking through the door together. First up, dictated of course by the dice, is Thatch! Introduce us to your character a little, tell us what they look like, their demeanour and dress and what the journey was like to bring them to this point.

Let me know if there's any extra info you need or questions you have. A few points that will be pertinent to everyone:
* The letters were delivered to each of you by a raven - a beautiful ebon-feathered mechanical thing with ruby eyes that must have been a magical construct or conjured creature. It swooped down, dropped the letter into your hand or lap and fluttered off.
* It's around dusk (for Thatch; the rest of you will be coming in a little later each) on Pyriel-day, the equivalent of Saturday so spirits are high. It's right at the end of the month of Alphos, the end of autumn, so cooler and bleaker each night. I generated a calendar for the world which I'll post shortly, but you don't need to fuss too much about it except for flavour.

"How much for the cabbage from the cabbage seller? And a pint from the tap?"

Rather than tracking petty purchases in silvers and coppers, I'm thinking of using the Lifestyle Expenses option from PHB 157. Basically you buy days or weeks of living at a certain level of comfort, and that covers lodging, food and drink and other incidental expenses to an appropriate degree. In addition, some of you might have the ability to live off the land or get by on Rustic Hospitality or similar features. I'll put this in the house rules post.

Wretched (--)
Squalid (1sp/day, 9sp/week)
Poor (2sp/day, 18sp/week)
Modest (1gp/day, 9gp/week)
Comfortable (2gp/day, 18gp/week)
Wealthy (4gp/day, 36gp/week)
Aristocratic (10gp+/day, 90gp+/week)

So in Thatch's case Hailcorn is covering him a day of Modest lifestyle in gratitude for his help, and we can waive the cabbage fee as part of that. If I ever start charging PCs for vegetable props it's time to hang up my GMing hat and rethink what I'm doing with my life.

Sorry for the delay getting the posts up - we've just gone back into lockdown here in NZ for the first time in about six months, so preparations were a bit hectic.