Out of Character

Thanks for the invite.

Thought I’d get things started.

Which of the three concepts do you think would work given your concept:

Idea 1: Social Media influencer who posts about supernatural and conspiracy things. Possibly gone silent recently or made some disturbing posts. Maybe he’s seen something real or got turned into a werewolf?

Idea 2: Bridge troll part of a criminal family of bridge trolls who uses supernatural means to prey on humans. Not evil per se. Maybe more of a gremlin/agent of chaos or someone living at the bottom of society. Alternatively, could be a gargoyle "watcher"

Idea 3: leprechaun who lost his treasure. Can’t seem to find it no matter how many rainbows he seeks out.

Thank you!

I wasn't sure how rules worked on Gamers Plane. It has been a while. I didn't know if you could post on here or not.

I was thinking the Social Media Influencer style one. Are you familiar with Dresden Files?

As you work on background and character info can we keep it on your first post. Just help keep things organized.
I just posted info about the campaign in another post. Still working on it.

I’m familiar with Dresden but not an expert by any means.

So with the social influencer, I was thinking he mostly did posts for attention/money. He figured the occult stuff was baloney but it got the hits. But then he saw something and it changed him. And he’s still recovering a bit from that experience.

What he saw or what happened is still up in the air. Maybe this is where he builds a hook to the other characters. But I feel like this is driving his new motivation - the obsessive need to find out.

Looking at your madness rules, I’m wondering if maybe whatever he experienced gave him an indefinite madness effect.

In Dresden there is something called the Paranet. It is pretty much a network of (sometimes magical) people who share info on supernatural happenings. If something bad is happening in Town A someone from Town B might come over to help. They share spell concepts, help protect each other, all sorts of things. I don't know if that is something you were thinking about but I was throwing the idea at you.

If you wish to do so go for it. Not going to stop your character from going crazy. If you don't know any of the indefinite madness listed there are some located here. https://www.dndspeak.com/2020/06/12/100-indefinite-madnesses/

I was thinking he’s brand new to the paranormal thing.

I’ll wait to fully formulate him until others chime in. Not sure who else is playing.

I thinking of having this take place in or around Boulder Colorado. (I am not from around there) It will give us a lot of Wilderness to play with and a major city near by.

I think we are getting a Werewolf kind of character and a PI detective sort of one.

I have an idea how to bring you all together.

Might do a warlock or bard then.

I updated the Buyable items there is a google sheet of items you guys can get. If you have questions on what stuff can do either look at the Ultramodern book (Also linked there) or ask and we will figure it out.

Everyone is also starting with $300 you can use to buy stuff from the Modern Items list.

Let’s see what I get on that madness table

Rolling two more for a few choices

I kind of like the first one. I could totally use that.

Yep, feel the same way.

Rough outline: rich kid grew up lazy and entitled. Flunked out of college and took up vlogging and social influencing. Started out doing travel influencer stuff, and that switched to adventure travel, which got more and more extreme as he got bored. He chased the social engagement - loving for likes, followers, and views. Eventually he stumbled onto the occult and conspiracy nuts, and figured out a strong hold on this niche. Combining this with his adventure travel turned him into a social media Indiana Jones of sorts, and he built up a persona, becoming internet famous.

Until he heard the stories about the cult of Tharizdun - the chained god. This entity was rumored to be a mad god, imprisoned by the others In his pantheon. He was fascinated, but more importantly his followers ate it up. Every time he did a story about Tharizdun - revealing some tidbit of research or another - his engagement numbers shot through the roof.

One research excursion, which had been a content heavy trek through a jungle and a dangerous dungeon crawl through an ancient temple, he found what he was looking for.

He was about to go live to broadcast the cult performing their ritual - practically seeing the follower count and likes roll in - when he was taken from behind by a group of green-robed individuals.

At least that’s the last the he remembered before the screaming. He didn’t know how long the assault on his mind lasted. Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks? All he knew was that it invaded all of his senses. He could feel the screams on his skin. Taste them in his mouth. It flooded his vision. Filled his nostrils.

He woke up in a ditch outside of a rickety bar in Costa Rica. He was covered in his own piss and shit. And when he closed his eyes, he could still hear the screaming.

As far as he could tell, some kind of pact had been made. He felt that to his marrow. But those green-clad cultists were still following him, and he had no idea what they wanted.

Something like that.

@Smiley I would like to see some info on world order our PCs live in. Should we adjust our PCs to your world or the world will adjust to out PCs

i.e. if my PC has a 5e standard starting equipment walking around with a greataxe on his back and a bunch of javelins roped to the backpack And his backpack contains standard things for 5e, like:
• a Mess kit
• a Tinderbox
• 10 torches
• 10 days of Rations
• 50 feet of Hempen rope

In the world with TL2 this does seem strange, doesn't it? I mean I can't imagine all of that in "modernish times", but then again I may or may not understand what a "modernish times" mean.

Perhaps more specific questions would be:
1. Laws. Is it allowed by the law to carry firearms? Does it depend on weapon (like Rocket launcher wouldn't be allowed, while most of
One Handed Guns would be fine)
2. Law/peace is enforced? Police has strong position like in a typical European country nowadays and should we fire a bullet on a street SWAT will appear in a few minutes and get us all to the police station for questioning.
3. Do we each live in a house, have job relationship, relatives, etc., while only posses what's a 5e starting equipment assumes (weapons, crossbows, torches, etc.). Should I expect my PC to posses at least one pillow and soap I must spend my gold on that, right?

Some clarification and rulings on this stuff would be helpful, but I think the general concept is to be A) flexible - just kinda roll with it. And B) collaborative - offer up some suggestions on what would work.

Just my two cents.

I was going to play Fox Moulder from X-Files as a Warlock (Great Old One patron) but on second thought maybe an Inquisitive Rogue to really lean into the detective role. City Watch background (FBI, right?) or maybe Haunted One to give him a link to the occult.

Lol. I went warlock because I assumed you’d go inquisitive rogue.

If you’d prefer the warlocks, I can do the rogue version, though it changes my concept to pre-discovery version.