[FULL] D&D 5E Beyond the Known

The Game: D&D 5e (Mystara-based setting)
Post Frequency: Post 3-4 times/week.
Game Duration: Ongoing.
Starting Level: 3
Open to all player experience levels.

Game Info: https://gamersplane.com/games/4015/





Hiya,

I'm looking to DM a 5e game that starts with separate solo sessions for each player where we develop their character and integrate their character completely into the campaign plot that will unfold when the players finally come together. I'm thinking that the solo adventures will run 2-3 months, then the player characters' stories will come together and the main campaign will begin.

I'm willing to include character rule supplements beyond the core rules. Just let me know what options/supplements you are thinking, because I will have to make sure I get my hands on what we need (if I don't already have it). As far as Good versus Evil alignment goes, I'm likely to pick a party of Good characters as opposed to Evil or even Neutral characters. In regards to law and order...Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic are all acceptable. The roleplaying flavor will come from how your character abides by or is unhindered by the laws of the world and other forces.

Each 'solo' adventure will run simultaneously and I don't see why the other players shouldn't be able to read each other's 'backstory' thread. (Knowing OOC about each other's character could be fun. Right?)

I'm thinking three players total for the game will be perfect.

How to Apply:
If you are interested just give me a character concept and initial background here (any race, class, and concept that you fancy). I'll select three players from the submissions. You don't have to know anything about the Mystara setting. It's just basically a typical medieval fantasy setting. (I will just be using it as a general framework for the world.) Just post your ideas, and I'll work with the selected players to fine tune their backstories and fully integrate them into the world.


Sound like fun?

What would be your starting level? 3?
I ask because I have an idea for a Bladesinger, but they get into their core features at level 2.

Concept: An Eladrin Elf, native to the faywild, travel to the mortal realm to find X that some mortal had stolen from the fay realm. My character would be capable, but hambered by language and cultural barriers, really a fish out of water as this mortal realm is totally alien to it.

Mystara… that takes me back. I’d like to play a halfling rogue from the Five Shires. Contrary to the typical halfling sneak thief, he’s young and naive about the world.

Runekyndig, the Elandrin Elf concept would make for some interesting story indeed! The Bladesinger idea would be fun too. I meant to include two things in the pitch. Yes, 3rd level start is good! And also, I want people to tell me their character's alignment. I'll likely choose good alignments for the game (as opposed to evil or even neutral). I'll go edit it now.

Nice! Got any more ideas on backstory?

This sounds awesome! I don’t know much about Mystara, but I have a Tabaxi Warlock I played on here for a little while a few years back, that I’ve been thinking I’d like to play with again… His backstory can be changed however you like to integrate him into the world and plot, but basically he’s just a pirate cat. As much as I’d love to claim he’s Chaotic Good to improve my chances of being chosen, I’m pretty sure Chaotic Neutral is a better fit for an (ex-)pirate with a heart of gold and a love of treasure :P

I rarely use alignments anymore, but sure. Fundamentally it would be NG, but with some strong Lawful principles. There are rules to follow and oaths to upkeep (one is native to fairy) but for the rest Neutral Good.
For background, I think that the Far Traveler fits perfectly.

Oopsylon, great concept. Maybe Admiral was abandoned by his crew in part for some moral decisions he made as captain that revealed a reluctance toward evil?


Runekindyg, Far traveler sounds good.

Keep ideas simmering in your mind. I’ll wait a day or so to let some character concepts come in before selecting and sending invites.

Sure! That works for me :D

Definitely interested in this, got a warlock I want to play! Still tweaking the concept, but here's the gist of it.The TL;DR: Light-hearted fun character, but his personality is rooted deeply in tragic childhood. Charming, moral, strong sense of justice, but also reckless, stubborn, issues with authority, hates losing, and lacks real meaningful friendship outside of the love/hate relationship with his imp that intentionally leads him into more trouble than actually helping him.

EDIT: Oops, just noticed there's already a warlock application. My other character concept is on the opposite spectrum (someone striving to do good but constantly tempted by revenge), but it's also a warlock :(

Concept:

Female Human (variant)
Background (Outlander)
Class (Monk)
Tradition (Way of the Ascendant Dragon)
Alignment (Whatever it needs to be. I also rarely use alignments)

Starting Brief
Born into an aggressive barbaric, nomad society and culture that prided themselves on physical perfection and prowess. There was no room for the weak, the small, and frail and no room for failure. It was an oppressive male-dominated society that looked down upon the small girl, who was never as good as her older brother and sister.

When she reached the age of responsibility, at the tender age of twelve, her father abandoned his embarrassment in the badlands and bid her never to return. She was forsaken and left to die with the ravages of time and the predations of the horrors that lurked in the shadows of that forbidden expanse. Several times did she barely escape death alone and on her own.

Though, as luck, fate, or providence would have it, she was found on the brink of starvation by an aged nomadic dragonborn, wanderer. She was nursed back to health and discovered her unlikely benefactor was the last of an order of monks—of sorts. He became her mentor in his last years of physical being. With his guidance, she grew stronger and more knowledgeable of the vast realms of her world and beyond.

Young human hexblade warlock (Chaotic Good or Neutral)
Inheritor

A third son of a very conservative noble family, dwelling in the warrens of the city of ____. He is fourth born of five, having an older and younger sister besides his two eldest brothers.

At the tender age of twelve, he discovered a curious black gem etched with eldritch runes. Through time and experimentation, he found that it linked him to a powerful warlock patron, and now uses it as his focus to perform the eldritch magic of a warlock, attached to his sword.

Unhappy with his lot in life, he has become rebellious and bristles at the idea of being sent to join the clergy. He dreams of running away and finding himself through adventure.

My my, this looks like alot of fun. I'm pretty booked up at the moment but I might just scrape together enough brainpower to get a concept in. I'll update ASAP.

Got so many great character concepts here. This is gonna be hard to narrow a party down to three.

I’ll send invites out late this evening. (Probably by 10pm EST)
JoshuaMabry any more background concept?

Human Rogue [Scout]
Former Circus Performer [Acrobat]
Chaotic/Neutral Good

Comes from an exotic faraway land. She doesn't remember her birth mother or father, as she was orphaned as a young child. Taken in by the troupe leader of a traveling circus. She grew up traveling and was trained in dancing and acrobatics, due her natural born agility and flexibility.

The troupe leader's grandson, is like an older brother to her. She admires and respects him. They grew up together and he has always been there for her. She was taught the dark language, Infernal, by the troupe's snake charmer, a second generation carny.

She loves cats. Big cats or little cats. She treats them with kindness. She found a stray kitten when she was very young herself. She cared for the kitten and named it. The cat was her constant companion throughout the cat's life, until it died of old age only last year. Some of the troupe have said that the way she moves must have been taught from her years with her feline companion. She moves like a cat.

I really hope it's not too late to apply!!! I completely understand if you pick the more experienced players, but I am a new player who has never had a chance to flesh out a character and would love an opportunity to do so with you!
My concept, and this is very adjustable, is a tiefling who was born into a cult and was raised to be sacrificed in a summoning ritual of a demon. He was so ingrained that he was 100% willing to be apart of this for his master. The night before the ritual a god spoke to him in a dream and showed him the way of good. Seeing the error of his ways and a new appreciation for doing good he runs away in search of this god. He became a cleric in an effort to do the most good he can. He will be chaotic good as his raising still shines through some.

I'm going to send out invites. When everyone accepts, I'll open up some threads in the game forum for each player. We'll further work out character development there. Can you just tell me your character's name here so each game thread can be named based on the characters in the game.

Saw you are in oopsylon. I will open a thread for Admiral.

Monk's name is Khyree Vadis.

Got it! Thanks! I'll open a thread up for Khyree Vadis' backstory.

Nuts. Did I miss out?

Tasya
Human Rogue

I think we did buddy. I think the dm should start a second game for the seconds lol.

Hmm...don't tempt me.

No tempting here. Challenging maybe lol

The Game: D&D 5e (Loosely based on the Mystara setting)
Post Frequency: Post 3-4 times/week.
Game Duration: Ongoing.
Starting Level: 4
Open to all player experience levels.





The Games Origins
This 5e game began in April 2023. It started with separate solo sessions for each player where we developed characters as solo adventures and integrate each character's story into the main campaign plot that continued to unfold when the players finally came together. Now the story has evolved to a place where two of the three original players were not having as much fun (and consequently we're starting a new game separate from this that aligns more closely with their interests).

The Games Content
So that said...this story's developing conflict has settled into a plot arc that incorporates:
> An order of dragon-following monks, countered by a dragon-worshiping cult that does bidding for demons from another realm.
> The Iron Ring (which is a evil organization in the classic D&D Mystara setting that deals with slave trade.)
> A corrupt desert kingdom that is at best complicit to the activities of the Iron Ring.
> Pirates.

Some of the things the players will be up against are clearly dark in nature, but this is not meant to be a campaign where the players are evil or anything close to that. In fact, I'm looking for players who enjoy being the heroes that seek to put a stop to the evil they find. This may or may not involve a transformation of your character--if your character's backstory involves some kind of nefarious past or something like that--but ultimately I seek players that at the end of the day will choose good and have lots of fun saving the world!


Post Frequency and Game Longevity
We've been posting at different rates. Some weeks we each post a little something every day, other weeks 3 posts each, other weeks I get busy outside of GP and can't post at all. Shooting for the 3-4 times/week is the general rule.

I am not against this being an ongoing campaign that unfolds over a some years of gameplay. (It has been running for 8-9 months already). At the same time, I will periodically check in with players to see if they continue to have fun. If any player wants to leave the game at anytime, for any reason that is okay. Just let's be open and work it out.


How to Apply
I am looking for the game to have up to 3 players total. At the moment, it has an opening for one or two new players.

If you are interested in joining this game, just let me know your character idea and a short backstory (which can be elaborated once you are onboard).

If it helps you come up with any ideas, the character that is currently playing the game is a Tabaxi (called Rakasta in Mystara) pirate captain, who has recently reclaimed his ship and crew.

Please start your character at level 4.

Standard D&D 5e Character Creation. I allow WOTC classes, races, and features outside of the core rules. Players must just let me know what they are thinking/using.

Your character's backstory and in-game choices will certainly influence the story content of this game as we move forward, but please be aware that you are entering a story that includes pirates, demons, evil dragons, cultists, and slavers.

That looks rather interesting to me. Like to read up more and make a character for that if you would take me.

Excellent. Let us know what you come up with. Feel free to ask any questions too.

How about a male Half-Sea Elf fighter. Raised with the inherent differences between being a sea elf and human. Now a sea loving sailor type skilled for combat. Loyal to his captain most of all.

Only real question is how you deal with Half-Sea Elf mechanics?

Hmm... does an escaped slave turned Paladin/Warlock feel like a fit?

I think a half-sea elf would have a 30ft swim speed, be able to breath underwater and still have Skill Versatility.

That character sounds interesting for this campaign. Got a little more ideas for a backstory?

An escaped slave turned paladin/warlock could be great in this setting. Are you thinking paladin or warlock? Or do you mean a multiclass character?

We have a warlock in the game already, BUT that doesn't necessarily mean you could not play a multiclass character that includes warlock, especially if the paladin side is a big part of your character.

Got some more thoughts on your character's backstory? Would the same 'patron' this character swears loyalty to as a paladin also be the source of the character's warlock abilities?

Unsure of the exact setting to do a lot of background work. I would say going with an orphan and taken in on a ship early in life would be a fine background start. Throw in some possible merchant shipping work/guard to account more for the fighter in him. Something along those lines. If you some more than a lost love story or some crossing with a religion problem, can spice it up. Or possibly land lover problems like bad debt gambling or fights with the wrong persons.

Looking on the good side of things here perhaps a bad luck start. Nothing in the pirating/thieving area. This guy is clean and he is no captain. Just a well-respected crew person. The guy that is always there when you need him. He is the best barnacle cleaner around.

One of his noted adventures was when the ship he was on was going down. Sure, the ship could be patched and saved but there wasn't anyone that could do that and not drown in time except him. No one after ever said a word again about his Sea Elf half.

Another amazing story was when the ship name 'Cutter' had to be thought to be lost at sea with all hands drowned came all shattered and into port to never leave again with all hands alive. Out to sea the ship was going down nothing could save it and all hands were doomed to the deep six. Between the captain's rep and his pleas for help, a nearby tribe sea elves came to the ship's aid.

Perhaps he now is looking for something new. Just needs a reason to be where he is now.

Really looking at straight fighter class here. Rough and tumble type sailor person.

I picture a sailor taken as a slave when his ship was raided. A slave, escaping and swearing an oath (small "o") to deal with slavers -- indeed, anyone who would subjugate the common man -- and to free others like him who haven't been as fortunate as he was to find an opening to escape.

Starting on the path of a Paladin, he eventually finds an opportunity to enhance his power, and takes it. Making a pact with something in the shadows (or was it the shadow itself?) he comes out even more proficient with a blade. Using his improved martial prowess, he redoubles his efforts to exact vengeance and defend the defenseless.

***** *****

Mechanically... I'm thinking Variant Human, sailor background. Multiclass, Paladin 1 (to be Oath of Vengeance at Paladin lvl. 3) then 3 levels of Hexblade Warlock (Pact of the Blade) to bring him to 4.

At that point, he focuses on Paladin levels. I don't expect to take more levels in Warlock, although I may go up to five down the road a ways... honestly not completely sure yet. But I feel like 3 levels of Hexblade is all I need.

GeneCortess I think your character background ideas sound good. We can flesh them out a little when you are in.

The Newbie's Guide to Mystara. This could be a helpful resource. I use this information loosely and modify it to fit our campaign.


FYI: The Whisker, the ship in the story, at the moment is captained by a PC and is on route to a smallish port village on the Island of Elegy (part of the Island Kingdom of Ierendi), called Maulia. This place is a bit off the radar of the other kingdoms of the world. The majority of people there are indigenous islanders called Makai. But some retired sailors, shipwreck survivors, adventurers, and other foreigners have found their way to this remote tropical place for one reason or another. Maybe through the tales of Makai villagers or from personal experience with sea fey, your character may also know that Maulia sits on the mouth of a river that leads to a large forest lake area inhabited by fey.

Your character could be currently residing there in Maulia for some reason linked to your backstory, or somehow could come across the Whisker on the sea sailing to Maulia.

Does that help?

That could all work. I see how I can incorporate the 'shadow' patron.

I'll send and invite to you and GeneCortess.

Wonderful! We got two new players. Thanks for finding this and applying. We'll get back into gameplay once we square away character generation.