Questions

(If the usual DnD tropes carry through) there probably wouldn't be that many resident drow anywat, mostly the ones rejected by or rejecting common drow society, such as us.

Important question. Would this contact happen before or after the Magic Talisman Massacre? Beforehand, Val probably would be quite dismissal, keeping him around for a conversation more so because he looked familiar than anything pertaining to race. He'd be only slightly interested in his martial and magical prowess. On the other hand, post-crisis Val would be looking for skilled allies and Nathriel would fit the description. If it's the former, Val would probably seek out Nathriel if he made a display of his abilities during their first meeting.

I guess after would be better. Maybe Val heard about Nathriel bullying some nobles and got interested in knowing more about his abilities.

I would totally be up for a start like that. Makes sense that I would take a job like finding a name through an alias. It is mostly low risk to my own person. If you don't want us to know the real name under the alias, I would see the job as completed if I found a location and were able to lead the person hiring to them.

My specialty is not charisma, so it would be unlikely that I could set up a meeting, but through stealth, insight, and investigation, I could likely find where I needed to go.

So, the story so far: Val, an actor and poet, experienced a massacre undertaken by the Forlorn's watch and is out for revenge. He hears of a local vigilante in Mirthing Reef with apparent magical and martial skill and hires a talented P.I. to find him. Val then expresses to the other two his intentions, to bring down or otherwise injure the Forlorn's Watch, and offers a portion of anything they find or loot along the way in exchange for their assistance. Any additions or changes?

This all sounds like a wonderful beginning, love that y'all have already set up a path that is indepth and will drive the story pretty far because it's political needs.

I love it. So Val and Vinsten will have been together for a little while before meeting Nathriel, which he has been hired for. Vishka is a potential contact from my recent past.

If Val wanted to be talking his way into places with me as an observer and lie detector, that's a way that we could be working together as a duo and not need the client/hire relationship. There would just need to be a reason for me trying to find Nathriel as well.

You're right, It would be better if we were more of a duo with similar goals. Perhaps the mysterious vigilante simply appeals to your natural inquisitiveness. Or a meager bounty set by a noble put you on his trail initially but I managed to convince you not to claim it, promising greater reward.

If we're beginning today let's say: Val, an actor and poet, experienced a massacre undertaken by the Forlorn's watch and is out for revenge. He hears of a local vigilante in Mirthing Reef with apparent magical and martial skill and teams up with a talented P.I., Vinsten, to find him. They find the vigilante, a half-drow named Nathriel. Val then expresses to the other two his intentions, to bring down or otherwise injure the Forlorn's Watch, and offers a portion of anything they find or loot along the way in exchange for their assistance. Vinsten called upon Vishka, an illusionist and double-agent with ties to the Forlorn's Watch, to assist the group in their goal. They gathered in a private location (tavern or something) to discuss their first course of action.

Disagreements? Questions? Concerns?

Hey all, I'm sorry for the slow start on my end - I've been away and hadn't had a chance to put a character together. I've submitted one now and am fleshing out a back story as we speak.

The idea of an artificer from the Mirthing Reef really appealed so I've got a gnome wizard with the school of transmutation as the closest approximation (unless you let me use the unearthed arcana artificer build?).

Kellen would have been a reasonably successful tradesman and artificer but increasingly concerned with the closure of the trade routes to the surface. He is an obsessive and would like to work to reestablish balance and peace so that he can continue with his research and constructions.

Glad to see you back! Sure, I'll let you use the UA artificier. It seems like it would be a cool character.

I'm good with Endermun's interpretation as a start to the story and excited to get this started.

Great! Thank you - I'll change my character sheet now

And seconded on Brokenfocus - happy with that as a start point

Being a prominent merchant in Mirthing Reef, you'd probably know (or at least know of) Val, Vinsten, and Nathriel and vice versa.

Edit for more speculation: You probably are the most outspoken about your problem with the Forlorn's Watch for the longest so we'd naturally consider including you in our espionage group.

I like the idea - I would have tried more conventional methods to change the situation and been publicly outspoken in my opposition to the current situation and Folorn's Watch clamping down on trade. However, after multiple failures and increasingly unpleasant rebuttals, would be become more and more convinced that extra-legal methods were required. It would be this decision that persuaded me to tentatively join a group with espionage and resistance on its mind.

How about this?: Val, an actor and poet, experienced a massacre undertaken by the Forlorn's watch and is out for revenge. He hears of a local vigilante in Mirthing Reef with apparent magical and martial skill and teams up with a talented P.I., Vinsten, to find him. They find the vigilante, a half-drow named Nathriel. Val then expresses to the other two his intentions, to bring down or otherwise injure the Forlorn's Watch, and offers a portion of anything they find or loot along the way in exchange for their assistance. Vinsten called upon Vishka, an illusionist and double-agent with ties to the Forlorn's Watch, to assist the group in their goal while Val and Nathriel saught the artificer Kellen, a local merchant and a known opposer to the Forlorn's Watch's recent dealings. They all gathered in a private location (tavern or something) to discuss their first course of action.

Disagreements? Questions? Concerns?

Sounds great!

I think we're clear to start then, e.saville99.