Murder, She Rolled (D&D 5th Ed)

Main RP

Discussion Thread

Located right in the heart of the Empire of Xanthra, the town of Golimar is a popular destination for adventurers looking for rest and relaxation. Not for nothing is it called "gods-blessed Golimar"! Its high towers afford a wonderful view of the vast Southern Plains, blazing gold in the dawn. The hot and cold springs of the town, no doubt, are the secret to its fine ales and soothing baths. Populated by a diverse community of friendly townsfolk who are always ready to greet you with a smile, there's no shortage of things to do and sights to see! If there's one place you absolutely must visit before you die, it's Golimar!

That's what it said in the brochure, at least. You're beginning to suspect that whoever wrote it must've been paid disproportionately well to shill the wretched hive. Either that, or they were high on the drugs that the vagrant around the corner was selling.

As it turns out, the towers in "gods-blasted Golimar", once home to mages of questionable ability and morals, are in a state of abject disrepair. Both the ales and the public baths look and smell like they passed through at least one villager before reaching you. As for the "friendly" people, the only one you saw smiling had a purse in his hands - and judging from the two guards chasing after him, it probably wasn't his.

Still, you've paid for your trip and your rooms at the House of Loaves and Fowl, so you might as well stick around. After all, it's not like things can get any worse, right?

...Right?

So, as advertised (and unlike the above blurb, I try to be honest when putting these up), I'm a first-time DM who's thinking of running a one-shot D&D 5th Ed game, and hoping I don't screw it up too badly. In this scenario, your characters are novice adventurers on a holiday gone wrong, and... well, to tell more would be spoiling.

First and foremost, some ground rules:

• Rule Zero: Don't be a dick. Please respect all players involved in the game, and if you have any disagreements or issues to hash out, it's suggested that you settle them amicably, or bring them up in the discussion thread for arbitration if needed.
• Number of players: 3-5. Put up a character sheet and I'll choose from the pool of submissions.
• Posting frequency: I'm hoping to get one post out every 1-2 days, in order to keep the game flowing. Prospective players are advised to post at a similar frequency, or to notify me if you need to drop out or take a leave of absence. If you can't post within 48 hours, your character's actions may either be passed over (if non-critical), or defaulted to a logical and hopefully non-lethal course of action (if critical, e.g. in combat).
• Sourcebooks: The D&D 5th Ed Player's Handbook and relevant errata. The Unearthed Arcana articles will not be used - I'd rather keep things simple. PM me if you need the exact text for feats, class features and other such options.
• Character Sheets: Wizards and Mythweavers (requires an account) have blank sheets for use.
• Tone: It is suggested that players play with their tongues firmly in-cheek.
• Resolving rolls and skill checks:
  • Action-based checks: If your check requires you to do something that is obvious to the other players, describe what your character does and put the roll in spoilers at the end of your post. This is the part where you need to decide whether or not to use post-roll effects like Bardic Inspiration. I'll make the calculations in secret and describe the outcome.
    • Rounds of combat will be resolved in order of initiative - this is probably going to slow the game down, but I'll try to settle them as quickly as possible. Please post regularly or your character may be set to autopilot.
  • Hidden checks: If you want to perform an action but hide it from the rest of the players, PM me with your action and roll, and I'll reply via PM if you succeed. If you fail, I'll post the results openly in the main thread.
  • "Mental" actions: Checks that don't require an overt physical action (e.g. Knowledge / Perception / Insight) are still active checks: PM me with the required check and roll, and I'll give you the appropriate information. Disclosing this information to the rest of the party is your prerogative.
    • Passive checks: If a passive check applies, I'll PM you concerning the outcome - but not which skill was rolled for, although it may be obvious in some cases.
  • Advantage, Disadvantage and Inspiration: If you have a definite advantage or disadvantage based on the game mechanics, make both rolls and post them individually. Otherwise, just post the first roll, and I'll make the second for you if the circumstances warrant it. This will also be implemented in lieu of Inspiration - if your post is particularly impressive or ingenious, I'll be more inclined to grant advantage on the next roll that's relevant to the actions described in said post.
  • Hitpoints: Use the average HP value given for your class when levelling up.

Now, character creation and setting information:

• Races, Classes and Backgrounds: All valid options in the Player's Handbook. Come up with something appropriate for a novice adventurer, and preferably without any extraneous quest hooks - if you haven't finished your sacred mission, why are you taking a break in the first case?
  • Caveat: As per the sign-up sheet, you're assumed to be a stranger to the town of Golimar - if you want to play as one of the locals, please let me know early so that we can discuss your proposed backstory.
• Alignment: Any alignment, as long as you don't try to kill each other at first sight - even evil characters should at least be able to deal with good ones (and vice versa) civilly.
• Starting stats: 27-point buy.
• Starting level: 1st.
• Starting equipment: As per class and background, no additional equipment otherwise.

Assorted other details:

• Setting: Bog-standard Medieval European Fantasy, but there's nothing stopping your character from being a foreigner on holiday if you're so inclined.
• Deities: The gods work in mysterious ways - feel free to come up with your own.

So that's it. Any concerns or considerations which I might've forgotten to mention?

edited 17th Aug '15 2:34:40 AM by Pyrite

Interested (as you know ). Thinking of rolling a cocky kid sorcerer.

I think I shall make a cleric.

Hey, sorry for the delay, I'm really sick today. So, we are supposed to post files on here, right?

• Name: Daren Cilariel;
• gender/race/clas:Male Half-elf, Rogue; Chaotic good.
• Ability Scores - Saving Throws:

STR: 12 (+1)- +1
DEX: 18 (+4)- +6
CON: 10 (0)- 0
INT: 10 (0)- +2
WIS: 12 (+1)- +1
CHA: 17 (+3)- +3

• Skills: (> means proficiency)

>Acrobatics: +6
Animal handling: +1
Arcana: 0
>Athletics: +3
>Deception: +5
History: 0
Insight: +1
>Intimidation: +5
Investigation: 0
Medicine: +1
Nature: 0
>Perception: +3
Performance: +3
>Persuasion: +5
Religion: 0
>Sleight of Hand: +6
>Stealth: +8 (proficiency doubled by Expertise)
Survival: +1

• Racial bonuses:
  +2 in charisma, +1 in two ability scores of choice (STR and DEX);
  Darkvision - 60 ft. (Can see clearly in dim light and in the darkness as if dim light, not with colour, discerns only shades of grey.)
  Fey Ancestry - advantage against being charmed and can't be put magically to sleep.
  Skill versatility - proficient into two skills of choice ( Perception and Intimidation )
  Languages - Common, Elvish and one of choice (Dwarvish).
  Medium size, speed 30 ft.

• Class features:

Hit dice: 1d8 per rogue level
Hit Points at first level 8+ constitution modifier(8)

Proficiencies(bonus of +2):
-Light armor;
-Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords.
-Thieves Tools
Expertise: double the proficiency bonus of the Stealth skill and thieves tools.

Sneak attack: extra 1d6 when advantage on attack roll is given; or when flanking an not uncapacitated enemy and there's no disadvantage on the attack roll for it.

Thieves Cant.

• Background: Street Urchin.

Daren grew up in the city as an orphan in the streets, soon after joining a thieves gang. Though he has weak spots for coin, the few kind people he met influenced him in a way that he is nowadays called the thief with a heart of gold. He has a complex, difficult past but avoids mentioning it in fear of being seen as less worthy.

Proficiency with Disguise Kit

Feature: City secrets - when moving trough a city from one point to another, knowledge of alleyways and shortcuts allows the group to travel twice as fast as normal.

Traits:
-I tend to hide food and little trinkets at my clothes.
-I have little knowledge of social conventions.
-I can't stand being near to children in suffering. It's a personal issue.

Ideal: Change.

Bond: I support a orphanage that helped me survive during my days of hardship.

Flaw: I frequently find myself wanting to steal every little amount of money.

• Equipment:

(Class equipment:)
x2 Shortswords (1d6+4, piercing)
Burglar's Pack:
x1 Backpack
x1.000 ball bearings (DEX DC: 10)
x10 ft string
x1 bell
x5 candles
x1 crowbar(advntg at strenght checks to open)
x1 hammer
x10 pitons
x1 hooded lantern
x2 flasks of oil
x5 days worth of rations
x1 tinderbox
x1 waterskin
x50 ft hempem rope.

x1 Leather armor (AC:15)
x2 daggers (1d4+4, piercing)
Thieves tools:
x1 small file
x1 set of lockpicks
x1 small mirror mounted on handle
x1 set of narrow-bladed scizors
x2 pliers.

(Background equipment:)

x1 adornate father elven silver Dagger;
x1 map of city I grew up in
x1 set of common clothes
x1 stolen coins pouch ( 3 gp and 9 sp left).

(Bought equipment with the initial 10gp:)

x1 bag of 20 caltrops
x1 empty vial
x3 soap
x4 pieces of chalk
x1 fishing tackle
x1 block and tackle

It's probably better if you use the sheets available online and host them on Dropbox. Alternatively, try Myth-Weavers (account needed).

edited 3rd Aug '15 4:28:37 AM by Pyrite

Something tells me the 5E character I had already is going to need to be rebuilt from the ground up.

Ehh, maybe if you change around the deity of choice and suchlike.

Also, that's a guy?

Yes.

I'm already working on an cleric (see my post above), so it might be better to come up with a new character instead of trying to rewrite that one from what was presumably a Japanese campaign.

Well, I leave it to you to decide the party composition among yourselves. But if you want to retain the cleric, deadbeat, you'll have to scale it back to 1st level. Also, I should have made it clear: the setting is (more or less) your bog-standard stereotypical Medieval European Fantasy, but there's nothing stopping your character from being a foreign tourist on "holiday" if you're so inclined.

edited 3rd Aug '15 6:54:58 AM by Pyrite

Hmm hmmmm... Alright I got my ideas, depending on what else is rolled I'll go either Fighter or Draconic Sorcerer.

I'm going Sorceror, so you may want to do a Fighter.

Damn if this is going to be the most vanilla party set up ever XD Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, Sorcerer. Oh well, lets see what I craft with my Fighter...

I'll play a bard.

Actually looking at it I don't have the full Player's Handbook, just the basic stuff they put up for free on the website.

Are you sure you can post every 1-2 days? Only those who can keep it up should apply. The other thing (which I forgot to transfer over) is that this is going to be balanced for 5th Ed's default of 3-5 characters, so I'll pick from the submitted sheets and decide then.

Which brings me to a point I should probably highlight - I'll be trying to enforce the aforementioned posting frequency to keep the game moving. If you can't post within 48 hours, your character's actions may either be passed over (if non-critical), or defaulted to a logical and hopefully non-lethal course of action (if critical, e.g. in combat). If you're going to be unable to post for longer periods, let me know so that I can make arrangements. I haven't confirmed what I'm going to do if a player fails to post for extended periods of time without prior notice, but it may involve bleeding to death in an alleyway.

...The character, not the player.

Well, if you've got a specific build in mind but need the exact text for class features, feats and etc., PM me and I'll give you the details.

edited 5th Aug '15 11:14:46 PM by Pyrite

I'm interested, and am willing to provide support play if the party is already full (NP Cs or what have you).

Yeah I'm pretty sure I can.

Put up a character sheet and I'll evaluate it, but it's no guarantee that your character will be selected.

edited 6th Aug '15 8:15:45 AM by Pyrite

As promised by PM, Here is the corrected sheet (made the calculations on here)

Alright, my character is done mechanically!

Behold Adelaide Melnik!

Still got to write down personality and appearance, but she's basically a storm of loyalty for her Lord of the realm she comes from plus highly patriotic. She cheers the hardest when her realm goes to compete in anything anywhere, cries the most when they lose 8 out of 10 times and celebrates the hardest when they win at anything. Insulting her realm and people are a good way to get her angry.

Wow, wonder what might be her bonds...haha. I have to come up with a last name as well. What are we getting on this party again?

Vondal Battlebeard, dorf cleric extraordinaire, is almost done.

Okay, we're almost there. The game will (tentatively) commence next weekend, or when your sheets are ready - whichever comes sooner.

nman, daltar, Kyef: Your characters appear to be in order mechanically - I just need you to fill in your backstories. One other thing: you are allowed to use your starting gold to buy supplies before the game starts, if you so wish.

Tojin, dbl, deadpool: There are 1-2 slots left, and I'm still waiting for your signup sheets. If there are no submissions by next weekend, the game may have to commence without you.

Red: As discussed, I may need you on NPC duty.

edited 9th Aug '15 12:31:11 AM by Pyrite

NPC duty is fine. I don't have a character in mind and I don't want to hold up the game. =)