1) Teryna has been the ward and aide for a human wizard living in a tower on the edge of elven lands for most of her life and has little knowledge of how to behave.
2) She is impulsive and hyperactive and tells the oddest sorts of stories about her past adventures as a wizard's ward. She latches onto some impulses and holds them for long periods of time. She also collects the oddest collections of items, often things with no perceivable value. She usually ends up finding ways to make practical use of these strange items.
3) She is currently on a quest to find her Master's old adventuring comrades after some mercenaries tried to kill her Master. The quest was something she did on impulse...she recently remembered that she'd left the stew boiling when she left (1-3 years ago)
4) She has absolutely no sense of prejudice toward any race. She'd speak to an Eladrin exactly the same way she'd speak to an orc. She acts naive and lacks understanding of such things as racial relationships or that there's much difference between one person and any other person. At the same time if she decides that a person is "rude" she can continue to be very honestly friendly and still viciously kill them. She also has little understanding of the permanence of death, but she is still dreadfully frightened of being "eaten".
5) She has a tendency to refers to most people as "Master" or "Mistress". She tends to do things in the best interest of others whether they want her to or not. She does not call potential enemies by "Master" or "Mistress" and that's about the only clue that she'd be willing to fight you to the death or not.
1) She wants to know who wants her Master dead and stop them. 2) She'd really like to learn more about people, especially why they sometimes look at her as if she's something strange and dangerous after she's said something.
1) Teryna is a reincarnated wizard's familiar. In her previous life she was a fox. This is why she's so poorly socialized and both naive and casually vicious (at least to "rude" people) at the same time. She died saving her master's life and was reincarnated by a druid friend of his. 2) Traces of Teryna's previous vulpine nature are still a part of her soul. This is no block to a successful life as a human, but it also means that she'd be attractive to lycanthropes (especially werefoxes) and shifters and could draw on that in the future (potential druid MC for shapeshifting when it releases)
1) Master Vyask is Teryna's wizard master. She's been with him through much of the latter part of his life, including two years as a human (she's 17 years old physically and chronologically). Vyask cares about Teryna enough to ask a druid friend to reincarnate her and is probably worried out of his gourd now that she's gone adventuring without warning. 2) A local elven druidess (whom Vyask has long had a crush on) knows Teryna and gave her a handaxe engraved with her name and a curved elven dagger. She was Teryna's first stop for information about Vyask's old adventuring companions. She only learned later that Vyask wanted her to stay home. 3) One of Vyask's former comrades came from a neutral orcish tribe to the northern mountains, unfortunately, by the time Teryna found their village, said former companion had already "gone away" after an attack by strangers. However, Teryna arrived in time to reveal, half-accidentally, that a building tension between the orcs and some nearby dwarves was being manufactured by a hobgoblin warband looking to set up a stronghold in the area. One of the orcish hunters took a liking to Teryna and made a knife for her. 4) Likewise, her simple, straight dagger was a gift from a dwarven smith from the same situation. 5) Teryna's fourth dagger (or first in some ways) is a kris blade taken from one of the assassins that tried to kill her master.
1) Teryna remembers mistaking a bear for a small hill once and having an interesting time trying to get away from it. 2) She also remembers the time that Vyask put a light spell on her forehead so she could lead him to a place he could eavesdrop on the elven druidess and find out what she thought about him. 3) Teryna remembers being "away" (dead) but it is a vague sort of warm fuzzy feeling full of pretty lights and shiny things to chase and grab.
I am cross-posting several of my characters for your viewing pleasure. Sorry that I don't have the time or inclination to follow all the 10-minute steps, though if you read the below bios, most of the Q&A is pretty obvious.
(You can download PDF character sheets of each character from MediaFire simply by clicking on their character portraits.)
I will NOT be updating these characters or adding new ones (since I'm probably breaking this threads rules anyways). If you wish to see more of my characters, please check out my Character Gallery. New characters are constantly being added and it is changing and improving all the time! I also help people create new characters, find cool character portraits, and other cool things there too, so please drop by and leave a comment.
EDIT: The links for the below characters do not work anymore as I have since moved the files around. If you wish to download the characters, you need to go to my character gallery (see link above) to do so. I apologize for the inconveniance.
Azriel (1st-level Dragonborn Paladin of the Raven Queen)
“I was born on the slopes of Mount Emberstare during an eclipse, when the moon turned as red as blood.”
Azriel is a hulking Dragonborn paladin of the Raven Queen, as frightening as a fast approaching avalanche; as solid, tough, and stubborn as a glacier; and as fierce as the worst blizzards of the North. He has little to no respect for those who can’t defend themselves and is prone to leave such pathetic worms to their own fate. Should such creatures survive their hardships, then it was the will of the Raven Queen and the inner strength that she unlocked in them. Azriel believes that life itself is a great test and that the world will one day face a great judgment that will bring about untold peace and prosperity—or absolute destruction. What’s more, Azriel believes himself to be an instrument of this coming judgment day and he actively works towards bringing it about while preparing the Raven Queen’s followers for its inevitable eventuality.
Azriel was hatched in a temple of the Raven Queen and raised by holy monks who believed him a blessing sent by the Raven Queen herself. Indeed, with the blood red moon overhanging his birth site and Azriel’s unusual birth defects—ice blue scales and pearly black eyes, it is no surprise that the superstitious monks believed him to be an individual chosen by Fate.
The temple monks raised Azriel with the teachings of the Raven Queen. They taught him about natural selection and how only the strong survive to further her cause. As he grew, Azriel was constantly tested—put through grueling training regimens that would mean his death should he happen to fail. Azriel’s strength and determination to succeed proved to be more than enough, however, leaving his masters to further suspect a divine spark somewhere in his being.
After surviving twenty-five harsh winters on the mountain slopes of Mount Emberstare, Azriel finally completed his trials and was ordained by the monks as a Paladin in service to the Raven Queen. He was then set loose to spread the word of his goddess, the teachings of his monk masters, and to test a new generation of strong survivors suited to serving the Ice Queen. Azriel, like his adoptive monk family, truly believes that he is fated to do many great and terrible deeds—deeds that will one day test the strength of all the world.
Created for Zillah due to a special request. This character has had the flavor of most of his abilities altered, though the mechanics are identical to existing abilities.
Baronai (2nd-level Elf Fighter)
“My past matters not.”
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Baronai knew very little about living a common life. The only higher authority Baronai had to answer to was his family—particularly his parents, who were so busy with the administration of his birthright that they left his education and upbringing to trusted servants.
In his youth, Baronai toured the countryside from the back of a pillow-laden carriage, sipping freshly squeezed fruit juice from an ice-chilled carafe. He spent days taking lessons in the warmth and comfort of his personal chambers. When he wasn’t pursuing his own education, he diverted himself with games, music, theater, and flirtations. He attended elegant parties with properly coifed hair and manicured nails. Some would say that Baronai was blessed from birth, but he believes that the simple fact of his presence bestows a blessing upon others.
Having spent long hours working under the tutelage of a master swordsman, it was only natural that Baronai turned to the path of the adventurer after his noble family’s fall from grace. His family was ultimately destroyed by infighting and scandal. As the only truly innocent member of his family, Baronai represents the last remaining shred of his family’s former dignity, glory, and honor. In order to make up for his family’s mistakes, he has since become a bastion for goodness in the world.
Beiro (1st-level Half-Elf Warlord)
“Stand and fight!”
Beiro is a half-elf warlord and an enthusiastic tactician. He has no aspirations to march at the head of an army; he is instead content leading a small band of friends in a quest for personal glory. Wealth is a welcome benefit of adventuring, and between adventures, he enjoys spending his time and wealth in the world’s cities. He wins friends easily, draws on a wide network of contacts to find adventuring opportunities, and can call in favors across the land.
A strong sense of compassion leads Beiro to aid those in need and alleviate their suffering in any way he can. Often he fights against evil forces that prey on the weak, whether the forces are bandits harrying caravans or Gnolls laying waste to farmsteads. He refuses to let fighting define him, however, and spends more time helping the victims of hardship than he does celebrating his successes.
Caramip (5th-level Gnome Rogue/Wizard)
“Can you bullseye a target in mid-back flip before landing in a perfect one-armed handstand? How about escaping a heavily guarded cell while being watched by no less than four of the sheriff’s most astute guards? Perhaps you can pick any lock or any pocket without ever getting caught? …I thought not.”
Urban streets raised Caramip, a lonely orphan and street urchin. For years she earned a meager living as an expert knife thrower and acrobatic showman. Shortly after becoming an adult she ran afoul of the law and was imprisoned for a brief time to await trial. The trial never came. Caramip didn’t desire to be present for it, so she used her uncanny skills and connections on the street to make an escape. Word of her daring and resourceful escape traveled fast, but such stories tend to leave out the fact that she had lots of help from several friends who valued her skills too much to let her remain incarcerated.
Caramip is a very quite introvert who prefers not to interact with others unless interacted with first. Otherwise she has a friendly “feminine” demeanor, a good sense of humor, applies lots of dedication to her work, and gets along well in small groups. She also has a good grasp of her strengths and weaknesses and is a master of determining when a job or task may be better suited to someone else.
Although Caramip has the potential to be terribly violent, she nonetheless stands as a point of calm tranquility in the world. To her small group of friends, Caramip seems above the world’s tumult, present in their midst but clearly set apart by her very nature.
Crysis (2nd-level Tiefling Wizard)
“Chill out for a bit.”
Crysis is a tiefling wizard torn between good and evil. She longs to fit into the human society in which she lives and would like to call herself genuinely good. At the same time, she fears that her soul is irretrievably tainted by the touch of evil—both the evil in her blood and the sinister nature of her obsession with arcane lore. She feels as if she is on a tightrope between good and evil and might eventually fall either way. Her companions recognize and trust him in the power she wields, and that trust has been enough on some days to keep her from making terrible mistakes. Her life is tormented, and though she believes she is called to a great destiny, she is not sure whether she will become a hero or a villain.
Crysis’ one desire is for power. She adventures in search of arcane lore and ancient artifacts that will increase her mastery of magic. She prays to Ioun because she sees knowledge as the key to power, but she is also drawn to the evil deity Vecna, wondering what power the god of secrets might offer her in exchange for her devotion.
Diesa (8th-level Dwarven Wizard/Ranger)
“We north-folk are a hardy people!”
A warrior-wizard from the far North, Diesa’s brooding force of personality inspires more fear than loyalty. Unlike many of her kind, she grew up feeling apart from Dwarven society—having been raised on open tundra rather than in cramped underground caverns. She has always been a loner and is accustomed to relying only on herself.
Now that Diesa is part of an adventuring group, she is slowly learning to trust her companions, though she still shows little tolerance for their sometimes foolish behavior.
Diesa heavily favors freezing magic that can hinder her foes, allowing her or her allies to destroy or capture them by more conventional means.
Eddy (15th-level Human Warlock/Doomsayer)
“My old age has brought me immense knowledge, my knowledge holds a great many dark secrets, and from those dark secrets I draw my power!”
Eddy long ago mastered the astrologer’s art, learning the secret names of the stars and gazing into the Far Realm beyond, gaining great power thereby. She can call upon powers that madden or terrify her enemies, manipulate chance and fate, or scour her foes with icy banes and curses drawn from beyond the night sky.
The many dark secrets she possesses long ago drove her to madness, however. As a result, she now wonders the land aimlessly with a group of wayward adventurers who take care of her so that they may better use her as a terrifying weapon of destruction. In her rare moments of lucidity, which only appears in times of great danger or suspense, Eddy shows a great deal of intelligence, wisdom, and caring for her would be companions. It is for that reason that she continues to allow herself to be manipulated, for only through her adventures can she truly find herself.
Gaia (1st-level Tiefling Rogue)
“Tombs are my specialty.”
Gaia appears to be a beautiful young woman with long flowing hair and startlingly intense eyes. She has been blessed with smooth skin and a fine physical build. If it weren’t for the pair of horns, rows of sharp fangs, and snaking forked tongue in her mouth, Gaia would easily pass as human.
Gaia is a survivor who looks after herself first and foremost in all things. She cares little for others and tends to be very antisocial. Gaia has no tolerance for fools and is quick to abandon them to their own fates. Due to her tragic history, she has no compunctions against cheating, lying, or stealing if she can get away with it. Even so, she rarely does so out of concern for her own well being. In practice, she is quite a determined treasure hunter and tomb robber, rarely bothering to get in anyone’s way lest they go out of their way to cause her trouble.
In recent history, she has found herself staying at an inn in the small town of Winterhaven. From there she has been casing the nearby ruins of an old keep. Rumors abound of treasure therein has peaked her interest and the smell of gold draws her ever closer to yet another harrowing adventure.
Gobby (7th-level Goblin Rogue)
“Ayah!”
A vicious little creature, Gobby is a mercenary who would happily stick his knife into someone’s back if there was gold to be had for it. He is excitable and energetic, never able to hold still for more than a moment at a time. The only thing stronger than his ferocious bloodlust and energetic drive is his greedy love of valuable shiny objects such as coins, gems, jewelry, and many magical items.
Though clearly an evil cretin, Gobby is sometimes employed by non-evil creatures that don’t wish to be directly involved in the bloody knife work that Gobby seems to love so much. Gobby will happily serve almost any master that treats him well and pays him fair—regardless of whether he is asked to serve as an assassin, bodyguard, debt collector, or generic thug. Generally, a steady supply of violence and shiny things is all Gobby needs to stay contented.
Gobby is never without his knife in hand.
Gordofan (22nd-level Human Fighter/Iron Vanguard/Demigod)
“Stand before me and you’ll perish beneath me.”
Considered a king among the barbarian tribes of the world, Gordofan is said to be an invincible warrior. Originally hailing from a group called “the great eagle tribe,” Gordofan now roams the world as an everyman, helping out wherever he can. His triumphs long ago made him a great hero among men.
His legend began when his tribe was slaughtered by a horde of Orcs. Not even an adult at the time, Gordofan led a small band of survivors in a mission of revenge. They were killed to the man—leaving only Gordofan. The stories say Gordofan challenged the leader of the Orcs for the right to rule the horde and beat him in one on one combat, but historians often disagree with each other on the matter. What is known as fact is that Gordofan was not accepted as the horde’s new leader and was forced to flee for his life anyways.
Many years later Gordofan would unite and lead several impoverished barbarian tribes in a fierce war against the Orc horde. Still without a leader and wholly chaotic, the Orcs quickly fell to the furious onslaught and were forced out of the occupied valleys and back into their mountain homes. Gordofan is the only known individual to have been offered the position “chief of chiefs” among all the barbarian tribes—and to have turned it down without hesitation or regret.
Harmin (1st-level Dwarven Cleric of Erathis)
“By honor of my ancestors, you shall go no further!”
Harmin is a dwarf cleric devoted to Erathis, the Great Inventor who formed civilization out of chaos and liberated the humanoid races from their barbarism. Swinging a maul engraved with the symbol of his god, Harmin stands next to his fighter companion, trusting in divine power, the chainmail he made himself, and his own natural resilience to protect him from his enemies. His dearest hope is to craft a legacy that will last through the ages, as beautiful and enduring as the finest dwarven jewelry—a legacy of peace and justice in this troubled world.
Harmin is a fighter at heart, last in a long line of noble warriors. Three generations ago, his family’s ancestral homeland was overrun by monsters and laid to waste, leaving Harmin with nothing but tales of ancient glory as his birthright. He has sworn that he will honor his ancestors one day by ridding the world of as many great and terrible monsters as possible, and that oath drives his every action. In the meantime, he serves as a constable in a small city, doing what he can to keep the peace and fend off the encroachment of outside evils.
Kallista is a Tiefling warlock—and among the most cheerful and gregarious of her kind. The terrible powers she channels seem to leave no outward mark on her spirit or mind. She takes no delight in killing but uses lethal powers as a practical matter, to protect herself and her allies. She doesn’t often talk of the event that propelled her into a life of adventuring and a pact with dangerous beings: Without warning, a mysterious entity appeared to her and offered her power, in exchange for a favor to be named later. In what she still regards as a moment of folly, she accepted. Nightmares of her unknown future haunt her sleep, but she never speaks of them.
Due to her mysterious pact, Kallista is torn between good and evil. She longs to fit into the human society in which she lives and would like to call herself genuinely good. At the same time, she fears that her soul is irretrievably tainted by the touch of evil—both the evil in her blood and the sinister nature of her pact. She feels as if she is on a tightrope between good and evil and might eventually fall either way. Her companions recognize the good in her heart and trust her, and that trust has been enough on some days to keep her from sliding into evil. She is secretly tormented, and though she believes she is called to a great destiny, she is not sure whether she will become a hero or a villain.
Kallista prays daily to Bahamut, hoping that the dragon god will help her keep her commitment to live justly and honorably. She has no love for Bahamut’s priests and temples, but she feels a personal connection to the Platinum Dragon, which inspires her to acts of nobility and sacrifice. She leads a group of adventurers in strikes against evil forces but dreams of one day leading an army under Bahamut’s banner. In his name, she struggles to keep the violent temper and cruel streak fueled by her horrible power under tight control.
Kharzod (1st-level Dwarven Paladin of the Raven Queen)
“Hand me my axe. It's time to introduce someone to the Queen.”
Kharzod is as mighty as he is venerable. For ages long past he has served the Raven Queen faithfully as a servant of Death. He actively hunts down cults of Orcus and destroys undead of all types across the land.
Kharzod is extremely taciturn—even for a dwarf. He is a perfectionist in all things—constantly looking to perfect his skills, no matter how trivial. Kharzod also happens to be an extremely proud warrior who suffers from delusions of grandeur. He is unwaveringly loyal to his deity and will not tolerate any insult to his Ice Queen.
Kharzod bears a large cloak of raven feathers—said to be a gift from his god to his great grandfather’s grandfather. He wears it with pride and intends to pass it down to his eldest son when his time in the living realms has come to an end.
Kobb (1st-level Kobold Paladin of Bahamut)
“The RightsBlood may have survived the assault on my temple, but they won’t survive me!”
Kobb was taken in by a paladin of Bahamut while still a baby lizardling. Fearing incursions by neighboring Kobold clans, a temple of Bahamut launched a full out attack on their tribes in an attempt to forever exterminate the vermin from their lands. Though many other kobolds (eggs, lizardlings, male and females alike) were slaughtered mercilessly by various members of the church, one paladin didn’t have the heart to kill the young, even arguing with his brothers in arms that the young hadn’t yet learned of the vileness that so permeated the older Kobold’s hearts. As a result, the paladin took Kobb in under his protection, in order to protect him from the church’s wrath. Kobb was much too young to remember the events of his adoption.
Kobb grew up amidst the clergy at the temple of Bahamut under the paladin’s protection, never fully knowing the truth about how he came to live there. To all but his adoptive father, Kobb was a curiosity at best and an abomination at worst. Despite the unabashed feelings of his new “family,” Kobb nevertheless grew into a kind-hearted creature who lived to better the lives of those who sought aid from the temple. One day, a hierophant as wise as he was ancient, a leader in the upper echelons of the church hierarchy, visited their humble temple and encountered little Kobb. Seeing Kobb’s unwavering dedication in the face of so much adversity (in the form of his fellows) and knowing a true believer in Bahamut when he saw one, the hierophant granted Kobb a rare honor: paladinship. Though he never asked for it, Kobb was nevertheless quite honored to be granted the ability to better help those in his care and he readily accepted the gift.
It was not to last, however. Many of the temple’s clergymen were outraged that such a lowly creature could be the recipient of such a great honor, when they themselves surely deserved it more. There was much infighting amongst the monks and priests. Ultimately, it would prove to be the cause of their downfall. Distracted by their petty squabbling the temple was completely unprepared for the attack: A massive army of kobolds from the South, enraged at the slaughter of their kin years earlier, banded several tribes together (calling themselves the RightsBlood Kobold Army) and attacked the temple in force. Caught off guard, the members of the temple were slaughtered to the last, including the wise hierophant and Kobb’s adoptive father. Kobb himself was ambushed from behind and seriously injured during the battle by an opportunistic cleric who had always despised his very existence.
Mistaken as a member of the RightsBlood, Kobb was taken to the far South by the surviving Kobolds where the most serious of his injuries were treated. When Kobb finally awoke in a desert cavern a week later, he fled, leaving many dead and confused Kobolds in his wake. Now Kobb is lost and alone in a strange land, being chased by hostile RightsBlood soldiers, and with nobody left to recognize his authority as a true paladin of Bahamut. No stranger to adversity and great challenges, Kobb has nevertheless vowed to somehow get revenge for his fallen “family” and to wipe the RightsBlood from the face of the world.
Should Kobb ever learn the truth about his violent past (as well as the treachery of his fellow priest) and the reason for the rampage of the RightsBlood army, his world as he has come to know it may well shatter—leaving him an empty vessel capable of doing great good or great evil. Should that time come, only Bahamut will be able to save his soul from self-destructing.
Here'e a few more characters for your viewing pleasure. :D
Krammer (1st-level Kobold Wizard)
“BURN! FREEZE!”
Krammer is a fierce kobold arcanist specializing in fire and ice magic. He was exiled from his clan after leading a coup de tat against their chieftain. After years of careful planning, Krammer managed to get close enough to burn his chieftain alive while he slept. Unfortunately, Krammer’s followers betrayed him shortly afterwards in an attempt to take control of the clan for themselves.
The entire coup de tat was set up by the leaders of the nearby town of Winterhaven who wanted to control the growing menace near their homes. Promises of wealth and power to the clan’s resident wizard, Krammer, was all it took to incite open rebellion. Though Krammer’s ability to take control of his clan ultimately failed, the sheer damage his civil war inflicted would ensure that his clan wouldn’t rise to be a significant threat to Winterhaven for several decades to come.
Krammer, having been betrayed by his own brethren, now continues to work closely with the town leaders as a pawn—determined to get revenge against his former brothers. Though allowed within town limits, Krammer, quite understandably, is not well liked amongst the local populace.
Lolyan (5th-level Eladrin Wizard)
“Move or be moved.”
Lolyan is a stern, aloof young (for an Eladrin) magus who seeks out adventure in order to further his endless studies of arcane lore as it relates to warfare. Although his magic favors destructive powers of all kinds, he nonetheless stands as a point of tranquility in the world. To his small group of friends, Lolyan seems above the world’s tumult, present in their midst but clearly set apart by his nature.
Lolyan was trained from birth in the ways of magical warfare for the express purpose of leading his king’s army into battle. Before his training could be completed, however, Lolyan’s king was assassinated by an enemy agent. The king’s successor, fearing spies and saboteurs amidst his servants, exiled Lolyan and dozens of others from their homeland in the Feywild.
Having fallen in love with magical weapons of war, Lolyan strived to perfect them, and even invented his own personal constructs of war. Before long, Lolyan was making quite a living, developing magical weapons for the highest bidder. In the evenings, while his companions set up camp and settle in to rest, Lolyan slips into a trance and, in his mind, walks among the ageless trees of the Feywild. He smiles at the impatience and impulsiveness of his allies, but they are almost as dear to him as his spellbooks and magical weapons.
Perrin (6th-level Halfling Ranger)
“Take whatever booty you can find, but remember: the beast is mine!”
Perrin is a big game hunter who specializes in tracking down and slaying large beasts that pose a significant threat to nearby Halfling villages. He is a brave and honorable warrior who has long since proven to be quite skilled in the art of killing monsters. He is also a capable guide knowledgeable in the ways of nature and of protecting others from harm.
Perrin is an outgoing, boisterous, and affectionate youth, often getting himself dragged into other peoples’ troubles. He knows no fear and happily helps those in need, even at significant risk to his own wellbeing. Those people who work with Perrin long enough quickly learn of his kind nature and bold personality. Few have found reason to decry Perrin.
Several years ago, Perrin’s grandfather sent him to look for a distant branch of his family that had stopped responding to messages. Perrin found the whole clan had been killed, and he returned to bring the sad news to his family. From that time, he has been unable to stay in one place for long. He doesn’t know who or what killed his relatives and doesn’t dream of vengeance, but he hopes to do some good in the world that might somehow balance out the atrocity of their murders.
Prion (10th-level Human Fighter)
“Stand against me villain!”
Prion is a brave soldier who fought honorably in no less than three major wars that threatened to destroy his homeland. Due to his valiant deeds, he has become an honorary war hero.
A brave warrior who believes in protecting his homeland, Prion is a kind and honorable gentleman who actively works to better the world wherever he can. He has a strong sense of ethics and morals, as well as a strict code of honor. Despite having the potential to one day be a great leader of men, Prion’s own modesty causes him to prefer following orders rather than giving them.
A retired veteran, Prion now travels across his homeland with other likeminded heroes looking for evil that may threaten their countrymen. Accustomed to fighting humanoid armies, the dark creatures that Prion now faces in the dark places of the world has caused him to come to the painful realization that the most dangerous threats to humanity do not necessarily work out in the open.
Pruuma (5th-level Bugbear Fighter)
“When 300 pounds of estrogen and solid muscle tells you to get out of the way, you should listen.”
Pruuma is, for lack of a better description, an extremely dangerous and temperamental warrior. She serves as a mercenary in whatever army is willing to accept her. Unlike other bugbears, she is not one to be cowed by ogres, giants, and more powerful foes. If offered fair payment she serves them well enough, but she is intelligent enough to know when things are taking a turn for the worst. She rarely hesitates to leave a bad venture behind to its own fate, sometimes even leaving behind a deadly consequence for those who would dare cheat her.
The more barbaric, vicious humanoids being what they are (that is, lying cheating scum that could care less about the well being of their mercenaries), Pruuma has begun to find more and more work with civilized humanoids. Such groups all though stand-offish due to her heritage, often offer better benefits for a job well done.
When not working, Pruuma often travels the land looking for random brigands or monsters to kill in order to test her continually growing might. Though she has no real scruples of her own, Pruuma’s reputation is nevertheless beginning to grow as her deeds and personal tests of strength inadvertently betters the surrounding region’s livelihood more often than not.
Rhastha (6th-level Gnoll Warlord)
“I’ll devour your heart!”
At a mere six and a half feet tall Rhastha is a runt of a Gnoll who grew up hating his tribal brothers as they would regularly torture and bully him on account of his small size. As a result, he grew to be one of the fiercest, most savage warriors of his tribe—who would one day be exiled after leading a coup de tat against his chieftain. Unfortunately, after the successful coup, Rhastha’s own followers betrayed him in an attempt to take control of the tribe for themselves. Despite being the strongest member of the tribe, even brave Rhastha could not handle twenty Gnoll marauders.
The entire coup was set up by the leaders of the nearby town of Winterhaven who wanted to control the growing menace near their homes. Promises of wealth and power to the tribe’s champion, Rhastha, was all it took to incite open rebellion. Though Rhastha’s ability to take control of his tribe ultimately failed, the sheer damage his civil war inflicted would ensure that his tribe wouldn’t rise to be a significant threat to Winterhaven for several decades to come.
Rhastha, having been betrayed by his own brethren, now continues to work closely with the town leaders as a “local troubleshooter”—a pawn determined to get revenge against his former brothers and reap the rewards promised him. Though he is allowed within town limits, Rhastha, quite understandably, is not well liked amongst the local populace.
I apologize for this background being so similar to Krammer's. The reason for it is that I made Krammer, then later on, one of my fellow players read it, loved it, and asked for permission to use the background for her Gnoll character she was making. There are some differences between the two texts, but they are relatively minor.
Syoukan (9th-level Human Cleric/Wizard of Bahamut)
“I have located the target.”
Handsome is often heard in the same sentence as Syoukan’s name when spoken amongst the ladies. He has been blessed with smooth skin, chiseled features, high cheekbones, breathtaking green eyes, silky blonde hair, and a broad smile filled with pearly white teeth. His clothing can’t be described as anything less than regal. He is most often seen wearing an embroidered purple and white clerical vestment with a fancy green cloth cap at his head.
Syoukan is a wise and charming individual who has a great love of people, knowledge, and magic (in that order). When he sets himself onto an important task, his sheer determination is almost palpable. Many say that is why he is so good at his job. When his work gives him time, Syoukan is a very sociable person who actively uses his keen senses and guile to increase his fame and fortune amongst the local residents of his country.
Syoukan is a prominent member of the Church of Bahamut, a cleric of no small power, and an all around popular individual throughout his homeland. His popularity stems primarily from his job as a finder of lost people and items. He runs a small subsidiary of the local Finders Guild called “Syoukan Seeker Services” in which he and many volunteer followers (a number of talented bounty hunters, diviners, and inquisitives) all work together to solve kidnappings, discover the whereabouts of stolen goods, etc. Syoukan charges a nominal fee for his services, which varies based on the client in question. He always donates the proceeds to good causes such as furthering the goals of his church or personal organization.
I seemed to have lost the original copy of this character's portrait and I was forced to use a low resolution version that I happened to have. If anyone knows where this particular picture came from, please tell me so that I can put up a proper high resolution version of the pic.
Tharvonian (1st-level Human Paladin of Avandra)
“For Avandra!”
Tharvonian is a slender looking young man, made larger by his ornate plate armor. He is a wondering paladin of Avandra, constantly seeking to spread his god’s good name by his heroic deeds. His slitted, amber eyes constantly gleam with menace. His appearance, however, is quite deceiving. In truth, he is quite hardy, with a natural kindness not in keeping with his threatening appearance. He has long straggly dark hair, which he usually keeps tied back so as to not detract his focus from whatever task may be at hand.
Tharvonian is generally as quite and calm as the morning dew. When filled with righteous anger, however, his temperament is more volatile and dangerous than a raging squall. He has no love of evil creatures and refuses to associate himself with anyone who may consistently offend his moral code. When forced to deal with such creatures, he does so harshly and without mercy. When around goodly people, however, Tharvonian prefers to remain in the background, allowing others to accomplish tasks for themselves—jumping in to help only when it is absolutely necessary. In this regard, Tharvonian modestly sees himself more as a guide than a hero.
Thorn (10th-level Warforged Wizard)
“Bleed for me flesh-rat!”
Unlike most other Warforged, Thorn has a noticeable lack of metal and stone in his construction. He appears to be made almost entirely of wood. The masses of wooden sinew that compose most of his hide are punctuated with hundreds of protruding spikes which resemble wooden spines, giving him an extremely distinctive appearance. Whereas many Warforged are very burly and strong looking, Thorn’s build is gaunt and wiry.
Thorn is extremely arrogant, abrasive, and ostentatious. Thorn’s mind is only beginning to adapt to ideologies other than those taught by his master. Because of this, he has a severe disdain for most living creatures made of flesh and an outright hatred for any constructs physically emulating such creatures. He seldom speaks and generally doesn’t have anything nice or useful to say when he does.
Living as an arcane weapons experiment in a laboratory Thorn was closely watched all his life. He knew of nothing but what his Warforged creator had taught him. Although Thorn embraced the anti-flesh teachings of his racist master, he nevertheless hated the confines of his existence. He yearned to do and experience more.
When on an important mission for his creator, Thorn discovered a powerful ritual scroll involving teleportation magic. It was only then that he realized there was a way out. He later attempted the ritual, which failed tragically, causing him to appear in the middle of a solid mass only to be scrambled and shunted elsewhere before ending up in a temple in a far away land (disrupting several quiet worshippers in the process). The shock and trauma of the teleportation ritual shattered much of his memory and nearly destroyed him. His body was mended by the religious adepts present at the temple, but they could do little to repair his mind.
Thorn has barely tolerated his new life ever since. He remembers his teachings and beliefs, but he has no idea where they came from or why he believes in them. He no longer has any memory of his old home, his master and creator, or any of his past life. He also has no idea that his creator has already sent agents out to retrieve him before he can divulge any arcane secrets to his caretakers.
In an Eberron setting, Thorn's creator and former master is the Lord of Blades himself. Therefore, Thorn's anti-flesh beliefs are the teachings those of the Lord of Blades.
Tilion (1st-level Human Wizard)
“Don’t think I won’t annihilate you beast!”
Tilion is a gruff and tumble wizard who likes to play rough—so much so that those who know him well will often joke that he is actually a dwarf that just happened to be born in a human’s body. Tilion heavily favors illusion magic that hinders his enemies’ ability to retaliate. The sense of control it grants him makes him feel powerful.
Tilion happens to be the last in a long line of noble wizards. Three generations ago, his family’s ancestral fortress was overrun by orcs and laid to waste, leaving Tilion with nothing but a signet ring and tales of ancient glory as his birthright. He has sworn that he will rebuild the fortress one day, and that oath drives his every action. In the meantime, his adventuring companions know they can rely on him completely, and someday he will rely on them to help him reclaim his kingdom.
Treborn (2nd-level Half-Elf Warlord)
“Onward to victory! They cannot stand before us!”
Treborn is a half-elf warlord and an enthusiastic tactician. He has no aspirations to march at the head of an army; he is instead content leading a small band of friends in a quest for personal glory. Wealth is a welcome benefit of adventuring, and between adventures, he enjoys spending his time and wealth in the world’s cities. He wins friends easily, draws on a wide network of contacts to find adventuring opportunities, and can call in favors across the land. Treborn is an accomplished harpsichordist and singer who often strums gentle melodies for his companions as they drift off and dream of calmer days. When it comes to music and social etiquette, Treborn is oft described as nothing less than a perfectionist. He is always striving to be better in both his mannerisms and music. Every word from his mouth is as calculated as the notes from his harpsichord. Treborn most enjoys writing odes about his companions and this, more than anything else, is likely the reason he continues to face daring death each and every day.
Yogorin (2nd-level Dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut)
“I like the little bastards. They mean something to me. Especially Number Three! He’s a good fighter!”
As a young Dragonborn, Yogorin was disgraced for severely beating the local mayor’s son when he caught the bully attempting to rape a beautiful young woman. Choosing self-exile over trouble, he left his home, trained at a temple of Bahamut for several years until he was ordained as a paladin of justice, and then began traveling the world with high hopes and no regrets. To this day he uses his position as a paladin to earn enough money to better support his former wives and many children.
Over the years, Yogorin’s great strength won him many great successes and his reputation as a strong and honorable paladin has since become widespread. His popularity also netted him many wives and he has since sired over a dozen children. His families usually live simply, but he works hard to ensure they are always well cared for with clean shelter, hearty food, and warm clothes.
A break in normal Dragonborn tradition, Yogorin’s former wives raises his brood regardless of the child’s sex, while he is away earning enough money to support them all. Traditionally, Dragonborn wed to procreate. Although notable exceptions exist to this generality, wedlock ends as soon as the offspring from a union is three years old. If the parents have no reason to maintain proximity, one of them, usually of the same gender as the child, raises and trains that youngster in the ways of people, family, and clan. Even though Yogorin often jokes and whines about his women back at home, nothing truly matters more to him than his family and his faith.
1) Blood Rose is a hybrid of human and carnivorous-plant with a psuedo vampiric nature. She previously acted as the hero Rose, sidekick to the Japanese hero Centipede until both retired to scientific and familial pursuits. Her real name is Anno Yumi.
2) Blood Rose's husband was killed ten years before the Rikti Invasion by an attack squad of 5th Column agents seeking to steal her husband's suit and robotics technology and acquire her as a research subject. Her two children also went missing on that night.
3) Blood Rose is a talented botanist and genecist and continually manipulates her own DNA to achieve different results from her base coding.
4) BR's powers developed after she used an extract from a flower she'd never seen before to attempt suicide. Her transformation caused her to be thrown out of her aristocratic family onto the streets (they assumed she was a demon replacement). She was homeless until she stumbled onto the paid job of helping her future husband in his heroing.
5) BR is less a superhero and more a warrior. She has no compunction about killing if she has to, though she has broken off a pursuit in order to save a civilian in the past. She is a very brutal enemy. She has dipped much more into her predatorial nature and her families history of violence and anger since her families destruction.
Goals
1) Blood Rose wants to find her children.
2) BR wants to obliterate the people that took her family from her. Since the Council subsumed the 5th Column, she's taken to hunting them down.
Secrets
1) Blood Rose is a Devouring Earth mutation that somehow kept most of her humanity both mentally and physically. She apparently came from one of the Hamidon's early experiments with sentient bacteria. She's only recently discovered this fact and has since started keeping more control of her rage in order to avoid becoming a monster like the hamidon. She is also uncertain whether she's really the original Anno Yumi, or if she's the bacteria colony that have convinced themselves that they're Anno Yumi, or some combination of the two. (she is sort of a merger, the original Anno Yumi had some genetic mental disorders that would have made her more villain than hero) The more common DE monsters refer to her as "The Undevoured"
2) BR's children (son and daughter) are alive. Her daughter is a budding plant controller and her son is a willpower tanker with a liking for axes.
3) BR is afraid she cannot die.
People
1) BR has a laundry list of contacts all across the American city of Paragon City, Rhode Island
2) BR's birth family are samurai with connections to the yakuza and the gangster organization known as the Tsoo and they have figured out that she's a hero. (though she's far more powerful than most of them now, 50 scrapper)
Memories
1) BR remembers her first love rebuffing her angrily and her subsequent attempted suicide. She also remembers the burning desire to stay alive that came immediately after.
2) She remembers being exiled by her own family and living as a teenager on the streets for five years
3) She remembers her early years as a hero and her romance with the hero Centipede leading to her wedding and the birth of her children
4) She remembers the night her family was scattered and the bitter months of recovery that followed.
Here are the major Evil Gods of my campaign, the Seven.
The Ten-Minute Background of The Seven Fallen Lords
Step 1: Background and concepts
1) The gods know known as The Seven Fallen Lords, (or sometimes the Seven Demon Lords or Seven Devil Lords, though this is something of a misnomer) are the primary evil deities of Erithorian religion. Which evil deities are considered part of this number changes according to culture, but the currently accepted roster of The Seven in the remnants of the Kelsenon empire are:
The Lord of The Nine, Asmodeus--Evil God of Strife, Deception, and Tyranny. The greatest of the Seven Fallen, ruler of the Nine Hells, once ruler of all heaven.
The Bane, Ba'al Nebrekon--Evil God of War and Conquest. Once the mightiest warrior, now a tyrant and bully who seeks control of all the world.
The Nightmare Prince, Verkinx Kazrael--Chaotic evil God of Terror, Madness, and Nightmares. Kazrael was once the patron of the fey, and creator of the Eldar races with his consort Lolth before he went insane. His madness drove the Eladrin to rise up against him, causing the split in the elven race.
The Queen of Sin, Lilith--Chaotic evil Goddess of Sin, Vice, and Lust. Once a patron of love and artistry, Lilith fell to a love of excess cruelty. She is the patron of the Yaun-Ti in Zehir's absence, though she is less scheming and more hedonistic in her outlook.
The Spider Queen, Lolth--Evil Goddess of Treachery, Spite, and Fate. She was once a Goddess of magic and destiny before her fall, but became bitter and jealous of the other gods over a perceived lack of status.
The Black Wizard, Lucius Vecna--Evil God of Secrets and Shadows. Originally an Exarch of the God Zehir, he murdered the Patient One and stole his power, becoming one of the Nine Heroes for a time, until he betrayed the Nine during the Hundred years' Chaos, corrupted Gruumsh, and was exiled to the Shadowed Hell.
The Dark Reaper, Orcus--Chaotic Evil God of Death, Slaughter, and Destruction. Once the keeper of the River of Time, The Dark Reaper fell to greed and began hording souls. He was killed by the Nine Heroes, but accidentally resurrected by The Raven Lord
There are other evil gods who are sometimes numbered along these, such as The Great Beast, Gruumsh (once one of the Nine, but went evil and was slain by Rogar MaCwellen before his ascension to godhood) and The Patient One, Zehir (who betrayed the Seven and joined the Nine, only to be slain by his Exarch Lucius Vecna).
2) The Seven created the mortal races, and were once venerated as heroes and benefactors, along with the Great Dragons and the Elemental Titans. The Seven saved the world from the great Demonic invasion at the beginning of time, but over the centuries fell to their own flaws. The Elemental Titans and the Great Dragons rose up to oppose them when their evil manifested, but the Seven won and entrapped them in the Elemental Tempest, then turned to rule the world with iron grips.
3) Eventually, the mortals who served them rose up in rebellion. Nine champions arose from the Mortal Races and fought the Seven, who had grown too distant and petty to aid each other. This great war, known as the March of the Nine, saw the Seven deposed or slain (one turned traitor and sided with the Nine). Those that survived were locked in the Seven Hells, prisons that had been constructed for the Demons but abandoned when the Demons retreated to the Abyss.
4) Since their defeat, The Seven have tried to escape. The Dark Reaper was resurrected and went on a rampage that destroyed a continent, while Zehir tried to manipulate the Nine from behind the scenes until his death at the hands of his own ambitious Exarch. Each of the Seven maintains a cult which tries to free them from their prisons.
5) During the current separation of the Gods from the World, the cults of the Seven have grown in power. They are taking advantage of the great conference of the Gods to promote their own worship as active deities and convince their cultists to free them.
Step 2: Goals
1) The Seven are the Enemies of the Nine, because every good pantheon needs at least one bad seed to work mischief. I also liked the idea of an older generation of gods overthrown by a younger, as you see in so many myth cycles. The names of the various gods have changed over the years, and now that 4th edition has arrived I can rename some of them yet again. 2) The goals of the Seven as a group are simple: get free, destroy the usurpers who took their thrones, and rule the world. Naturally, each of the Seven has different methods and preferred agents they use as tools.
1) The Seven are truly immortal. Destroy one of them, and their spirit can hang around to cause mischief. the Raven Lord was possessed by the Dark Reaper and encouraged to resurrect him, while Zehir organized his own assassination and possessed Vecna in order to make himself seem like a lesser threat while he organized the attempted coup of the Nine that resulted in the Hundred Years' Chaos (an attempt which ultimately failed).
2) The Seven are the third generation of gods. The Second Generation, which largely attends to the needs of running the universe rather than the needs of mortals and thus are not worshiped, have been bickering about what to do with their wayward children for eons. The Lord of Time sides with the Nine Heroes, and believes his children should remain locked in their hells until they have learned their lesson. The Lady of Life, however, sides with her children, and resents the mortals that pretend to her "little darlings" rightful place in the universe.
3) The Seven went evil because of influence from the Far Realms, influence which created the Demons in the first place and seeks to undermine all creation and return everything to primal chaos. If this evil influence could be expunged, it might be possible to redeem the Seven, but such a task would be a beyond epic undertaking.
Step 4: Contacts
1) Though the Seven have no divine allies (they see all the other "mortal" gods as usurpers and beneath notice), there are angels who side with them, believing them to be the rightful rulers of the universe. Most of the Angels who sided with the Seven were locked away with them, becoming the race of Devils. 2) Each of the Seven have their own preferred servants, though. For example, The Dark Reaper uses undead, while The Nightmare Prince is served by evil fey creatures. 3) The Seven are the sworn enemy of The Nine Heroes, and both groups of gods work to undermine the efforts of the other. While the Seven despise all gods that are not themselves, the Nine have earned their unremitting hatred.
Yeighdra Blackthorne (Wizard or Warlock, probably MC - Cleric)
Step 1:
1 - Yeighdra is the heir to a noble house. The current holder of the land is a uncle not in the direct line of succession, he made a pact with the forces of the dead to gain power.
2 - Yeighdra walks with a cane and a limp because one of her legs was crippled by undead when, as a child she was being carried away from her lands to keep her safe from her uncle.
3 - Yeighdra is a Good person, but somewhat fanatical about seeking the destruction of the undead and can forget people when that obsession takes over.
4 - She is a very driven person, rarely smiling and rarely pleasant, but she helps people when she can.
5 - Yeighdra is a bit reckless and prone to making snap decisions.
Goals
1 - revenge against her uncle
2 - obliteration of the undead
Secrets
1 - Yeighdra has made an intensive study of the necromantic arts.
2 - Her Uncle is an ancient warlock from far back in the line's history who is posing as a more recent scion
Contacts
1 - Her mentor, a much-more easy going wizard who often warns Yeighdra about her intense personality
2 - The former captain of her guards who is the one that escaped with her from the night her family was killed.
3 - An elven thief (rogue or other) who she stumbled on recently and has helped her and been helped in turn.
Stray - I love your pantheon - very unique but following many "historical" mythological patterns.
The sheer detail built up over the course of all your posts here, and to a certain extent the style of your world reminds me of the series of books "Tales from the Malazan Book of the Fallen" One of my favorite series. (incedentally the author lives in my city :D ) Are you familiar with this series? If not I think you would enjoy them - the Malazan world actually formed from the author's GURPS game many years ago, which was formed to the point of pseudo-realism in its detail - much as your world seems to be doing (in scope anyway)
Stray - I love your pantheon - very unique but following many "historical" mythological patterns.
The sheer detail built up over the course of all your posts here, and to a certain extent the style of your world reminds me of the series of books "Tales from the Malazan Book of the Fallen" One of my favorite series. (incedentally the author lives in my city :D ) Are you familiar with this series? If not I think you would enjoy them - the Malazan world actually formed from the author's GURPS game many years ago, which was formed to the point of pseudo-realism in its detail - much as your world seems to be doing (in scope anyway)
BTW - Love the Nightmare Prince
Except that in his books, all the demons are flesh, blood and can be killed. The seven remind me more of the d'ivers god that was summoned by the nameless ones and regenerated more of themselves by killing.
Stray - I love your pantheon - very unique but following many "historical" mythological patterns.
The sheer detail built up over the course of all your posts here, and to a certain extent the style of your world reminds me of the series of books "Tales from the Malazan Book of the Fallen" One of my favorite series. (incedentally the author lives in my city :D ) Are you familiar with this series? If not I think you would enjoy them - the Malazan world actually formed from the author's GURPS game many years ago, which was formed to the point of pseudo-realism in its detail - much as your world seems to be doing (in scope anyway)
BTW - Love the Nightmare Prince
The Nightmare Prince was one who got the most detail in our previous games, so naturally he became one of the most compelling of the Seven...and he's a blast to play with.
I'm not familiar with this series, but I think I'll pick it up when I get a chance. Sounds interesting, and I might get a few new ideas.
Remember that this world was built up in fits and starts over the course of about 10 years now, so some detail is bound to show through. Also, I've had the chance to retcon and refine things over the years as new ideas occurred to me and new game ideas were presented. Also, I have a degree in English, a few classes of world mythology study, and a love of Neil Gaiman to help me along, so I'm glad to have my work appreciated. Thanks for commenting!
Any other parts of the world you'd like me to expound on for my next few posts? I don't have that many major NPCs left to detail (Victoria Montaire, and a couple more PCs are next on my agenda, but after that I'm going to be digging into minor characters and world background).
DemiTeddyBear wrote:
Except that in his books, all the demons are flesh, blood and can be killed. The seven remind me more of the d'ivers god that was summoned by the nameless ones and regenerated more of themselves by killing.
The history of the Seven is long, tragic, and rather complicated, but I'm curious to hear more about these di'vers gods. What makes them similar to the Seven other than the regeneration bit?
