I've been lurking on this thread for a while, and I'm happy to say that this has become a source of inspiration for me. Do you mind if I use a modified version of the TMB template for my own campaign? It's really helpful for me to read as a DM. Much easier to read :D
I've been lurking on this thread for a while, and I'm happy to say that this has become a source of inspiration for me. Do you mind if I use a modified version of the TMB template for my own campaign? It's really helpful for me to read as a DM. Much easier to read :D
That is, in fact, why I posted the TMB in the first place--to be helpful for other players and DMs. Go right ahead.
What I find most frustrating about 4E is that I can see it includes the D&D game I've always wanted to play, but the game is so lathered in tatical combat rules that I have thus far been unable to coax the game I want out.
I just want to take the time to thank you, all of you, for adding to the richness of the thread with your characters. It's always a pleasure seeing a new, interesting concepts popping up here.
That said, time to post another character from my large collection of NPCs. He's not a D&D character--I use him in more modern-day settings. In fact, this write up is for his appearance in a Shadowrun game one of my players is thinking of running.
The Ten-Minute Background of Jack Melinko, The Jester
1) Jack was raised in Seattle. His parents weren't very far up the corporate rung, so he and his sister found themselves playing in the Sprawl more often than not. Jack always had a feeling he was different from those around him, more connected to the world than his peers.
2) When he was a teen, he helped found a gang calling itself the West Redmond Jorkerz. Unlike the more serious streetgangs he and his friends were more bored middleclass kids experimenting with drugs and Better-Than-Life chips than violent thugs.
3) all that changed one day. His gang had gotten a hold of some BTLs along with some premium hallucinogens. But the BTLs were bad, and when slotted they overloaded. Jack found his brain getting fried while high on hallucinogens, and found himself shoved out of his body. His mind was catapulted into the Astral Plane as his latent power Awakened. His friends were not so lucky...their BTLs just burned out their minds. When he found his way back to himself, having become aware of a vast reality of potential at his fingertips, he found his hideout crowded with drooling chipheads and Lone Star officers, who proceeded to arrest them all.
4) Jack spent the next few years in jail. His growing awareness of his magical potential did not make him many friends, and when he mouthed off to a troll (calling him uglier on the inside, something he'd seen with his astral perceptions), the troll took issue. He carved a smile into Jack's face with a shiv.
5) Jack made it back outside, though. But he found that, while in jail, his family had fallen apart. His father had lost his position with the corporation (something Jack suspects was motivated by his arrest), his sister had been kidnapped and "reprogrammed" with cyber implants and personafix chips into someone's joydoll (and he still has yet to find the bastards who did it), and he was unable to get a legal job with his criminal past. To help his family out, he took on jobs for the Russian Vory mob, using his new magical powers for crime. after a few such milk runs, he feels that he's ready to take on more dangerous assignments. It's time to step up his game.
Step 2: "I dislike them. Doesn't mean I won't work for them. One has to eat, you know."
Short: Currently, Jack is learning the rules of Shadowrunning. He's had a bit of experience, but he's only been at this a little while. He's working on gaining street cred, as well as putting the hurt on those who wrecked his sister's life.
Long: Jester feels responsible for the hardships his family, especially his sister, have suffered since his original arrest. He wants to dig them out of the hole they're in, like finding a good income for his parents and reprogramming for his sister.
Step 3: "Huh. Didn't see that coming. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though."
1) Jack thinks that his sister was only being uses as a joygirl. What he doesn't know is that the man who captured her also had other uses in mind for her...and that programing was already installed when Jack extracted her.
2) Jack doesn't remember the details, but during his awakening he remembers angering a great beast spirit who came to chat with him. Since that time, beast spirits have had it in for him. Jack isn't sure what the whole flop was about, but he thinks it may have to do with his choice of The Trickster as a personal mentor.
3) For the GM
Step 4: "With friends like these, I never lack for enemies."
1) Not all the Jokerz got fried on the BTLs. When Jack was arrested, one of the other members took over. Calling himself Rictus, the new leader turned the gang more violent and aggressive. Jester doesn't particularly like what Rictus has done with the group, but he doesn't have much say. He keeps in touch with Rictus, because the gang leader knows useful things.
2) Jester relies on a Street Doc calling himself The Candyman for all his "partyfavors." He has preferred client status.
3) Jack's sister, Cassandra, was kidnapped, and then forcefully implanted with personality chips to turn her into someone's personal "pleasure doll" while he was in prison. She didn't handle the fallout well when Jack rescued her, and has spiraled into careless hedonism, something Jack would like to pull her out of. She currently works as a stripper nearby.
4) Jester was introduced to a fixer through his dealings with the Vory. Jester isn't sure what to make of Tiny, the giant troll, yet.
5) Recently, Jester heard that Kruger, the Troll who tore up his face, was released from lockup. Jester has been keeping a watch out, in case the troll decides to finish the job.
Step 5: "Oh, these? Someone didn't like my face. They decided to give me a happier one."
1)Jack dresses quite theatrically in an ensemble that mixes goth and gansta styles. He wears a blue-tinted leather trenchcoat festooned with buttons, buckles, and patches, many with anarchy or drug-culture themes (especially prominent is a round anarchy button on his lapel which can fire a stream of caustic acid). The coat also contains a bewildering variety of makeshift tools and gadgets. He is scarred in a horrible fashion: he bears two rips through his cheeks, one at each corner of his mouth, giving him a ghastly permanent smile.
2) Jester carries a wide variety of tools, gimmicks, and bric-a-brac in his coat. Some of it is useful, but most of it is there because he enjoys the look on someone's face when he can supply them with, say, an Allan wrench when they grumble about not having one. He likes having a gadget for all occasions...along with his drug paraphernalia.
3) Jester tends to be laid back most times, though there are certain topics which can get him ranting. In truth he has a slow, hypnotic quality in the way he speaks and can make people nod their heads in agreement before they realize he's spent the last half hour talking about absolute gibberish.
I am unashamed to say that I like The Joker. A lot. But the Jester actually has a long, very twisted background, and was developed over at least a decade from my original notes on the character.
In the beginning, when I first got into D&D, I wanted to tell stories, and I had an image form in my mind of a wizard who was scarred at a young age. I was inspired by descriptions of Comprachicos, nasty pieces of work who would travel around renaissance Spain kidnapping poor children and deforming them so they could perform in front of royalty, in Victor Hugo's "The Man Who Laughs." The image of a man with a permanent grin carved into his face was a powerful one for me. I gave him a name I ripped from the Insane Clown Posse, and away I went.
That version of The Jester never actually showed up in game, of course. I didn't do much with the character for a long while, but eventually I dusted him off. I liked the idea of a wizard with a scarred face, but the birth of this version of the character came from a writing project I did my senior year of high school. We had been tasked to create a collaborative story using characters each of us created. I made a gang leader calling himself The Jester (and using the Melinko name) who had a skull tattooed on his face. The story actually got a good grade, so I had that character floating around in my head fro a while.
At some point they combined when I was making villains for a Mutants & Masterminds game I ran. he was the leader of one of the gangs in the city that the PCs faced. He only appeared a few times, though. He wasn't a regular until I actually looked at him and developed him better. I brainstormed with a friend of mine on backstory, because I didn't want him to come off as a complete Joker rip off. She suggested that he be more of the smart Riddler-type of character...and it all clicked. He just pulled himself together at that.
This version is translated from that version into the Shadowrun universe, and made into a player character. If this game actually gets off the ground, I'd love to see where it goes.
What I find most frustrating about 4E is that I can see it includes the D&D game I've always wanted to play, but the game is so lathered in tatical combat rules that I have thus far been unable to coax the game I want out.
That would be a cool picture of a gnome rogue. Instead of the bells he'll just have magical orbs hanging at his hat. Orbs the he can throw with their own effects. A gas orb to create a smoke screen, another container some sort illusion etc etc. Would also give the gnome some style.
Pock "The Joker" Giblyrock kingpin of the Forgotten Realms :D
That would be a cool picture of a gnome rogue. Instead of the bells he'll just have magical orbs hanging at his hat. Orbs the he can throw with their own effects. A gas orb to create a smoke screen, another container some sort illusion etc etc. Would also give the gnome some style.
Pock "The Joker" Giblyrock kingpin of the Forgotten Realms :D
What I find most frustrating about 4E is that I can see it includes the D&D game I've always wanted to play, but the game is so lathered in tatical combat rules that I have thus far been unable to coax the game I want out.
The following 2 are basically 1 biography. The half-orc isn't very talkative (yet) and just smashes and doesn't show a lot of personality in the game yet. So it basically comes from the Halfling
As with most Halflings Mel has traveled a lot and seen more of the Forgotten Realms then most other people have. This is not so odd since Halflings rarely settle down for long periods of time and have no real place to call their own. His parents Corrin and Tryn always looked after Mel when moving from one water settlement to a marsh settlement to another one close to bigger cities. Mel is a friendly guy who can make friends easily and is socially comfortable in any situation.
A male Halfling Cleric of Chauntea. He’s always busy amassing reputation and social contacts. As a roaming cleric Mel spends most of his time trying to collect rare magical objects and tomes as well as rare collection of books. He has a very deep fear for spiders which arises out of nowhere at times sometimes even when simply casting a spell. Not to mention the manifestation of his fear when there truly is a spider. Often his fear comes in the shape of illusions which only Mel himself can see. This fear originates from a time in which he stumbled into the Underdark to collect a set of books.
When he managed to escape the realm of Drow he was slightly paranoid wondering if they were following him. One day in a field he noticed someone chasing mechanized objects. It was a half orc named Skarbez. Partially out of pity as well as an opportunity to obtain a guard the Halfling bargained with several tinker gnomes. Since that day the half orc and Mel have been traveling companions.
1. Always traveling and listening to his grandfather’s stories around the camp fire. Hoping to one day see the marvels he did. 2. Coming into the Underdark and learning what a fearsome place it truly is 3. Meeting a lot of different individuals from different races 4. Finding an old book that depicted the teachings of chauntea. This fascinated him to the point of wanting to become a cleric of Chauntea. 5. His passion for reading and gaining insight in other people’s minds.
1- His parents Corrin and Tryn 2- Skarbez the half orc has become his new friend instead of a slave/servant 3- A lot of people have connections with Mel due to his travels.
1. The book taken from the Drow contains a hazardous ritual and the drow want it back. But Mel has already sold it. 2. [dm]find a way to weave drow connection for Paragon Tier.
The fear Mel has described is used on critical fumbles. He is then overcome by his fear and gives CA to the opponent. This occurred once so far when going through the kobold hall. He wanted to hit a kobold with his mace and instead ended up cowering in a corner. Was funny hehe
Has lived a long time in the Sharmorfang tribe where he was "tolerated" among the full blooded orcs. He was a son of a full orc and a human woman. Eventually, when his father died, his clan sold Skarbez as a slave. The only reason he wasn’t killed outright was due to the respect the tribe has for his deceased father.
Eventually, via slave trade, he ended up in a gnome community where he was confronted by many vague inventions and experiments done by the gnomes. He was bought to whack down rogue inventions. Many rattling gears, trinkets and the dangerous unpredictable inventions gave Skarbez a tic. Whenever he hears rattling of some sort his eyes start twitching and an automatic reaction to grab for his weapon while looking around for danger and to whack it to a pulp.
One day Skarbez was doing his tasks, which was whacking mechanized inventions which were being field tested, when a Halfling Cleric roamed by on one of his travels. He felt a form of pity towards Skarbez and decided to use some of his wealth to buy him from the gnomes. Skarbez is now the bodyguard of Mel Ur Genilly experiencing many adventures and true battles for him to enjoy and regain honor.
Thanks to his new employer Skarbez has found hope in living a free life and battles which can bring him honor. One day returning to his tribe with a well respected name and perhaps even become the leader and show a new way of life for all orcs. He has not been brought up among humans and his common speech is very poor. Skarbez lives according to the way of the orcs and his thoughts are often his own.
[DM Note]Imagine him and the rogue working together in a party rofl. Rattling locks and him going insane over it hehe.
1. Greenish grey skin, long fangs in the corner of his mouth, scars here and there as well as tattoo’s in his face. He’s someone who does not fear battle and charges in, but is willing to listen to tactics…unless he is enraged. Withdrawn and to himself, but through actions shows loyalty to those who earn it. 2. Kicked out of the Sharmorfang tribe after his parents died and could no longer “protect” him from the others. They sold Skarbez on on a slave market to get rid of him. Only the honor and respect the orcs have for his deceased father is the reason they did not kill him outright. After various owners he ended up in a gnome settlement. 3. He remembers the smell of nature when out hunting 4. Several encounters with drow that were after Mel which he considered “fun”
1. Find back honor and make a name for himself. Once day returning back to his tribe and be accepted. He might become the new leader of his tribe and show them a new way of life 2. Kill the ones that forced him to leave the tribe and live such a disgraceful life
1. Mel who he sees as a friend 2. Rurg One Eye the orc that wanted to get rid of Skarbez 3. As a child he “loved” an orc named Jurrg but hasn’t seen her in a long time. [dm] Jurrg is the orc adept in the Sons of Gruumsh adventure
Intro to Duergar The duergar, also called gray dwarves, were once a settlement of shield dwarves in the dwarven kingdom of Shanatar. The shield dwarves that eventually became the duergar lived in certain strongholds that fell under attack of mind flayers, or illithids, and were captured. During their captivity, which lasted for generations, the illithids performed many cruel and unusual experiments on the dwarves. Eventually, the dwarves rose up against their captors and gained their freedom from the mind flayers. Believing Moradin abandoned them in their long captivity, duergar turned to evil dwarven deities (like Ladaguer and Deep Duerra) and infernal powers, strengthening their stock by breeding with devils and seeking power in dark rituals. When the evil dwarven deities perished in war with the Moradinsaman, the duergar took Asmodeus as their favored deity. Now the duergar inhabit volcanic areas of the Underdark and have been left as cruel and evil as their former captors and quite withdrawn from their experiences.
Their long association with devils and infernal magic has left them strongly resistant to illusions, fire and poison. Nearly all duergar have long, stiff spines concealed within their beards (for males) or hair (for females) that carry a burning venom. They can pluck and hurl these quills like daggers. In public, duergar wear drab clothing designed to help them blend into their environment. In private, they may add subdued jewelry and well-wrought metal bracers, armbands or torcs. They share the love of their surface cousins for mining and metalcraft, and excel at artifice.
Thordeth’s Initiation In the decade after obtaining their freedom the Duergar created their own settlements spread across the entirety of the Underdark. Even though they mainly keep to themselves there are still merchants who participate in (slave) trade with other species living nearby.
Thordeth grew up in these harsh environments as the 2nd generation of escapees from the Ilithids. Unfortunately the duergar are still under regular attacks from their oppressors for they would very much like their thralls and experimental subjects back. The fierce warriors among the duergar rarely stand a chance against the mind intruding prowess that they face. Therefore the Firedagger clan has been called into existence. A clan of duergar that form infernal pacts with demons to obtain the needed power to defend themselves.
Both the parents of Thordeth had fallen to these dreadful abominations and thus he decided to aid the cause. When reaching the required age he joined the Firedagger clan and learned all the theory he could. He learned that the clan was looking for a Fire Dagger somewhere in the world which would give a warlock immense powers. A power so great that it would surely wipe out the ilithid threat once and for all. Then the time came for him to go through the ritual in order to become a warlock himself.
Thordeth was wearing ceremonial robes accompanied by three other duergar. They entered a square room with white walls and the floor stained dark. Inscribed on the floor is a circle with a white inner ring and center. The power names written in gold and silver. A Triangle constructed on the floor, with an incense burner at each point. The air is thick with incense. The room is very dark, illuminated by torches on the far wall. There is a sense of frenzy being held back. Together the duergar howl before proceeding in a low guttural chanting. A small tornado appears in the centre triangle slowly making way for a stern looking duke riding on a giant crocodile. Though the mask with heavy lidded eyes came a soft yet penetrating and booming voice which filled the room: I am the Third Daemon, a Mighty Prince. I declare things Past and to Come, and to discover all things Hid or Lost.. My name is Vassago.
The initiation went smooth yet there were some unexpected effects. To conclude the bargain Vassago demanded that Thordeth would sacrifice his left arm. After seeing the devotion of the duergar he returned the insubstantial form of his past arm. Vassago proceeded to conclude the infernal pact and that Thordeth would soon meet the one who will teach him the ways.
After a long night of celebration he went to bed followed by an awakening that surprised him. His stomach was hurting and twisting and it ripped open causing him to bleed before the wound partially burned itself until it had closed. An Infernal Fleshmouth had appeared there where used to be Thordeth’s stomach. The deformed lips started to move and a voice spoke: “I am your tutor, I speak on behalf of Vassago…you’d better listen. You must feed me so that I shall not feed on your body. You must stay strong for there will be a lot of hardships ahead. Or minds are one so I shall not speak when we travel, but when your lips are sealed you can speak through me”
Thordeth consulted with the others and they were baffled by this turn of events. He decided to do as the Infernal Mouth told him and soon was able to successfully use the basic warlock skills. Several weeks passed and Thordeth became a strong warlock and the mouth spoke to him often. It told him to leave his home and travel to the surface world. The secret to defeat the ilithid does not lie within this volcano, but in the wide world. It came as a choque, but everyone of the Firedagger clan accepted that this is something which the Daemon of prophecy wants. Thordeth vowed that he would do anything needed to find what it is that will defeat their enemies once and for all so that the duergar can finally become truly free.
1.Balgor a warlock he studied with in his younger years 2.Katark an older warlock who is jealous that Vassago has chosen someone else to find the Fire Dagger and defeat the Ilithids 3. His uncle Portak took him in after the death of his parents. This duergar is a slave merchant.
Follower of Asmodeus The Duergar are still in conflict with the Ilithids (mind flayers) who want their thralls back. Using pacts with demons will give them power to defeat their opponents -Thordeth pays with his left arm and gains an insubstantial arm back. Also a “infernal flesh mouth” imbedded in his stomach. Needs to be fed and teaches the path of warlocks, also tells Thordeth what to do/where to go from time to time. -Thordeth is send out into the world above the Underdark to find specific objects and means to terminate the Ilithids once and for all, but also to further Asmodeus’s own goals of which Thordeth does not know -Thordeth is perceived as (chaotic) evil to surface dwellers, but unaligned/good to his own kind. He needs to help his people and is willing to thread over corpses to do so.
Teachings Asmodeus -Seek power over others, that you might rule with strength as the Lord of Hell does -Repay evil with evil. If others are kind to you exploit their weakness for your own gain. -Show neither pity nor mercy to those who are caught underfoot as you climb your way to power. The weak do not deserve compassion.
What I find most frustrating about 4E is that I can see it includes the D&D game I've always wanted to play, but the game is so lathered in tatical combat rules that I have thus far been unable to coax the game I want out.
