D&D 5E The City of Is'Merith

Next step:

Concepts have been cut to two, with some combination and some significant revisions. Again, feel free to vote, either yea or nay:
1. Sister Philippi (Phee the Fox): Human Sage Cleric 1 (Knowledge), further progression as Cleric and Lore Bard; Newly initiated in the priesthood of Boccob. She was sent by her order to investigate certain 'oddities' of magic in the area of Is'Merith- her initial investigations met with resistance by various people in power (both among the nobility and in the church of Pelor). Instead of leaving town, she has decided to pursue a less-standard path of investigation- it MIGHT not get her killed. Curious and persistant- her youth makes her 'disposable' in the eyes of her church (though of course she doesn't know that). Would have the Shelter of the faithful background trait- not from her church, but amongst scholars, mages, and so forth...
2. Yasmina (formerly of House Silverfrost); Half-elf Noble/Criminal Bard 1, further progression as [sblock] Bard, Rogue (assassin), and Monk [/sblock]. The third, youngest, and most extraneous daughter of one of the city's noble houses, she grew up flighty and pampered- or at least APPEARED to do so. In reality her 'nanny' and tutor was a retired assassin, and she was being groomed for such a career- though her training was hardly complete. When her eldest brother staged a bit of a family coup, everyone who knew her secret died- except her. Taking what she could, she fled. Her brother (now head of the House) and her flighty ornamental friends believe she is dead, or fled from the city, or simply don't care what became of her. BUT THEY WILL...

The Grassy Gnoll said:

Um. Me no understand. But I'm going to say "yes, yes he is" as confidently as I can and hope it means he's super hard as nails.

Click to expand...

Because he's metal.

[MENTION=48394]pathfinderq1[/MENTION] whichever you feel most drawn to - though I kind of like the cleric/weird magic investigator/Dana Scully idea, personally!)
[MENTION=6801600]Macv12[/MENTION] Ahhhhh. YES*

*disclaimer: so long as [MENTION=6792106]Sezarious[/MENTION] keeps rolling like a boss for him!

Concept 1- IN PROGRESS

Getting started here- will post again when this is complete/ready for review

Name: "Mina"; Yasmina bina G'Shar of House Silverfrost

[sblock= Stat block/details]
>Half-elf, female; CG (tending Neutral)
>Former minor noble; now apprentice 'adventurer' (Ninja)
>Bard 1 (Lore)/Rogue 0/Monk 0
>Hit points: 9 (8+1)
>Armor class: 14 (Leather/ 11, +3 DEX)
>Initiative: +3
>Size= Medium; Speed= 30 feet
>Passive Perception 14; Darkvision 60 feet
-STR 8 (-1)
-CON 12 (+1)
-DEX 16 (+3, save +5)
-INT 10 (+0)
-WIS 14 (+2)
-CHA 16 (+3, save +5)

[/sblock]

[sblock= Background]
>Background: Noble (ex-), Criminal
>Trait 1: I am always calm and serene, even in the face of disaster- or at least I appear to be. I never raise my voice, or let my true emotions show.
>Trait 2: I've never left the city (and until recently hardly ever left my family compound)- the outside world is full of wonders.
>Trait: I still have a taste for the finer things in life- that is where most of my money goes...
>Ideal: (Independence) I must prove that I can handle myself without the coddling of my family (or my society)- it is the only way I will be able to make my way in the world.
>Bond: I come from a noble family, and one day I will reclaim my lands and title from those who have stolen them- and I will cleanse the spreading stain of dishonor from the reputation of my House.
>Flaw: I will never fully trust anyone other than myself- those days of naivete are past.
>Background feature: Position of privilege (modified). While Yasmina can no longer draw upon the resources of her family in any kind of public or long-term way, she can still pass as a member of the nobility (or as a servant or courtier, perhaps), and she has an extensive knowledge of the various Houses (important names, alliances and areas of influence, and minutia such as who owns which estate). She also has knowledge about behavior, forms of address, and other such protocol. (Due to her rather unusual training, she also has a very basic awareness of the criminal underworld in Is’Merith- she has no official contacts, but she is at least aware that there is such a network; most nobles would have no idea…)

>History: Alamira Silverfrost was one of the archmages in the army which ruined the old empire and led to the current society of Is’Merith. House Silverfrost is one of the oldest families in the city- though they have never been among the most powerful, they have often been seen as valuable allies, and they have always weathered the storms and conflicts of the court quite well. One of their secrets (known only to the head of the House and the designated heir) is their employment of surplus children as spies, and occasionally assassins- it was a tactic that was rarely used, but it helped them keep their position.
Yasmina is one such offspring of the House- as the third daughter and youngest child of her generation, she would otherwise have been entirely superfluous. Her father hired a particular nanny and tutor, an elderly gnomish woman with a rather unusual skill set- and Yasmina was educated from an early age to be of service to her house. To all outward appearances, she was as flighty and ornamental as one might expect, trained in courtly dance, graces, and repartee. Her true training was far more complex, however- and if she had been able to complete it, she would surely have been an exceptional agent for the family. Unfortunately, she is still fairly young, and her training is hardly complete. When her second-eldest brother staged a household coup (with the advice and assistance of other noble houses who sought Silverfrost’s resources and alliance), Yasmina’s father and his heir were slain, as was her tutor- in short, everyone who knew her secret. Yasmina herself managed to gather a few belongings before she fled- and her brother could care less about the loss of one more flighty ornamental mouth to feed; he was too busy abusing his new position as head of the House. Yasmina is believed to be dead, or perhaps to have fled the city for foreign lands- in fact she has only left the inner ring; she wants to develop her skills enough to avenge her family and cleanse the name of her House (though she is well aware the journey will be a long one).

>Description:

[/sblock]

[sblock= Class and Race features]
>Race: Half-elf
-Size Medium, Speed 30 feet
-Ability score increases: +2 CHA, +1 each to any two (DEX, WIS)
-Languages: Common, Elven, 1 other
-Darkvision 60 feet
-Skill versatility: Proficiency in any two skills
-Fey ancestry: Advantage on saves vs. charm, cannot be put to sleep by magic

>Class: Bard
[/sblock]

[sblock= Proficiencies]
>Proficient skills: Acrobatics +5, Athletics +1, Deception +5, History +2, Perception +4, Performance +5, Persuasion +5
>Other skills: Animal handling +2, Arcana +0, Insight +2, Investigation +0, Intimidation +3, Medicine +2, Nature +0, Religion +0, Sleight of hand +3, Stealth +3, Survival +2
>Languages: Common, Elven, Gnomish (?)
>Tool proficiencies: Herbalism kit, Flute, Drum, Hammer dulcimer
>Feats/ASI: (none yet)
[/sblock]

[sblock= Magic]
>Bard: CHA-based (Attack +5; Save DC 13)
Cantrips known: Prestidigitation, Vicious mockery
Spells known: (4) Disguise self, Dissonant whispers, Healing word, Unseen servant
Spell slots: Level 1= 2;
xx
[/sblock]

[sblock= Equipment, etc.]
-Studded leather armor
-Flute
-Dagger (x4)
-Traveler's clothes (x2)
-Short bow
-Quiver, 30 arrows
-Explorer's pack (no rope or torches)
-Belt pouch (x2)
-Whetstone
-Fine clothes (1 set)
-Thieves tools

[/sblock]

Concept 2- IN PROGRESS

>Oh, to heck with it- I'm going to post both concepts, and take votes on the complete versions. Again, will post a note when I'm done.

Name: Sister Philippi of Westerlinn; "Phee the Fox"

[sblock= Stat block/details]
>Human, female
>Junior Investigator for the church of Boccob (god of magic)
>Cleric 1 (Knowledge)/Bard 0 (Lore)
>Hit points: 9 (8+1)
>Armor Class: 11 (Leather/11; +0 DEX)
>Initiative: +0
>Size= Medium; Speed= 30 feet
>Passive Perception 15; Passive Insight 13 (?); No darkvision/unusual senses
-STR 8 (-1)
-CON 12 (+1)
-DEX 10 (+0)
-INT 14 (+2)
-WIS 16 (+3, save +5)
-CHA 14 (+2, save +4)
[/sblock]

[sblock= Background]
>Background: Sage, Acolyte
>Trait 1: There is only one thing I like more than a good mystery- and that is SOLVING it.
>Trait 2: I'm horribly awkward (and rather naive) in social situations; I'm far more comfortable dealing with books, artifacts, and facts.
>Other traits: I love to read, and am rarely seen without a book in hand- and any new book can be a powerful lure.
>Ideal: (Knowledge) The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge.
>Bond: Something terrible happened to the village where I was born (and to my mother)- I will never rest until I learn the truth of what happened there.
>Flaw: Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization. (My curiosity has gotten me in trouble before, and it will do so again).
>Background feature: Shelter of the faithful (Modified) While the church of Boccob has no official presence in Is'Merith, Phee can call upon those allied to the faith (mages and scholars, primarily)- they are not likely to provide much in the way of material assistance, but might be helpful in terms of information or access, for instance. She might also be able to find at least some work (as a scribe, clerk, researcher or the like).
>History: Sister Philippi, or "Phee" as she is more often known, has been part of Boccob's clergy quite literally since before she was born. Her mother was a field researcher for one of the largest monastery/library complexes in the world- she specialized in observing and recording the magical practices of various isolated elven tribes and villages. In fact, she spent almost all of her time "in the field" and communicated with the temple mostly through written or magical messages- her daughter was born in a wood elf village in the hills across the desert from Is'Merith. Phee's mother spent a number of years there- there were anumber of oddities in local magical tradition, which might have had to do with the arcane corruption spreading from the unnatural desert. Ever curious, Phee watched the tribal shamans at work, and helped her mother (as an errand-runner and later as a scribe) even from an early age. As she grew up, though, she watched her mother and the elven shamans grow more distant, and more desperate- it seemed that the desert (and its malign influence) was growing. Finally the time came when Phee was sent to the Great Library to enter the church as an Initiate herself. She had an excellent grounding in many practical subjects, but in other areas she was woefully inexperienced (especially in social environments). Her studies consumed much of her time- she hardly noticed when her mother's letters stopped, and she did not know that the village itself seemed to have disappeared... It was only after her mother did not attend her Initiation that Phee realized something must be wrong- when she journeyed back to the village, she found nothing there. The sacred trees were withered husks, and the village itself (and all its inhabitants) was simply gone, swallowed by the spreading desert. Her report to the church spurred concern, but the church of Boccob had no resources to spare at this point- except for Phee herself. She was quickly deputized as an investigator and sent out to Is'Merith- perhaps whatever magic had created the desert might hold the key to understanding what was happening now (or even to stopping it).

She arrived in Is'Merith only days ago, and met with little cooperation from the church of Pelor. A chance contact with a bookseller who was an adherent of Boccob gave her the name of a 'scribe' who had rather unusual connections, but who knows where that thread might lead...
[/sblock]

[sblock= Class and Race features]
>Human (variant)
-Size Medium, Speed 30 feet
-Ability scores: +1 to any two (WIS, CHA)
-Languages: Common, 1 other
-One bonus feat (Magic Initiate- Druid)
-One bonus skill (Perception)

>Cleric:

[/sblock]

[sblock= Proficiencies]
>Proficient skillserception +5, History +4, Religion +4, Nature (x/+6), Arcana (x/+6), Investigation +4, Medicine +5

>Other skills: Acrobatics +0, Animal handling +3, Athletics -1, Intimidation +2, Sleight of hand +0, Stealth +0, Survival +3
>Skills at disadvantage: Deception +2, Insight +3
>Languages: Common, Elven, Celestial, Draconic (in addition, while she can't understand them, she is able to recognize Sylvan and Druidic).
>Tool proficiencies: Calligrapher's kit (scribe), Herbalism kit
>Feats/ASI: Magic Initiate (Druid)(Human bonus);
[/sblock]

[sblock= Magic]
>Druidic casting (From Magic Initiate)(Attack +5, Save DC 13)
-Cantrips: Produce flame, Thorn whip
-Level 1: Goodberry (1x/day)

>Cleric (Attack +5, Save DC 13)
-Cantrips: (3) Guidance, Thaumaturgy, Mending
-Spells prepared: 4 (+Domain spells)
-Level 1: Bless, Detect magic, Healing word, Sanctuary, +Command, +Identify

>Spell slots per day: Level 1= 2
[/sblock]

[sblock= Equipment, etc.]
-Holy symbol (Amulet; Boccob)
-Official vestments
-Traveler's clothes (x2)
-Leather armor
-Dagger
-Scholar's pack
-Bedroll
-Mess kit
-Tinderbox
-Belt pouch (x2)
-Druidic focus (totem)
[/sblock]

There's a whole stack of books at Alejandro's place.

A few quick background questions:
1. Is there a single ruler over the city and its nobles (Sultan?), or is the city ruled BY the nobles (like a ruling Council)? Or is it something else?
2. Is there a particular language used by the upper classes instead of "Common"? (Elvish or Draconic or some such?)

Honestly, I'm leaning toward Yasmina. Seems much more colorful.

Play whatever you want to play pathfinder.

Okay, so I have some minor details to fill in for both concepts (Final equipment choices, class details, that sort of thing), but they should both be ready for a least an initial review. Let me know if I am missing anything, certainly.

For everyone, last chance to offer an opinion...