D&D 5E Assualt on Dire Wood [OOC]

3SpdDragster

First Post
Hey 3Spd,

OK - just 1 other thing then before I cement the concept:

I've been reading a lot about the issue with the Crossbow Expert Feat....basically a typical RAW vs RAI conflict....My character concept is essentially you're common and garden gunslinger, but with hand crossbows instead of colt peacemakers. Now the argument is that you cannot use two hand crossbows at once because one handed reloading is not permitted by the wording of the rules. However a single hand crossbow while holding nothing in the off hand operates mechanically exactly the same as if this was permitted. So I was wondering if you had any issues with my flavouring this so Cash Nagina (current working name - nicknamed "Cobra Cash") has a crossbow on each hip? As I said the mechanics are the same I believe - but you know....flavour and fluff n that....

....If it helps I was going to go down the Folk Hero background route which would give proficiency in some artisan's tools, so if you like I could pick something (tinker or leatherworker or alchemist) that would help the flavour of making a quick-loading system, or a bolt cartridge or something, to back it up.



All that aside then, as you've got the setting down I'd like your advice as to where Cash has laid down roots. I need a smallish settlement that might benefit from some kind of Ranger protection (Someone who'll stop wolves eating livestock, recover children kidnapped by monsters, confront bandits etc etc) So not large, but not a small farmstead deep in the forest. I'm not hugely familiar with faerun so if you just give me a location I'll work it into Cash's backstory. Cash is human, but the settlement doesn't have to be. Whatever you think is best. The high Forest setting is ideal for folding all the typical ranger stuff into a more traditional wild west character - instead of running off banditos and robbers, it's Satyrs and Goblins. Perfect!

Let me read up on the crossbow thing. I think there are several thread dedicated to it and I will get back to you.
 

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pathfinderq1

First Post
I am interested as well. I will iron out a concept and get it posted this weekend. At this point I am thinking of a wood elf (probably either moon druid or monk/rogue). Maybe she lost a relative/friend on one of the scouting trips into the area (or they are one of the ones who returned changed)- or maybe she is a surviving scout herself, burdened by survivor's guilt...
 

3SpdDragster

First Post
I am interested as well. I will iron out a concept and get it posted this weekend. At this point I am thinking of a wood elf (probably either moon druid or monk/rogue). Maybe she lost a relative/friend on one of the scouting trips into the area (or they are one of the ones who returned changed)- or maybe she is a surviving scout herself, burdened by survivor's guilt...

Sounds great to me!

I will be AFK till tomorrow evening when I should have answers for some of the questions posted.
 

Steve Gorak

Adventurer
I am very interested! My concept is a loyal roguish character, think han solo, with a bit of magical oomph.
the details would be: Human, fighter 2/rogue 1/warlock 2. I actually had prepared him for a game that fizzled, so will bump him to 5th level and will post soon.
Also, I don't know if this still is valid, so here is the array toll:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

edit: omg, how horrible! ;-)

Cheers,

SG
 

Steve Gorak

Adventurer
Here is my submission:

Code:
Name:       Dorn Greycape 
Class:      Fighter 2/ Rogue 1/ warlock 2 
Race:       Human
Background: Urchin/Sailor
Size:       Medium (5'8", 140 lbs)
Gender:     Male
Age:        18
Alignment:  LG

STR: 8  (-1)0 Save: +1    HP: 36 (1d10(max)+1d10+3d8+5)
DEX: 16 (+3)9             AC: 16 (+4 breastplate, +2 dex)
CON: 13 (+1)5 Save: +3
INT: 12 (+1)4             Speed:   30
WIS: 12 (+1)4             Init:    +3 (+3 dex)
CHA: 14 (+2)5             Passive Perception: 13


Skills:                  Abilities:
*Acrobatics        +6    Feats: crossbow expert, sharpshooter
Animal Handling    +2    
Arcana             +2    archery fighting style: + 2 ranged weapons
Athletics          +0    Second wind: 1d10+1
**Deception        +7    Action surge 1x/short rest
History            +2    
Insight            +2    Background feature: ship's passage
Intimidation       +3    
Investigation      +2    
Medicine           +2    Expertise (Stealth, deception)
Nature             +2    Sneak Attack (1d6)
*Perception        +4    Thieves’ Cant
Performance        +3    
*Persuasion        +5    Warlock invocations: Mask of many faces, devil's sight
Religion           +2    Fey Presence: bonus action, wis save vs dc12 
*Sleight of Hand   +6     10ft cube emanating from character, charmed or 
**Stealth          +8      frightened until end of next turn
Survival           +2    Warlock spells


Proficiencies:
Armor: all
Weapons: all
skills: Perception (fighter), acrobatics (fighter), persuasion (rogue), stealth (background), Deception (background - perception overlap), sleight of hand (human)   
Tools: Thieves’ Tools (rogue), Navigator’s tools (background), vehicles (water) (background)
Languages: Common, Elf (Human)

Spellcasting:
Spell Attack Modifier: +5
Spell Save DC: 12
Cantrips Known: Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation
Spells Known: Hex, faery fire, comprehend languages
Spell Slots: 2/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Feats:
Crossbow expert
sharp shooter

Weapon                Attack  Damage     Type  Range
Rapier                 +6     1d8+3        P
Dagger                 +6     1d4+3        P   20/60
Hand crossbow          +8     1d6+3        P   30/120


Equipment:
gp   Item	
400  Breastplate
150  2 hand crossbow
  6  3 daggers 
 25  Rapier          


 25  Navigator's tools

 25  Thieves's tools
  3  3x 20 cross bow bolts
 16  Burglar’s Pack (16 gp).Includes a backpack, a bag of 1,000 
      ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a 
      hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days 
      rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 
      feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it



total: 650

Common Clothes


Money: 200 GP

Personality Trait: My friends know they can rely on me, no matter what
Ideal: I help the people who help me—that’s what keeps us alive.
Bond: Dark forces murdered my crewmates. I will avenge them.
Flaw: My pride will probably lead to my destruction.

[sblock=Background]
Dorn was born in abject poverty in the slums of Darromar, in the kingdom of Tethir. He never knew his father, and his mother, whom abandoned him quite young at the age of 11, was a woman of ill reputation and questionable morality.
From a young age, Dorn sought to escape from the slums. He had a good head on his shoulders and stayed around the docks, offering his services as a guide to newly arrived travelers.
This helped to fill his belly; not completely, but enough.

Unfortunately for him, he had a good heart, and never gave in to his shady acquaintances that wanted to recruit his help to lure these travellers and rob them blind.
The pressure was increasing and the small time thugs wanted his skin, so at the age of 14 he joined a ship belonging to her magesty's Queen-Monarch merchant navy as a deck-hand, to get away fron the heat.
He travelled for a few years with this ship, and was involved in more battles than he had hoped for.
Fortunately, he had a keen eye, and was as quick as a whip with a crossbow, making up for his less than imposing stature.

About the age of 17, his shipped was attacked by pirates. They weren't as lucky as they had been in the past.
After slaughtering his companions, the pirates were amused by his youth and his show of bravery during the combat, and threw him overboard to die in the sea.
Hands and feet bound, he was contemplentating his last thoughts as he was sinking. This is when she appeared, kissed him, and allowed him to breathe.
She had watched the combat, and amusement was not what she felt from his youth and bravery.
His memories of the time he spent with the Lady of Corals is quite hazy. She brought him to an island. They were lovers. Time seemed to stand still.

Yet, the pirates needed to be brought to justice, and he needed to live with others of his kind. He also felt she was growing tired of him, as a whimsical fey-lady would. She released him from her spell, yet she had touched his soul forever.

Dorn returned to Darromar, and relayed the pirate attacks to the proper authorities.

The thugs of his youth had grown, and still remembered him. He also felt disconnected from his home city so he decided to leave Darromar and wandered for weeks, joining ship's crews, and ended up in Yarthar, cloce to the high forest. This is when he heard of the wood elves woes, and felt he needed to contribute to something greater. Perhaps he could help.
[/sblock]
 

Binder Fred

3 rings to bind them all!
Yannock "Yann" Bole

A nature-based Fighter/Eldritch Knight. Big, tall, with a huge belly under an iron brigantine and carrying a *big* ironwood branch on his shoulder. Auburn sideburns go all the way down and tend to go wild.

[sblock=General intro: Yannock Bole]Yann, AKA the Loud, AKA the Large, was born in a log cabin in the back woods of Mintarn, the Free Isle of the Sword Coast. His father was a burly woodcutter, cutting masts and planks to repair sloops and pirate ships by day, telling tall tales and drinking beer by the frothy gallon at night. His mother was a sharp-eyed witch, brewing potions and pies, patching the wounds of humans, hobgoblins and wolves. He spent his youth running through the dappled woods and aspen-covered slopes of the Laughing Dagger mountains, with hardly any contact with the free-town by the bay.

One day, as hairs were beginning to grow in strange places, in a moss-covered cave he found a wounded god, its front leg broken and trapped, its head many-antlered, its face strangely human.

Since then the next few years have seen him grow up - but mostly out! Gotten huge on the fruits of continued adventure, he's sailed sloops and then ships, burnt his ears in the endless roar of mighty canons; shed blood, tears and laughter; loved women large and small... But sometimes - Sometimes a strange green light glitters from his grinning eyes. Sometimes grass grows in his footsteps. Sometimes wood greens and blossoms under his touch. Sometimes - Sometimes small forest gods walks by his side, and they smile to each other.[/sblock][sblock=Adventures]- Thundertree Island: After the cave, he started wandering the waves with his friends, beaching their small sloops on rocky shores, crawling over Sargasso-covered derelicts and diving deep for treasures and trinkets with knifes between their teeth.

They once happened on a small island with a huge oak at its center, its top lightning struck, its branches spreading almost the entire width of the island! They, of course, immediately decided they *had* to climb the thing. The nest of eagles near the top complicated things a bit, and quite a few not-inconsiderable branches bent and sometimes outright broke under Yann's weight, but overall it was a great climb, and the view from up there... Fantastic!

Only, as it happened, the iron tree was sacred to the grigs, bullywugs and pixies who inhabited the island AND were waiting for them at the base, alerted by the eagle's no doubt. They didn't look too happy for the desecration either... "Luckily" though, the grig shaman recognized that the strange purple lichen they'd been rubbing over on their up was a great disease afflicting the sacred tree, one possibly linked with the strange lights that seemed to pulse from under the deepest roots of the tree on certain nights...

With the help of some brave grigs, and pixies (the bullywugs refused to help), the party stormed a series of water-drowned caves and claustrophobic cracks until they could squeeze their way to the living contagion of the demonic Purple Lichen. Lichen-controlled - lichen-diseased - beasts confronted them, one memorable battle featuring a stuck Yann desperately trying to fend off a possessed rat swarm in the dark while his companions battled the swarm's other half on the other side AND tried to pry him loose at the same time! Finally, they confronted the main pool of the evil substance, in a bouldery cave right under the sacred tree. Only the lichen was ready for them, having possessed part of the holy oak itself and shaped it into a spiky iron-oak creature, the purple-glowing lichen draped across its back like a living, infinite cloak!

The battle was fierce, but the party somehow prevailed, one of the fighters cutting off the thing's hands just before it could squeeze the life out of their mage and Yann finishing it off with a warhammer blow to the side of the head.

The islanders were very grateful and forgave them their transgression, setting up a yearly festival race to the top of the holy tree in celebration of their deeds. And they gave them mighty gifts and much food, Yann in particular cutting off one of the iron-wood creature's forearms and making it into a weapon and shield that were somehow now bonded to him, as he'd been told to do in a dream (sent by the many-antlered forest god?), while his druid friend made a breastplate from the creature's chest.[/sblock][sblock=Character Sheet]5th level human Fighter/Eldritch Knight
INSPIRATION
Exp: 8500/14000
Background: Outlander
Religion: Nominally Chauntea, in her aspect as the divine gardener
Trait: I work hard so that I can play hard when the work is done.
Trait: I never pass up a friendly wager, or an offer of food and drink.
Ideal: Greater Good. It is each person's responsibility to make the most happiness for the whole.
Bond: Gratitude. I was rescued from death by a tribe of wood elves.
Flaw: There's no room for caution in a life lived to the fullest.

(Rolled array. Ability/Bonus)
Str 17 +3 Save = +6
Dex 7 -2
Con 17 +3 Save = +6
Int 16 +3
Wis 14 +2
Cha 11 +0

Proficiency Bonus: +3
HP: 49/49
AC: 20 (17 Splint + 2 Shield + 1 Cloak of Protection)
MV: 30'(9m)
INI: -2
Passive perception: 12

Melee 3 + 3 = 6
Range 3 - 2 = 1
Iron-Oak branch +2(+8 ToHit, 1d8+7 Dam, X2 Crit, Bludgeon, versatile)
BIG knife (1d6+5 Dam, X2 Crit, Piercing, Light)

FEATURES:
Weapon proficiencies (Simple and Martial)
Armor proficiencies (All plus shields)
FIGHTER: Dueling (+2 to damage with one-handed weapons)
FIGHTER: Second Wind (Bonus action -> 1d10+L HPs, Short rest to recover)
FIGHTER: Action Surge (Extra action, Short rest to recover)
FIGHTER: Extra Attack (Can make two attacks with each attack action)
ELDRITCH KNIGHT: Weapon Bond (Bonus action to call weapon to hand)
FEAT: Magic Adept (Druidcraft + Mage hand, Speak With animals)
OUTLANDER: Recall general layout, find food and water for 6 each day.
Ironoak of the Woodlands (+2 Spell attack, 10(1d6+4 recharge), 1=60' tree, 5' trunk, 20' branches)

SKILLS:
Acrobatics (Dex) -2
Animal Handling (Wis) +5 Proficient
Arcana (Int) +3
Athletics (Str) +6 Proficient
Deception (Cha) +0
History (Int) +3
Insight (Wis) +2
Intimidation (Cha) +0
Investigation (Int) +3
Medicine (Wis) +2
Nature (Int) +6 Proficient
Perception (Wis) +2
Performance (Cha) +0 Panflute +3
Persuasion (Cha) +0
Religion (Int) +3
Sleight of Hand (Dex) -2
Stealth (Dex) -2 Disadvantage from armor
Survival (Wis) +5 Proficient
Languages: Common, rough Sylvan and a smathering of Elvish (Learned when he was rescued)[/sblock][sblock=Equipment]
Code:
Name                        Gp note		
Cloak of Protection +1         (Black with red trim, still stinks of cambion)
Splint mail                200 In green brigantine form                         
Hobnailed boots              -
* Iron-oak Branch           15 Warhammer of the Woodlands, on his shoulder. His 'hunting trophy'

Belt (with huge roaring-dragon buckle):
BIG knife                   10 Short sword
Purse
   2 gp, 200gp in gems
   Six orcish gemstones
   Set of dice + cards       1

Canvas Backpack (all in saddlebags when travelling on horse):
Panflute (in side pocket).
2 sets of clothes           15 (traveler's and Fine)
Crowbar
Vicious longsword +1
Wood axe and Whetstone       5
Hammer and 10 pitons
Hunting Trap
10 torches
Tinderbox
10 days of rations
Waterskin
Fishing tackle               1
Steel mirror                 5
Antitoxin                   50 (Advantage on poison saves 1h)
Healing potion  X2          50 (2d4+2 HP)
Mess Kit
10' tarp + cords             2
Bedroll                      1 On top, stuffed with down for warmth
50' of hempen rope             Strapped to the side

Frigate, his warhorse      400 Lustrous black
    Leather barding         40 Mostly to push through thickets and such
    Saddle and saddlebags   14
* Wooden shield             10 Decorated with brass leaves 

-----------------------------------
                            809 gp (counting 10gp from his background)

* [I]These items are Bonded to him.[/I]
[/sblock][sblock=Spells kown]Save DC = 14

CANTRIPS: unlimited
- Druidcraft (30', Predict Weather/Sensory effect/Bloom/Light/extinguish)
- "Spectral animals": Mage Hand (30', max 10 pounds, 1min duration)
- "Tree growth": Acid Splash (60', 2 adjacent targets, Dex or 2d6 dam)
- True Strike (30', Concentration/1 round, advantage on next attack roll)

1ST LEVEL: 2/3 remaining today (+1 Speak with Animals)
- "Somebody up there likes me": Shield (Reaction, +5 AC TENT)
- "Ground strike": Thunderwave (15' cube, Con half or 2d8+10', boom 300')
- Expeditious Retreat (Bonus action, Self, 10min conc, Dash as bonus act)
- Feather Fall (Reaction, 60', up to 5 targets, 60'/round for 1 min)
- Speak with Animals (10 min)[/sblock]

You guys want to link backgrounds? I can easily see where my guy's path might have crossed with either Corathir (one of his adventuring friends?), Dorn (on the trip to Yarthar?) and/or both.

[sblock=Treasure so Far]Six gemstones from the first orcs they encountered. [Y]

Boots of the Winterland [D], Ring of Protection [D], Cloak of Protection [Y], broach of shielding [K] and Vicious Longsword +1 [Y] from the first cambions they encountered.
[/sblock]
 
Last edited:

3SpdDragster

First Post
Hey 3Spd,

OK - just 1 other thing then before I cement the concept:

I've been reading a lot about the issue with the Crossbow Expert Feat....basically a typical RAW vs RAI conflict....My character concept is essentially you're common and garden gunslinger, but with hand crossbows instead of colt peacemakers. Now the argument is that you cannot use two hand crossbows at once because one handed reloading is not permitted by the wording of the rules. However a single hand crossbow while holding nothing in the off hand operates mechanically exactly the same as if this was permitted. So I was wondering if you had any issues with my flavouring this so Cash Nagina (current working name - nicknamed "Cobra Cash") has a crossbow on each hip? As I said the mechanics are the same I believe - but you know....flavour and fluff n that....

....If it helps I was going to go down the Folk Hero background route which would give proficiency in some artisan's tools, so if you like I could pick something (tinker or leatherworker or alchemist) that would help the flavour of making a quick-loading system, or a bolt cartridge or something, to back it up.



All that aside then, as you've got the setting down I'd like your advice as to where Cash has laid down roots. I need a smallish settlement that might benefit from some kind of Ranger protection (Someone who'll stop wolves eating livestock, recover children kidnapped by monsters, confront bandits etc etc) So not large, but not a small farmstead deep in the forest. I'm not hugely familiar with faerun so if you just give me a location I'll work it into Cash's backstory. Cash is human, but the settlement doesn't have to be. Whatever you think is best. The high Forest setting is ideal for folding all the typical ranger stuff into a more traditional wild west character - instead of running off banditos and robbers, it's Satyrs and Goblins. Perfect!

I am fine with the crossbow expert issue, gunslinger is fine by me.

On the western side of the High Forest is a town called Frenslenn. Most of the population is human with a hefty dose of half-elven. It has a population of close to 100 people and has been attacked on several occasions in the past. Please feel free to make your character as heroic as you would like. :)
 

River Song

Explorer
I know you probably have more than enough players by now, but I will make one anyway. (who doesn't love making characters)

I'll go for a Fighter. :)
 

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