[5e] Spell & Crossbones

[Queenie]

I'm looking forward to see how she and [MENTION=6755061]Kiraya_TiDrekan[/MENTION]'s character interact!


Yeah, mixed fortunes were meant to be included in the 3 limit. Mainly I put this limit to prevent it from getting out of hand or too much blurring of character niches. HOWEVER. If you want to break this limit (within reason) and it fits your character's story, I say go for it!

"The rules are more like guidelines, really..." Doubly true in a pirate game!


Nice stats! To be honest, I trust you guys. And even if someone were to cheat (pirates, savvy?), there will be some very fierce opposition and high stats are probably toward the low end of the barrel in terms of things that will save your hide.


Some feats that might fit your character concept...

Athlete: +1 Dex, standing from prone only takes 5 ft movement, climbing doesn't halve speed, only need 5 ft take off for a running jump

Crossbow Expert: re-skin to Firearms Expert; ignore loading, being next to enemy doesn't impose disadvantage on ranged attacks, when you Attack with a one-handed weapon you can use bonus action to attack with loaded firearm

Defensive Duelist: with finesse weapon, can use reaction to add proficiency bonus to AC against a melee attack

Lucky: gain 3 luck points, which you can spend to gain advantage or impose disadvantage, regain luck points after a long rest

Mobile: +10 speed, ignore difficult terrain when you Dash, when you make a melee attack against a creature you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn (hit or miss)

Skilled: gain proficiency in any combo of 3 skills or tools

Tough: HP increase to twice your level when you take this feat, and every level thereafter you gain +2 HP

This is awesome, thank you! If anyone else has any suggestions I will take them but this gives me a lot to choose from. I'm still kinda in that world "highstatshighstats!" mode but this will give me more fun stuff to diversify my character.

To answer about the Lifes... I don't really know. I will think on it but at this moment I don't mind either way.

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=6781406]Unsung[/MENTION] Gunner Teague looks great! One badass seaman!

Btw, a word on the blunderbuss: Misfire (1) means that on a roll of 1 you take 2d6 fire damage from the powder blowing up in your face and the gun requires a short rest to be cleaned before it will work. However, blunderbusses also have an advantage in that they can be loaded with almost anything, not just bullets...pebbles, pitons, dinner forks...could come in handy in some scenarios!

 

[Unsung]

E-e-excellent. I was hoping you'd say that. And thanks!

 

[fireinthedust]

Industry: Hah! While we're having a love-in, I don't suppose it counts that I'm working on my own first publishing endeavour? DCC RPG, but I'm self-publishing (also writing, illustrating, InDesign layouts, plus I'm a freelance copyeditor).

Okay, not in the industry just yet, technically, but I'll be there in a minute...


anyhoo, sorry for the delay in concept, but I've got a bit of writers block for this. I'll marathon some pirate films tomorrow, and crunch something out.

I was thinking of some options:

1) Swordmage homebrew (because elves, swords, explosions, and teleportation are fun)

2) Mermaid bard wandering in human form.

3) Young lad who's at sea "on an adventure", possibly with a map to pirate treasure

4) A knave of epic proportions based entirely on equal parts Black Adder and Snidley Whiplash.

5-99) a collection of other ideas shuffled together in my head.


Yar, arrgh, blargh.

Also: Shouldn't the Irish be gnomes? The Dwarves, Scottish? My dwarven accent always ends up pirate-scottish... FYI. It's that bad.

 

[Quickleaf]

Industry: Hah! While we're having a love-in, I don't suppose it counts that I'm working on my own first publishing endeavour? DCC RPG, but I'm self-publishing (also writing, illustrating, InDesign layouts, plus I'm a freelance copyeditor).

Okay, not in the industry just yet, technically, but I'll be there in a minute...

Zombie monkey pirate ninja approves!

I was thinking of some options:

2) Mermaid bard wandering in human form.

I like this one! Merfolk, Merrow, and the Abyss will definitely be part of the game. Be advised [MENTION=6777934]Maldavos[/MENTION] is playing a bard, so this could either be redundant or awesome depending on your opinion of bards.

3) Young lad who's at sea "on an adventure", possibly with a map to pirate treasure

I like this one a lot because it's a bit more "pure" and because it contrasts nicely with the two Old Salts already on board.

4) A knave of epic proportions based entirely on equal parts Black Adder and Snidley Whiplash.

That could be fun too, no doubt your knavery would be in competition with [MENTION=23484]Kobold Stew[/MENTION]'s Gentleman Jim.

Also: Shouldn't the Irish be gnomes? The Dwarves, Scottish? My dwarven accent always ends up pirate-scottish... FYI. It's that bad.

Haha, well if you read the Races section you'll see that it's not meant to be a 1-to-1 analogy between D&D race and real world nationality. Dwarves come in flavors of Scottish (because accent!), Dutch (because wealthy trading companies!), and Peruvian (because how did they build those stone monuments?!). Are there Irish gnomes? Sure! Slainte!

 

[Hannerdyn]

Yes indeed. I am thinking a playing an old salty, pegged-legged dwarf. Probably Dutch. And yes, as I see him he will be able to be the Gunner, Boatswain AND Carpenter! But yeah, he will be a Gibbs-like character. I am not sure on class yet, but I am leaning towards Ranger. Oh, and I think he will hate monkeys.

I've written you in as a friend who my character, Hugo Van Haan considers to be part of a sea-faring underworld. In reality, Hugo has simply asked your character to deliver messages in secret to people that are in your ports of call.

I like the idea of Hugo having a close friend that is his complete opposite. Hugo is very friendly and pretty flamboyant. If you dig this idea, than great, otherwise we can work on something else. Let me know.

Hope we have as much fun RP'g as we have had between Korgon & Rhal.

 

[Fenris]

I've written you in as a friend who my character, Hugo Van Haan considers to be part of a sea-faring underworld. In reality, Hugo has simply asked your character to deliver messages in secret to people that are in your ports of call.

I like the idea of Hugo having a close friend that is his complete opposite. Hugo is very friendly and pretty flamboyant. If you dig this idea, than great, otherwise we can work on something else. Let me know.

Hope we have as much fun RP'g as we have had between Korgon & Rhal.

Absolutely broer* Hugo. Sounds great, and our roles would be somewhat reversed! But Old Zef may have more secrets than you know BTW if you want to put his full name in your background it is Jozef Van Der Nagel.


*Broer is Dutch for Brother.

 

[Queenie]

Industry: Hah! While we're having a love-in, I don't suppose it counts that I'm working on my own first publishing endeavour? DCC RPG, but I'm self-publishing (also writing, illustrating, InDesign layouts, plus I'm a freelance copyeditor).

Okay, not in the industry just yet, technically, but I'll be there in a minute...

Well, ha, I made a baby. So there

So I was just feeling a little left out of the achievement section. I used to do Fashion Design but now I'm just a Mom. And I do love it that way <3 And seriously, good luck with your book(s)!!

anyhoo, sorry for the delay in concept, but I've got a bit of writers block for this. I'll marathon some pirate films tomorrow, and crunch something out.

I was thinking of some options:

1) Swordmage homebrew (because elves, swords, explosions, and teleportation are fun)

2) Mermaid bard wandering in human form.

3) Young lad who's at sea "on an adventure", possibly with a map to pirate treasure

4) A knave of epic proportions based entirely on equal parts Black Adder and Snidley Whiplash.

5-99) a collection of other ideas shuffled together in my head.

OKay, so, mermaid idea sounds AMAZING. My NEXT pirate game I am so doing that!! However, I think you playing the lad who is a little green in the gills would fit nicely with this group. We need the laughs ;-)

Hope we have as much fun RP'g as we have had between Korgon & Rhal.

Of course you will! Wasn't I just saying it was something about the players and not the characters... Fenris and I were just saying how absolutely delightful it is to read your Rhal posts.

 

[Queenie]

So we were playing Rock Band... and played one of our favorite songs... and we TOTALLY figured out how Old Zef lost his leg!!!


[video=youtube;NsxcZol_FEE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsxcZol_FEE[/video]

 

[Hannerdyn]

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], I fixed the Stats area to include all the information

Here's the background, personality and appearance of my bard, Hugo Van Haan. He plays the viola. I'm sorry for the long background but... I was having a good time.

View attachment Hugo Van Haan.xlsx (Pretty Version)

Hugo Van Haan

Background
[sblock]The delegation to The Hague out of Noord from Rotterdam was once headed by Fredich Gaalmayer, a dwarf of status and an equal measure of kindness and loyalty to his staff, servants, clerks and various hangers-on. Chief among the hangers-on was Hugo Van Haan, a dwarf of some questionable reputation, worldly education and entertaining personality, who considered himself the chief councilor of a staff of councilors which included himself and no other.

Hugo served Gaalmayer for six years before the incident at The Hague court where Van Haan mentioned that, in an argument over state resource divisions, the delegation from Schiedam should take a surcharge or tax disadvantage for all the chlamydia spread throughout Europe by the otherwise-respected Clemet Van Schiedam. This was said while drunk, loudly and often that evening, once during dinner with an English duke, and at least once outside a brothel at noon the next day.

Oddly, the declaration outside the brothel was more of an issue than the same declaration at a state dinner. See, Hugo had followed Van Schiedam to the establishment of disreputables accompanied by the delegate’s wife, Marissa, who thought she was out shopping for fabrics.

Marissa was a Spanish noble married off to assist in the strengthening of diplomacy between the Netherlands and exclaimed that she was in such need of drapes to cover the windows in a drawing room where the drapes were simply awful and must have been at least two centuries old. Hugo, being the very man who set up trade of Egyptian cotton and French satin to a merchant inside the Hague, committed to obtaining the very finest the world could offer for Lady Marissa Van Schiedam. Yet the opportunity to disparage his rival presented itself to readily when he saw Van Schiedam’s carriage making its way customarily to the red-light district at the same time as Van Haan was on leave for fabric-shopping. A round-about route was in order, he explained to Marissa and company, and off they went.

Of course, Marissa was well aware of her husband’s visits to every brothel in Europe, the problem came when Marissa was exposed to the fact before her ladies in waiting. Now she had a duty to protect her reputation for King and country, for the sake of her good name, etc.

This caused problems for the court, as they now had a legal and moral duty to liquidate the arranged marriage between the two, furthering the cause of war between the Dutch and the Spanish and generally causing trouble for everyone.

Kind old Fredich Gaalmayer held Hugo as a close advisor for as long as he could, though his ‘chief councilor’ was banned from ever again accompanying him to The Hague. It was one late October when Gaalmayer made his own last journey to court. He returned in a black carriage and a casket, having died at the age of 112.

The new representative to the King and court immediately fired Hugo, and with his torrid reputation and lack of official title had no place to make a living. He made an offer to serve on a ship with an old friend who handled some of his more delicate communications, Jozef Van Der Nagel, seeking out adventure, fortune, and a meager living to feed his taste in jewelry, expensive clothes and beard wax.[/sblock]

Appearance
[sblock]Hugo Van Haan is ugly, even for a dwarf. His bulbous, red nose has seen at least two breaks, he’s short and pudgy, his red hair is styled in a garish mohawk (the style of New World natives), his mustache waxed and curled downward and his beard and fingers set with several brass rings. Scars line a side of his face and redden with his ruddy complexion. Green eyes that would normally be regarded as captivating only add to the numbered oddities in Hugo’s face.

Hugo adores fine clothes, stockings, ruffles and silks. Being on a ship persuades him not an inch into more utilitarian clothes.[/sblock]

Personality
[sblock]Despite his ugliness, Hugo is adored by nearly everyone he comes across. He is friendly, caring and attentive. He listens like a bartender and performs like a bard, adding a piece of music by lyre or viola which corresponds so perfectly with the needs of those he calls friends it seems nearly divine. He’s a natural friend and a devilish enemy.[/sblock]

Stats
[sblock]
Vitals
Hugo Van Haan
Male Dwarf
4th Level Bard of the College of Lore
Experience 2,700

Abilities
Str - 10 +0
Dex - 14 +2 [save]
Con - 14 +2
Int - 14 +2
Wis - 14 +2
Cha - 16 +3 [save]

Passive Perception 12

Skills
Deception - +5
Performance - +5
Persuasion - +5
History - +4
Sleight of Hand - +4
Stealth - +4
Arcana - +4
Jack of All Trades - Ability+1

Tools
Viola
Drum
Panflute

Combat
Rapier - +4, 1d8+2
Dagger- +4, 1d4+2

Features
Bardic Inspiration (d6)
Song of Rest (d6)
Expertise
Feat: Actor
Cutting Words (d6)


Languages
Dutch
English
Spanish
French

Equipment
Longsword
Leather Armor
Viola
Diplomat's Pack
Dagger

Spells
Cantrips Known
Friends
Message
Vicious Mockery


1st Level
Disguise Self
Comprehend Languages
Dissonant Whispers
Heroism


2nd Level
Detect Thoughts
Shatter
Enthrall


Flavor
Alignment - Chaotic Good
Background - Noble
Personality Trait - Hugo is adored by nearly everyone he comes across. He’s a natural friend and a devilish enemy. He is friendly, caring and attentive. He listens like a bartender and performs like a bard, adding a piece of music by lyre or viola which corresponds so perfectly with the needs of those he calls friends it seems nearly divine.Ideal - Independence
Bond - Gold, glory and Adventure
Flaw - By my words, I often bring shame to my family

Good Fortune - Contacts, Hugo has Dutch contacts among the nobility and throughout the Dutch colonies.
Ill Fortune - Enemy, Hugo has made an enemy of Clemet Van Schiedam, his wife, children and unnumbered Spaniards.
[/sblock]