[The One Ring] The Marsh Bell: Character Creation

I'll go with the hauberk, helm, and my great axe. Since my great axe is two-handed, I don't think I'll bother with a shield.

WD, any ideas on our dwarves backgrounds? We could be of the younger generation who grew up in exile (like Fili and Kili) come back to rebuild the Lonely Mountain.
 

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@FourMonos , have you thought of a background for your character yet? Most of the background I chose, including the name, just fit really well for the characters traits. I'm open to changing most of it, if we come up with a great concept. What are your thoughts?

@Iron Sky I like the idea of each subgroup in the party having hidden backgrounds. It may be a little more difficult up front, but could lead to some really good RP.

@JoeNotCharles Can I have a pony? Please?
EDIT: May I please have a Sickle for a dagger?



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Just brainstorming; maybe the pony, the pipe-weed, and the seeds Hobnob is traveling with, are "borrowed". Hobnob intends to pay his father back, with interest, once he establishes business in the Wilderlands.

Thoughts?

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Elf: the issue being that I'm playing an elf in HM's Age of Worms game, and I worry it'd be the same character twice (granted, that one is an eldritch knight who hates undead, but still a warrior elf).
On the pro side, other than the plot buy in, he'd have access to lore of the elves, like what I'm reading in the Silmarillion right now, and that could be lots of fun. And wood elves are significantly different from Greyhawk elves.

Hobbit: Really leaning hard towards this one, specifically because this is the only sort of game I could be one in! Halflings in D&D just don't cut it for me, mostly because now they're short angry people. Storytelling, smoking and Riddling sound like a fun combination!
Con: would three Hobbits hamper combat?

Man: The only con is that I can play a human in any setting. Barding could be fun, but are they just humans who are less-good at crafting than dwarves? Beornling, also fun, but the bear form doesn't seem to be as accessible as I'd want it to be (no carrying hobbits on my back). Woodsman has the cool Radagast link, and I would love to play a Gandalf-type character (knowledgeable pilgrim wise to lore and the woods); maybe a pupil of Radagast, on a mission to learn what's up in the world?

Let me sleep on it.

I'd ask what roles are needed, but I also like the idea of jumping in.

JNC: do you have a plot-role you need covered? Like scholar of lore, a hobbit cook/storyteller/innkeeper of the Green Dragon? Or someone affiliated with a particular patron, like Radagast? (I could see a wood elf doing that as well as a woodsman)
 

@JoeNotCharles Can I have a pony? Please?
EDIT: May I please have a Sickle for a dagger?

You may have had a pony when you arrived in Lake-town, but alas, it sickened and died. Or merely was lamed. The long journey from the Shire was too much for it...

Yes, you can retheme any of the weapons to anything reasonable.

Con: would three Hobbits hamper combat?

With 7 players, I'm already having to increase the encounter difficulty a lot. If you have lots of non-combat characters, I just won't increase it as much.

Man: The only con is that I can play a human in any setting. Barding could be fun, but are they just humans who are less-good at crafting than dwarves?

Bardings are nobility, cast down by the dragon and living as poor fishermen until their fortunes were restored by the dragon's fall. Now they are quickly rebuilding their heritage and making their kingdom grow again. They have a mix of bitterness at their losses and pride at their heritage. They're the buffer between the Dwarves and the Elves, having gained the friendship of both, but that also means they need to carefully balance between the two factions. They're making a fortune from trade, which sometimes undermines their noble intentions. They're somewhat similar to the Rangers (once kings who spent a period in exile and are now being restored), somewhat similar to Gondor (a human city of noble bloodline), and partly their own thing. They're not just dwarves-light, they're an interesting faction in their own right.

Also they get one of the cooler Virtues, Woeful Foresight - following Smaug's destruction of their city, some of the Bardings became sensitive to coming disaster, and can foresee looming catastrophe. (Which makes me think of Wormtongue: "Lathspell, I name you: Ill-News. And ill news is an ill guest.")

JNC: do you have a plot-role you need covered? Like scholar of lore, a hobbit cook/storyteller/innkeeper of the Green Dragon? Or someone affiliated with a particular patron, like Radagast? (I could see a wood elf doing that as well as a woodsman)

Basically what I need is for everyone to have a reason to accept a mission from the Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain. The 3 dwarves are covered; any Barding is close enough to them that they'd have a reason to help the dwarves out. The Elves are toughest, because they're supposed to be insular and suspicious of dwarves, but I've got an idea on how to fit them in already. For hobbits and other men, it depends on why exactly they're in Lake-town, but the reason will probably be "seeking adventure, or knowledge, or fortune", and any of these would give them a reason to jump in when they find out there's a quest that needs doing. Or they could already be friends of the group of dwarven PC's so they can just join them out of friendship.
 

Okay, I did make some changes to my hobbit. Still a treasure seeker.

Name: Riggins Magby Culture: Hobbit of the Shire Standard of Living: Prosperous
Cultural blessing: Hobbit-sense Calling: Treasure-Hunter Shadow weakness: Dragon-sickness
Specialties: Smoking, Story-telling, Burglary
Distinctive features: Curious, True-hearted
Body: 3 Heart: 7 Wits: 4
Body (favoured): 5 Heart (favoured): 8 Wits (favoured): 7
-Common Skills-
  • Awe: 0 Inspire: 0 Persuade: 2
  • Athletics: 1 Travel: 2 Stealth: 3
  • Awareness: 2 Insight: 1 Search: 2
  • Explore: 1 Healing: 0 Hunting: 0
  • Song: 2 Courtesy: 3 Riddle: 2
  • Craft: 0 Battle: 1 Lore: 1
-Weapon Skills-
  • Short sword: 2 damage: 5 edge: 10 injury: 14 enc: 1
  • Bow: 2 damage: 5 edge: 10 injury: 14 enc: 1
  • Dagger: 1 damage: 3 edge: G injury: 12 enc: 0
  • Missing:localizeKey: 0
-Virtues-:
-Rewards-: Bow of the North Downs
-Gear-
  • Leather corslet enc: 8
  • Cap of iron and leather enc: 2
  • Buckler enc: 1
Endurance: 23 Starting Endurance: 23 Fatigue: 13 Hope: 19 Starting Hope: 19 Shadow: 0 Armour: 0 Headgear: 0 Parry: 4 Shield: 0 Damage: 0 Ranged: 0 Wisdom: 1 Valour: 2 Experience: 0 Total Experience: 0
 

Well I'm pretty set on my dwarf, still to decide if mattok or axe and shield. Will figure out that later.
As for background, I was thinking Kurin could be a lone wandering dwarf, travelling from town to town as his skills in stone and metal craft are very appreciated. Not sure if the other dwarves want to link backgrounds with him, or just "meet" him along the way. Or I could have linked background with any of the other characters. (Crazy we don't have no men... )
 


I think I will go with mattock, as axes cannot be favored, it seems.

...

WD, any ideas on our dwarves backgrounds? We could be of the younger generation who grew up in exile (like Fili and Kili) come back to rebuild the Lonely Mountain.

Any suggestion regarding the orc-event that caused us to become 'Slayers' with an orc focus?
 

Okay, I couldn't get on last night to post the characters I'd opted to make.

WD: The battle of Five Armies sounds like a good enough event, if you ask me.


I have two characters: one is the elf, the other is a Woodsman apprentice of Radagast. I'll post them both here.

Either one will have been at the battle of five armies, and in fact would have been involved with the razing of Dol Guldur and the Necromancer (obviously not directly, but with the other woodsmen and wood elves) which happened just before the battle (thus Gandalf being late to the mountain and just in time for the battle).

I'm tempted to go Spider Slayer myself, but I think I'll go Orc Slayer for either of them.

Name: Vardolas Culture: Elf of Mirkwood Standard of Living: Martial
Cultural blessing: Folk of the Dusk Calling: Slayer Shadow weakness: Curse of Vengeance
Specialties: Elven-lore, Mirkwood-lore, Orc-lore
Distinctive features: Fair, Swift
Body: 4 Heart: 4 Wits: 6
Body (favoured): 7 Heart (favoured): 6 Wits (favoured): 7
-Common Skills-
  • Awe: 2 Inspire: 0 Persuade: 1
  • Athletics: 3 Travel: 1 Stealth: 2
  • Awareness: 2 Insight: 1 Search: 0
  • Explore: 0 Healing: 1 Hunting: 1
  • Song: 2 Courtesy: 0 Riddle: 1
  • Craft: 0 Battle: 2 Lore: 3
-Weapon Skills-
  • Bow: 3 damage: 5 edge: 10 injury: 14 enc: 1
  • Sword: 1 damage: 5 edge: 10 injury: 16 enc: 2
  • Dagger: 1 damage: 3 edge: G injury: 12 enc: 0
  • Missing:localizeKey: 0
-Virtues-: Wood-elf Magic
-Rewards-:
-Gear-Endurance: 26 Starting Endurance: 26 Fatigue: 3 Hope: 12 Starting Hope: 12 Shadow: 0 Armour: 0 Headgear: 0 Parry: 6 Shield: 0 Damage: 0 Ranged: 0 Wisdom: 2 Valour: 1 Experience: 0 Total Experience: 0


Name: Olorin of Mirkwood Culture: Woodman of Wilderland Standard of Living: Frugal
Cultural blessing: Woodcrafty Calling: Slayer Shadow weakness: Curse of Vengeance
Specialties: Herb-lore, Mirkwood-lore, Orc-lore
Distinctive features: Cunning, Patient
Body: 3 Heart: 5 Wits: 6
Body (favoured): 6 Heart (favoured): 7 Wits (favoured): 7
-Common Skills-
  • Awe: 0 Inspire: 1 Persuade: 1
  • Athletics: 2 Travel: 1 Stealth: 2
  • Awareness: 2 Insight: 1 Search: 0
  • Explore: 3 Healing: 3 Hunting: 2
  • Song: 2 Courtesy: 0 Riddle: 2
  • Craft: 1 Battle: 1 Lore: 2
-Weapon Skills-
  • (Bows): 2
  • Long-hafted axe: 1 damage: 5/7 edge: G injury: 18/20 enc: 3
  • Dagger: 1 damage: 3 edge: G injury: 12 enc: 0
  • Missing:localizeKey: 0
-Virtues-: Herbal Remedies
-Rewards-:
-Gear-Endurance: 25 Starting Endurance: 25 Fatigue: 3 Hope: 15 Starting Hope: 15 Shadow: 0 Armour: 0 Headgear: 0 Parry: 6 Shield: 0 Damage: 0 Ranged: 0 Wisdom: 2 Valour: 1 Experience: 0 Total Experience: 0


I'd like to go Woodsman, but can do the elf.
 

I'm going out of town for two days - when I'm back I'll take stock and see if we're still waiting for any last character updates before we start.

Er. I mean, when I get back I'll explain about Fellowship, and THEN we'll start.
 

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