This weekend I will begin a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with my 12 year old son and a few of his friends. This will be the first time running a campaign in a long time as well as their first time playing (mostly). Throw in the new 5th edition D&D ruleset, and you might be able to imagine how nervous I am. We will start out with the scenario in the D&D Starter Set, then I will probably move on to the Hoard Of The Dragon Queen and Rise Of Tiamat adventures as well as trying to insert a few side quests.
As the boys rolled their characters I helped craft their backstories, but the rest is up to them. How they play will be informed by their history, but like us all in real life, our future is what we make of it. I am playing the final character, sort of holding him for another player to drop in and take control of – especially since nobody chose to pick anything in the more “traditional” swordwielding type of classes.
The character images are shamelessly stolen from the character generator of the upcoming D&D game Sword Coast Legends. These are merely representational and not meant to be an indication of what the characters in our table-top game should look like.
Dwarven Cleric
Dain Orefist was visited by Moradin, the god of creation one night who said “Find my hammer!” The next day Dain visited the priest who was surprised as Moradin had not been heard from in quite some time. Upon telling his father Dain was surprised that there was some disbelief as well as wanting Dain to ignore the summons. Dain comes from a long line of blacksmiths, not just an honorable trade but a source of pride for dwarves. For generations the Orehammer family has forged weapons, taking years to make, many having entered battle in great wars. And now Dain wants to break away from this tradition and follow some voice in his head. Turning his back on his family and tradition, the son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a son of a blacksmith. While he gets to keep his name, there is shame in his chosen path, but one Dain feels he must follow. Leaving his family and former life behind, Dain apprenticed in the temple for a couple of years before Moradin came back to him as he slept. “Find my hammer!” The calling was more urgent so Dain left immediately for the nearest town. Neverwinter.
Human Rogue
Living in poverty Bëin grew up knowing how to steal, it is how the family ate. Bëin’s parents did what they had to do in order to survive. It is all they know. Bëin is good at what he does. Really good. So good in fact that he could find himself the head of a thief’s guild in a very short time if he wanted to go down that path. Instead Bëin wants to be a better person. He has a certain skillset that may be frowned upon in most circles, but it is what he knows how to do. The question is if Bëin can fight the natural (and learned) instincts of self-preservation and instead put his skills to a better use. Leaving home he struck out on his own only to find that it is more difficult to make an “honest” living than initially thought. Maybe a change in location would help. So Bëin moved to Neverwinter where he ran into somebody looking for some help.
Half-Elf Wizard
This character was previously generated and used in a 4th edition D&D campaign, and only made it to 2nd level. I decided to allow this character to enter this campaign, but needed a reason for him to be here.
Noran was adventuring with his party when the world changed. Around him. Literally. Or was he hit by lightning? Something happened and he isn’t sure what it was. Did he move in time or location? The land is familiar but very much not the same. Magic works differently now. Some of the spells Noran knew work very differently now. Not necessarily more or less powerful, just different. And the gold pieces Noran had didn’t make the trip to wherever (or whenever) went to. His owl familiar, which wasn’t summoned when the event occurred, did not cross over as well. At least all of Noran’s clothes did. Noran wound up having to sell some of his equipment in order to pay for a meal and a bed. Well, after a couple of days walk since he just appeared in the middle of a field. Now in Neverwinter, a city that is at once familiar yet very different from the last time Noran visited, an opportunity presented itself to gain back a few of those lost gold pieces.
Elf Ranger
“It is time.” Kara knew it was, and he was anxious to get started. He had been training for this these last 20 years. The basics were there, and now it was time to put them into practice. A rite of passage, a coming of age ritual, Kara would need to survive on his own, alone in the woods, for a year then return to his clan. Upon returning Kara would receive his adult name. A couple of weeks into his year Kara smelled food cooking and wandered into town. The pub had a good stew, decent ale, and somebody looking to hire some help.
Human Fighter
Some people are born into greatness. Some have greatness thrust upon them. Others stumble into it. Then there is Ramm who needs to earn money to survive. He is kind of handy with a sword.
At least not wholly incompetent.