#Dragonborn are one my favorite player races

[strayheartless]

DnD AGSZC. You know you have HCs. Sharing is caring.

oh well, twist my arm why don'tcha!

So to start, Sephiroth is one of THOSE players. You know the ones: makes broken characters that seemingly can do anything by level five; consistently has a rather depressing backstory that drives their character to be a dick to everyone for the sake of "roleplay". one of THOSE PLAYERS (see also: the Chocobro... or as Salty has pointed out to me, the Genebro.)

Likes to dable with his Characters. Though his favorite remains his Dragonborn Oathbraker Paladin, named Azriel who turned on the party in one paticular campaign to join forces with a powerful female Dragonborn Litch... I don't thing I really need to tell you why.

Angeals a pain because he wants to play "correctly". he's not competative but heis a rulebook warrior. Cloud has banned the Player's handbook from the table for this very reason. Angeal complains about "house rules" and the "rule of fun" all the time, even while activly enjoing the game. He's a pain.

He usually plays a Paladine and his drive for adventure is always "to avenge/ make his father proud. he once pushed the boat out at Clouds behest and broke his oath, and it didn't go... Well. to put it lightly everyone at the table cried (esspecially Zack) and Angeal had to make a new character.

Genesis is predictable to the point of hilarity. always a Bard or a Warlock. Always a Tiefling. Always gender ambiguous. if the games not starting withthe party finding Gen drunk and bemoning exsistence in a tavern then are they really playing DnD? He will always be playing a College of Tragedy bard (Thank you Matthew Mercer.) He's never pushed the boat out once in all the time they've played and if he can squeeze a loveless Quote in where he can he's gunna do it.

Genesis is however the table flirt and the Horny player. he's rolling to seduce the dragon. Cloud has Vowed never to let them play Curse of Strahd... EVER.

Zack is never predictable in his Character build. In the beginning he went similar to Angeal except a human young fighter with dreams of being a hero, But now he likes to dabble with his classes sometimes and mess around in terms of race. Cloud likes Zacks approach to DnD cause it keeps him on his toes.

His Favorite build thus far is his Halfling Rough/Monk multiclass he based off of a little girl he met in Wutai (you know who.).

When Kunsels Available to play he plays as a College of Lore Bard. He knows everything and Cloud is pretty sure He's been spying on his notes between games.

They are all suprisingly big on Roleplay which is fine by cloud cause it makes his job more fun. He's made them cry multiple times with his storylines, and His NPC voices are unparalelled. concidering he's not expressive in his day to day, he comes alive as DM.

There has been some massive in jokes that make other people question if they are sane or not. things like all the boys mimicing Clouds voice yelling "DON'T FUCK THE DRAGON!" everytime they gointo monster dens. Or looking Angeal up and Down and saying "I don't have the hit points to clinb you like a tree," .

Genesis begs Cloud to make a LOVELESS based Campaign... Cloud doesn't want to admit he already has one, hes just afraid Gen will pick holes in it.

Zack is a bastard for casting Fireball when he doesn't have the hit points to survive his own spell. the one time he played a wizard he cast it, did 39 points of damage and only JUST survived by one singular hit point.

Kunsel has the magic touch where dice are concerned. He constantly rolls consistently high rolls.

Cloud is absoloutly sure Sephiroth uses loaded dice. but he can't prove it.

Angeal always seems to end up getting attacked by mimics. doesn'tmatter how many times it happens, he always has too much trust in everyday objects.

#ffvii #cloud strife #genesis rhapsodos #zack fair #angeal hewley #sephiroth #crisis core #ff7 #dungeons and dragons #DnD AU #agszc #platonic or romantic #agszc headcanon

[githkisser]

What's your favorite dialogue you've written for her? Also if you're comfortable sharing it, what exactly does she HAVE to say about each race? I thought that aspect of her was very interesting (definitely not because I just want to know what she says to tiefs😳)

My favorite lines are uhh a handful from her barks and remarks

Selected — If it doesn't fit, force it. If it breaks, it needed to be replaced anyway.

Lockpicking — We should just break it.

Playing fetch (lazy) — Hm... Loafing beast. Kaoulgrim prove far more obedient.

Can't fit into a small hole —Won't work. I should acquire myself a dwarf, or a gnome. A goblin would do, yes. Far more endearing than the other two choices as well... Hm?

I also really like this interaction with Lae'zel if she hasn't slept with anyone in camp.

LAE’ZEL>: You have this fury inside of you. You have not pushed the burden onto anyone yet. Does nobody we travel with catch your eye?

H'RAYN>: None of these istik we travel with could handle the task that is satiating me. They might not see the next day.

H'RAYN>: Gale would whither, Wyll would crumble beneath my commands, Karlach's mind would collapse.

H'RAYN>: The half breed… She may survive just long enough to please me. Astarion as well… 

H'RAYN>: Curious. Do you wish me to push it onto you?

[Note]: The comment about Karlach's mind collapsing is because in her scene, she uses the tadpole to dominate the will of her partner 😞. This results in the player having to roll a DC15 saving throw and two passive DC18 skill checks. If they pass all of them, they will get the "Roughshod" status, which permanently adds a +1 to constitution saving throws. If you fail them, all the player will receive the status "surrendered". This status gives the player a -1 to saving throws against aberrations. Both statuses will be null if the player has acquired a false eye from Auntie Ethel or Volo. Failing only one will give nothing.

For the race thing,, erm I actually have dialogue for that too...🥺 these asks take me forever to reply to bc I have to organize it all.

[Note]: Thread of dialogue is available after the line “These creatures are taken advantage of for their low intelligence. I almost feel bad for them. Tools to a cause they don't understand” is triggered via passing the investigation check just before the goblin camp.

TAV:> Well what do you think of my kind?

[Human/half elf/elf]

H’RAYN>: There are plenty of your kind to go around, and the plenty are weak enough to become the mass of ghaik incubators. That they enthrall your kind more than the others is a statement in and of itself.

[Half-Orc]

H'RAYN>: Yak. Strong. Capable. Formidable in battle, high endurance, and durable. There is something about your face… that irks me.

[Dwarf/gnome]

H'RAYN>: Did the domesticated goblin just ask me what I think about their kind? Too precious. If you are ever in need of arms to lift you to the highest shelf, call my name. I know how oft you puny ones need helping and saving.

[Dragonborn]

H'RAYN>: Your silhouettes are broad and attractive, yes, great for battle, and perfect for the latching onto, and when your kind walk, they sway their head like a tease. But your kind prove far too reluctant to breed with one another. Or could it be that your kind simply do not find their own attractive?

[Tiefling]

H'RAYN>: Much like the lizards, your kind have an attractive silhouette, with horns to grab like reigns and tails for the pulling ... And those hellish ridges seem prime for a bump and grind... But all I have seen is fast hands used for thievery, slick lying tongues, and soft feet like rats. I wonder, would you prove me wrong?

[Note]: for both Dragonborn and tiefling (only if high approval), H'rayn will stride around them once and tug their tail. If the player is a tiefling, she will gingerly tap one of their horns. For a dragonborn, she will touch the scales on their shoulder.

Bonus narrator blurb 👀

[DRAGONBORN/TIEFLING]:NARRATOR>: There is a hunger deep within her eyes when she looks at you, holds your gaze, and measures you up. She's pent up. Had she less dignity, she would be salivating at the thought of taking you now and desecrating your body. Right in front of everybody, privacy be damned.

#hrayn posting #bg3 oc #oc #oc ask #she might be a little insane

[themetaisfutile]

What's your most favourite class and race to play? Why? Least favourite? Why?

This answer is long so buckle up! Each TMiF member got to answer this!

CptTritium: My favorite is Pathfinder Paladin. I liked Paladins pre-3.5e because I like playing with restrictions, because paladins in pre-3.5e you had to be lawful good and live under the pact of a higher power which is really important considering the historical meaning behind the term. I like the idea of a holy warrior. I'm tempted to say gnome is my favorite race because… Well (group laughter). Honestly though all my favorite races and classes are the ones in the SRD, because I like playing in those constraints. Least favorite: (thinking) They all have their place, but I don't know, insert College of Creation Bard here? (laughter) For context the first time we played Curse of Strahd, Jade played a Creation Bard and killed Strahd with a bunch of books. Oh you know my least favorite race? The Ardlings from D&DOne or whatever they're calling it. Just make Aasimar better, don't just give them animal heads. I don't actually have super strong feelings about it though.

RosexKnight: My favorite class is Warlock, even though I'm not playing many in our games because I was trying to avoid doing my whole thing! (laughs) And the only one I WAS playing, died! Hilariously enough my favorite race is tieflings. I just really like them for their diversity in appearance. Least favorite: My least favorite subclass is the alchemist artificer because it could have been SO MUCH BETTER! And it's not! Compared to the other artificer subclasses. It's a decent enough support class becase you get some bonuses to healing, or when you do damage that's fire, acid, or poison.

Jademod: Favorite: Fighters and Rogues are both good for multiclassing, that's why I like them. One or two levels gives some fun variety and they have a good variety of subclasses if you go three levels. I'd thought wizard was my most played class but both times I've played wizard with this group it was a wizard/fighter because I'm a sucker for melee-based casters! (laughs) Least favorite: That's… A hard one. Maybe druid? I dunno I think they're cool, and I've played them and I will play them, but it depends. And (sorry Zen but) Ranger? I don't think they're bad I just don't like a lot of the ranger spells as much as other classes' spells. I don't DISlike the class it's just not my favorite class. I have played and will play ranger!

Ry: I gotta say my favorite race has gotta be dragonborn, because I'm playing Dungeons&DRAGONS and there's going to be an effing DRAGON. They're just fun because breath weapons are dope; you can have a direct line of fire or a giant cone. You turn your breath into a public service announcement! Class is where it gets tricky, because there's a lot of really interesting capabilities. Bard is a fantastic class because you can get really creative. But there's something about Barbarians, I've come to find, as a phenomenally fun class to run solo or mix in. No spells or anything, I just get mad and swing my axe or sword and it's that easy. But I am having fun playing warlock; get to use the best cantrip in the world, Toll the Dead! Eldritch blast is great but Toll the Dead has been fantastic. Least favorite: Monk. It's a good class, but for a class that's just for punching things it's just way too complex. It's just the one I like least. It's the getting going with them, and there's so much to manage.

Bluebrush09: I have mostly rogues, fighters, and wizards, and mostly humans for played characters. But I don't branch out much 'cause I don't really look at builds to play. Just go with whatever is character-fitting since most of mine are pre-existing.

ZenAquaria: My favorite class is the Cleric! Partially because that's the class I started with in the first CoS run with Spooks, my little grave cleric! I am a support player by nature, and the cleric has a lot to offer in that regard. Depending on your domain, you can be a frontliner, a back-of-the-pack support, a healer, crowd control; there's a lot of options. And I really enjoy multiclassing the cleric! Because they really can! (laughter) When it comes to race I don't really have a favorite either, that I've played? Which means I don't have a least fave either! But if you were to look at my collection of characters I've not yet run, that answer would lie with the drow, just by virtue of most numerous. I do really love the owlin though, because heyo, Spooks! Least favorite: As far as least favorite class goes, Iiiii… have not played the same subclass twice so that's really hard for me to pick because I haven't found one I just, did not like. I will say I do not appreciate how they have shorted the Beastmaster Ranger in costing them their action to command their pet, unless you have the Primal Spirit companion from Tasha's.

#d&d #dnd #dungeons and dragons #ttrpg #tmif answers #answered asks #anon

[kommissarkartofelov]

ACHTUNG: AUTISTIC VIDYA GAEM WAIFU MAKING maybe i should continue more since i am in a textually ranty mood right now if a game gives the player the ability make their own character, my litmus test for if its a good one is if i'm able to make a sufficiently cool/cute tomboy no bias

guess i'll start with my favorite one i've made, a half orc in skay rim named her amba after watching dersu uzala since i figured that thematically the orcs in the elder scrolls games follow the tolkien derived tradtion of orcs being based on mongorians n other eastern godless savages so i guess the name of the Nanai tiger god is sufficiently oriental enough.

gave her a sorta "vulnerable badass" vibe depending on facial expression n camera angle honestly once one has had their fill of the gameplay skyrim is a good gravure game

man i love kijiko's toyger hair, bless those who ported it from sims 3 to the various bethesda games

her previous incarnation, named her kei because i am a filthy weeb liked to (and still do) use it as a more or less placeholder name

felt that i strayed too far from what can be considered "lore friendly" with her design, having human colored skin and eyes. changed character editor mods from ECE to Racemenu. ECE has much more control over the sliders, freedom is good but freedom also has its price. and so i made a spiritual successor in amba.

surprisingly, at least to me she doesn't look that bad or even better with the vanilla face/body textures. also did finally beat the main quest while playing as her so by the time i made amba there wasn't much of a point to actually playing the game

i guess still talking about skoirom why an orc/half-orc? the challenge. it's too easy with the plethora of over a decade of mods and coom glopping to make one of the human or even elven races purdy

like yeah she's cute n all but just had to fiddle with the right sliders n get the right textures speaking of elves and challenge

wanted to try retaining the ayylmaoness of TES's elves

also mashed together various mod n dragonborn dlc meshes to make a stalkery outfit, prominently the excellent wayfarer outfit n the mask from the westwind assault armor, can't remember where i got the goggles though, might be either a dwemer one or from the wet and cold series of mods

also made a feral snelf because why not was lurking /tesg/ and snelfs were prominent at that time so i wanted to put my own twist on one

i love that racemenu gives the ability to vertex edit the individual headparts, especially the teeth

fuck this is getting long, gonna make a pt 3 of this quasi series on characters i made in the 3d fallout games, abandon hope ye who enter

[critfailsandfairytales]

This is a long term homebrew campaign spanning levels 1-20

D&D 5e

$25 per session

Sundays at Noon EST/11 AM Central

Foundry/Discord

My campaigns are very character-focused, roleplay-heavy, and feature a decent amount of custom content from magic items to races.

This campaign will start with session 0s for each character followed by a second round of session 0s featuring pairs of players as the party slowly meets. (these sessions are free) After completing these everyone will have reached level 3 for session 1.

4-hour sessions plus post-session hang/discussion afterward

Slots: 3-4 slots open

Current Players:

Astral Elf Cleric

Dragonborn Sorcerer

Barbarian/Monk Human

My sessions feature music, ambiance, 3D maps, interactive menus, and more through Foundry.

All sessions are online and require Discord and a browser for Foundry. If you have a system that cannot support the 3D maps, there will be pictures of the maps during combat in Discord.

I'm pretty lenient with character creation and I encourage uniqueness! I allow most official Wizards content and homebrew as long as it seems balanced. If I feel something you created isn't balanced I will work with you to make it balanced so you can still play the way you want no matter what content you are using! Whether it’s a homebrew campaign or a module I will center the story around player characters and integrate their backgrounds into the story.

I like challenging my players while ensuring the sessions feel fun and balanced. New players are welcome! I can help you learn the game no matter how little experience you have!

If you are interested in playing please contact me on Discord with info on your character and D&D experience!

charliesuits

https://discord.gg/cTZhRHqJ64

About me

Age: 27

I've been dungeon-mastering homebrew campaigns and modules for around 5-6 years. I grew up reading tons of fiction and immersing myself in everything from story-driven RPGs to puzzle/card games of all kinds. As soon as I was exposed to D&D I was obsessed and It's one of my favorite games!

I currently run 2 other campaigns throughout the week along with random one shots from time to time.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me on discord!

I also work with a character artist to make custom tokens for players at a reduced cost if you are playing in my sessions!

Custom artwork can be provided upon request by @_honeycup

#d&d 5e #homebrew #dnd campaign #roleplay #dnd lfg #lfp

[raggydraws]

What do you think of 🐺🔥🌋, which is also wolf, fire, volcano

Oooo immediately thinking of a Dragonborn or a Genasi. A red/gold Dragonborn or if you wanna push it, a black Dragonborn who's acid breathe is more like poisonous volcanic ash plumes? For the Genasi, fire obviously (but you could also stretch it a little with an earth Genasi), but more resembling a volcano with black skin with Lava cracks and long, flowing magma hair? Or perhaps a Genasi who runs a little hotter and their flames burn blue instead? Which ever you'd like anon!

The volcano makes me think blacksmith but the wolf makes me think outlander or ranger, but I think a blacksmith would be very interesting even if it is kind of obvious for a fire based player character. But that dose leave the class open, blacksmith makes me think of someone who made their armour or weapons but that doesn't really incorporate the wolf in anyway.

I think the classes that would best fit would be the Knight (as a class, not the background) because at lv1 you can spend 8 hours bonding with your 'favored mount' and it can be a dire wolf so long as it's at least a size class larger than you are. As a knight you could have them as a blacksmith who was shipped out to war, possibly just from being the eligible age or just from not being able to keep up with the other blacksmiths. They can either desert and join their adventuring party to escape the war or they can be a lone survivor of a battle and join the party to get back home and relay the news back to their kingdom. Or you can have them as a knight who is just sent out to do a lot of odd tasks and meets their adventuring party along the way, whichever you prefer. If you go with a deserter, you can make them an egotistical coward or maybe an ashamed washout, I could see the Genasi purposefully burning low to keep any attention away from them only to get really 'fired' up in battle. Hehe. If you go with a lone survivor, they probably have PTSD from it and will be very hard to through to at first but eventually open up and become very protective of their party, possibly falling into the 'sacrifice yourself to protect your friends' trope, which isn't a bad thing but can be an abrupt arc ender. Or you can be a knight sent out on ridiculous task after task who's getting fed up being bossed around with barely any pay or recognition, and you could possibly have the noble they work for in the party as well for interesting character interactions!

Another class I think would fit is the Artificer, again playing into the building things with your hands and creation, plus if you and your dm agree they can also have a proficiency in firearms and that can perhaps play out in your backstory! Like, your blacksmith pulls a Percy de Rolo and accidentally invents guns and are on the run trying to keep it out of the wrong hands or they're trying to perfect their design before they paton it. You call your firearms "The Wolves of the Mountain" or something along those lines to keep thhe wolf motif as well! Also a big Ole Dragonborn being very careful with their hands and creating intricate machinery sounds really cool and can play into their personality as well. Big, burly and kind of scary looking but kind and eccentric, gentle and precise with their hands. Probably a big Ole softy with a pension for shooting people on sight cause they're excited about their new toys and can't help themselves.

And finally, a Beast Wrangler Ranger is the finally class I think would fit, you can have a dire wolf companion and still have the blacksmith background in the form of making your own bows and arrows, and making your own armour as well! Plus your favored terrain could be mountains, volcanic or otherwise. Although I think this one might not as interesting just from this little drabble, you could make the ranger and their wolf the lone survivors of a volcanic eruption and now they go around the world to warn others of impending doom from unsuspecting mountains. This could be a hardier character, possibly one who's very familiar how cruel nature can be but still hopeful that they can help other people, plus they're probably a dog person!

Name: Sometimes along the lines of Forge, Kinder, or Spark something that's not a regular name but feels like someone who works with fire and metal. Or you can name them after a famous Volcano or Lupus/Lupin for more wolf imagery.

Race: Dragonborn (Red, Gold or Black) or Genasi (Fire or Earth)

Class: Knight (Order of Honor best fits I thinks), Artificer (Either Battle Smith or Forge Adept) or Ranger (Beast Wrangler)

Background: Blacksmith

(Also I'll be linking the Knight as a class and the blacksmith background in the replies of this post in case you want to acutal build these characters!)

#i hope you like them! #i think they sounds really cool honestly #Dragonborn are one my favorite player races #y'all would be....either disappointed or amused with how many tieflings i have #hehe #dnd #dnd prompt #dnd character #rambling raggy #ask #asked and answered

[tehjleck]

Seeking a few new players!

I first posted a message along these lines in Nov '20. I was SUPER lucky and found an AWESOME player in [redacted] who is absolutely one of my newest favorite people. I'd also found a second player and was enjoying the story we were creating together, but life got in the way (I'm hoping it was that as opposed to plague) as I have not heard from them in over a year - if you happen to read this, you are welcome back anytime. Now - onto the present, I prepared this introduction thing to show to some potential new players and figured I'd post it here too in case there's anyone who is looking to play some 2nd ed Advanced Dungeons & Dragons... Specifically folks who would be interested in playing for a few hours on Saturday afternoons (EST).

I tried to be as concise as possible, but it's not exactly short.

I am the main content writer/creator for the game world we’ll be playing in, but I’m not the only one. So, when I use the term “we”, it’s not meant to be the “royal we”. It refers to my good friend and co-creator whom you will probably meet if we go forward with a game. We’ve been building this world since the late 90’s, and as protective of it as I am, I’m also excited to share it with new people.

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Table Rules

- First things first, I like to run “virtual tables” the way I ran my in-person tables in the pre-plague years. I have fond memories of a group of friends laughing, and having an awesome time together playing the greatest game ever made for hours on end. The tone was light-hearted most of the time, but we could get deadly serious at times. Thing is those in-person tables were usually groups of people I was already friends with, with people who were friends with each other - that earned trust allowed a certain level of good natured jokes being thrown back and forth. In the case of a “table” of strangers, I must stress the simple (and unyielding) first rule at my table:

* Respect your fellow humans *

I’m willing to guess that (all of you) would prefer to have a good time playing some D&D - but if there’s an asshole at the table, it’s harder for everyone else to do that. Remember - your comfort levels are your own and may not be shared (I’ll touch on this in the content section). So, please, with sugar on top, just don’t be that asshole. Treat your fellow humans with respect or your time at my table will be short.

** Putting it plainly - no bigotry of any kind will be tolerated. Not for the amount of melanin in ones’ skin, not for country of origin, not for who one loves, not for how one wishes to be addressed.

----------------------------------------------------------------

* House rules *

We play 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and yes, we have a plethora of house rules that we play with. Most of these have to do with character creation, and if we end up creating characters, we’ll go over them at that time.

There are other house rules that started as “rule of cool” type changes made in the moment, and just stuck. I’m happy to go over the way the 2nd edition rules work, and how (we believe) our house rules improve the game play (even if the reason is just, “easier for us”).

* Homebrew content *

We play with a LOT of homebrewed content. I’ve converted a number of races that were not originally found in 2ndedition (ex: Dragonborn). I’ve also edited and updated races & classes for use in our campaign world.

Again, I’m happy to discuss different homebrew content, why I made whatever ruling, etc… I am also willing to look over homebrew content from other sources, but I will reserve the right to make edits and alterations as I see fit for the setting.

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Content stuff

Standard game atmosphere would probably be rated R

* Adult Language: I cuss frequently and eloquently. If you’re an adult and that is a problem, I’m probably not the DM for you.

* related side note / General purpose statement - I’m far more comfortable playing with other adults. I’ve run games for young adults/teenagers before and frankly - it’s just too much work to be constantly censoring myself on the fly. So… young people, I am sorry, but I am not the DM for you (but do keep playing, because regardless of what edition you play - D&D is the greatest game ever made).

* Bigotry / Slavery: I use bigotry in my games for the same reason I use slavery - as narrative devices that give players clearly defined “Bad guys”. I understand that those are both sensitive topics, so if the idea of committing fantasy violence against bigots and slavers doesn’t appeal to you… I may not be the DM for you.

* Violence: Obviously if you’re attacking stuff with weapons there’s going to be wounds, broken bones and blood. Thanks to my love of horror movies, I can describe them in pretty graphic detail - if you’re not also a horror fan, we can discuss and find an acceptable level for you.

* If violence in fiction isn‘t your thing - perhaps D&D the isn’t ttrpg for you.

* Nudity: Nazi’s offend me far more than nipples ever will. Some (in-game) cultural groups may wear little to no clothing (it’s usually climate related). Even in those regions, the nudity is a flavor thing and not a focal point of my games. Bottom line, I can defer to your preference here.

* Relationships / Sexual Activity: Your character can date, marry, or participate in wild orgies … most or all of that will happen “off camera” / in downtime. If your pc wants to visit a special someone at the end of a hard day of adventuring, go right ahead, but we’ll fade to black for the evening’s “rest” and come back in the morning.

There are also brothels in the game world and your pc may visit them if they want. The brothel will have a variety of options on hand, and you may pick your pleasure(s). Again, we’ll fade to black while you enjoy your time and come back a while later.

---------------------------

Platform note - I had been using Zoom to host games, but we've since moved onto Discord to allow more players per game without a hard time limit.

#advanced dungeons & dragons #2e ad&d #ad&d 2e #ad&d #d&d #dnd #accepting new players #critters welcome

[farshores]

What mods do you have running for your games?

I'm just gonna share the ones i have in mind for Tei's games bcus I use Vortex's profile feature to make multiple modded playthroughs & that'll just go on forever sharing those lists lol

Note this is an SSE modlist (that gets a lil long) & doesn't represent the load order these mods are in. There's are 4 specific lists for mods I added for: followers, fun/flavor, for general bug fixes/QOL improvements, & the respective patches

also note that im kinda tired atm & also just lack braincells so if there's something wildly misspelled lmk so i can fix it asap lol

Alrighty here we goooooo

FOLLOWERS + FRAMEWORK

Extensible Follower Framework

Interesting NPCS

Lucifer - Argonian Custom Voiced Follower

Khash The Argonian (A Fully Custom Voiced Follower)

Scouts-Many-Marshes Improved

Inigo

Nebarra

Miraak - Dragonborn Follower SE

Kaidan 2

Lucien - Immersive Fully Voiced Male Follower

Auri - Song of the Green

Gladys the Corgi

FUN/FLAVOR/VANILLA+/WHATEVER CAUGHT MY EYE LIKE THE EASILY AMUSED FOOL I AM

SkyHUD

A Matter of Time

Fuz Ro D'oh

More Informative Console

Alternate Start Live Another Life

New Beginnings - Live Another Life Extension SSE

Simple Follower Sandbox

Pronouns

Classic Classes and Birthsigns (Reimagined) _ Racial Levelling addon

Experience

Optional Starting Spells

SUNS - Season Unending Neutral Stance

Campfire

Simply Rest Anywhere

Immersive Movement

True Storms Special Edition

Supreme Rainstorms SE

Supreme Blizzards SE

Wet and Cold

iNeed [Will be replacing with Last Seed - Primary Needs]

Touring Carriages

Simply No Fast Travel

Weighted - A Compatible Item Weight Mod

Civil War Aftermath SE

Civil War Neutrality SSE

Diverse Skyrim SSE

Hearthfire Multiple Adoptions and Custom Home Support SE

Forgotten Magic Redone

Mysticism Spells for NPCS (high level + spells for spellcasters files)

Mysticism - A Magic Overhaul

Adamant - A Perk Overhaul

Arena - An Encounter Zone Overhaul + Harder Easy Spawns optional file

Apothecary - An Alchemy Overhaul + Food and Drink Addon

Apothecary - Instant Restore Potions (separate mod someone made to undo the recovery time change Apothecary added to potions)

Pantheon - Worship and Prayer

Pilgrim - A Religion Overhaul (NOTE: THE HIRCINE SHRINES WILL NOT WORK IF YOU HAVE HUNTERBORN ENABLED! IF YOU WANT HIRCINES BLESSING - GET IT FIRST THEN ADD ON HUNTERBORN)

Blade and Blunt - A Combat Overhaul

Incremental Injuries

Strike Obstruction Systems - Combat Blocking Overhaul

Leviathan Animations...All of em

Manbeast - A Werewolf Overhaul

Canis Hysteria

Diverse Werewolves Collection

Diverse Werewolves Collection - Player Replacer

Werewolf Feral Beast Run - Faster Werewolves

Simple Werewolf Favorite Howls Menu

Unlimited Werewolf Transformations

Werewolf Loot and Activate

Bigger Tails for Werewolves

Hypertrichosis - Alpha Extra Gore Edition-

Hircine Restoration Project

Mundus - A Standing Stone Overhaul

Aetherius - A Race Overhaul

Dragonborn - Shouts Perk Tree + portable optional file

Dragon War - A Dragon Overhaul + Variants Optional File

Forceful Tongue - Shouts Overhaul

Sil Gahrot - Improved Shout Learning

Dragon Combat Overhaul UPGRADED BABY YEAH

Aurbic Alduin

Talkative Dragons

Enigma Series -AIO-

Play as a Dragon

Sets of Skill - A Skyrim Class Mod

You Are Not a Novice - High Level Start (To be soon added)!

TK Dodge SE

TK Hitstop SE

Ultimate Combat SE

True Directional Movement

True Directional Movement - Tail Behavior Fix

Better Jumping SE

d13 Faster Get Up Stand Up SSE

Immersive Armors SSE

Immersive Weapons

Practical Female Armors SE

Redguard Noble Armor

Signature Equipment

Bandolier Bags and Pouches Classic SE

Guard Dialogue Overhaul SE

Immersive Patrols SE

Immersive Citizens - AI Overhaul

Immersive College of Winterhold

Better ICW Map

Convenient Horses

RaceMenu

Racial Body Morphs

Bodyslide and Outfite Studio

CBBE

CBBE Rugged Preset

Pride of Valhalla CBBE

HIMBO (quick note: you don't need the NSFW mods in the requirements list! If you're messing around w/ mods of that nature it's required but if not, it's safe to just up n download the file - just use the underwear options when batch building)

Vanilla Warpaints Absolution

Authentic Eyes

BeastHHBB + Immersive Encounters file + Kharjo alt file

Beast Race Bodypaints SE

Forgotten Argonian Roots (FAR)

Horns Are Forever SE

Argonian Improvement Horns SSE

Digitigrade Beast Races for Skyrim SE

Better Claws and Gauntlets SSE

BAT - Bigger Argonian Tails

Tail Armors

Interesting Beasts and Beards to Find Them

Dominions More Argonians

Adoptable Argonian Hatchling Chases Starlight SSE

My Little Hatchling Ram-Ku

Cyb's Interesting Natural People NPCs SE -3DNPC-

Real Bosses

EVE - Arvak Burning Hooves Restored

EVE - Footstep Sounds Restored

EVE - Giant Campfires Cast Shadows (Standard Vers)

EVE - Tavern Ambiance Sounds Restored

EVE - Ice Skating Fixed

TESL- Loading Screens

Less Boring Loading Screens

Loading Screen Smoke Removed

Immersive World Encounters SE

SkyTEST

SkyTEST Bellyaches HD collection

SkyTEST - Better Sheep SE

SkyTEST - Mihail's chicks replacer

SkyTest- Mihail's goose replacer

Hunterborn

Seagulls of Skyrim

Serana Dialogue Edit

Vampiric Serana

The Choice is Yours

Timing is Everything SE

At Your Own Pace (Misc & Main files)

Thieves Guild Requirements SE

Barenziah Quest Markers SSE

Autumnwatch Addition

Pandorable's Kaidan SE

Mannequin Stay Put

Simple Forsworn

Simple Outfit Manager (Might need to toss this one, I think EFF handles outfits as well)

Run For Your Lives

Sarcastic Player Dialogue

Let Me Drop It

More Tavern Idles - compatibility version

Honed Metal SSE Updated

Honed Metal Revoiced

Honed Metal - Additional Materials

Death is Highly Overrated 2021

Save the Dark Brotherhood

Your Choices Matter - Dark Brotherhood Expansion SSE

Shut Up Night Mother

Skald's Mail

Missives

Headhunter - Bounties Redone

Store Entrance Doorbells

Paarthurnax Quest Expansion

The Library of Paarthurnax

Immersive Good Boy

Smart No More Stupid Dog

PC Head Tracking

Alternate Conversation Camera

Realistic Ragdolls and Force SE

Redguard Children Skintone Fix

Skyland 8K Night Skies

Wearable Lanterns

Wearable Lanterns MCM Fix

Xbox Control Scheme (Full file version)

IN GENERAL BUG FIXES/QOL IMPROVEMENTS/MAIN REQS FOR A GOOD CHUNK OF THESE MODS

SKSE 64

Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch

SkyUI SE

SkyUI - Flashing Savegames Fix

Cutting Room Floor

Enhanced Lights and FX

UIExtensions

Static Mesh Improvement Mod

Underwater Visibility Fix

Engine Fixes

NetScriptFramework Skyrim SE

Papyrus Extender SSE

PapyrusUtil SE

Address Library for SKSE Plugins

Face Discoloration Fix SE

Jaxonz MCM Kicker SE

MCM Helper SE

Monster race crash fix

Spell Perk Item Distributor - SSE (SPID)

PATCHES...SO MANY PATCHES

Save the Dark Brotherhood Patch (available under the Your Choices Matter file tab)

Unoffical Enhanced Lights and FX ELFX SMIM fps patch for SE (own mod under same name)

Alternate Start ELFX Hardcore Patch (own mod under the same name)

Apothecary USSEP Patch (Available under Apothecary's files)

Apothecary SktTEST patch (currently unavailable)

Apothecary Hunterborn & Campfire Patch (Both available thru "Apothecary Food and Drink patches")

BEASTHHBB - Immersive College of Winterhold Patch (Available in BeastHHBBs file tab, might need to do a bit of scrolling)

Dragonborn - Adamant Patch (Available in Dragonborn - Shouts Perk Tree's optional files tab iirc)

Talkative Dragons Enigma patch (under files for "Enigma Series Compatibility Patches (Official)")

Forceful Tongue - SimonRim Patch (Under "Forceful Tongue"s file tab)

iNeed Universal Water Patch (own mod under the same name)

True Storms - Supreme Rainstorms Patch (Under Supreme Rainstorms SE files tab)

Interesting NPCs Cutting Room Floor, EFF, Alt Start patches (all available under the Interesting NPCs file tab)

Inigo Marriage Commentary Patch for Kaidan 2 (own mod under same name)

Missives -Solstheim Patch (under Missives Worldspace Additions)

Khash the Argonian Patches (under Khash's file tab)

kryptopyr's patch hub installer (its own mod under the same name, has a lil fomod to help pick out your patches)

lilebonymace patches (same as above)

#skyrim mods #skyrim mod list #skyrim modlist #im PRETTY sure thats everything but idk i might have skipped a mod or two #but still a hefty collection of 157 active plugins and 71 light ones lol #might dump missives too tho it was fun at first but apparently its script goes to shit p early on and the board becomes unusable #anonymous

[puwumats]

okay, it’s been about a week - so it’s time for the first update to the campaign 3 prediction draft! (if you don’t know what i’m talking about, see this post here for more info!! and if you want, please pop in your predictions as well - i love to see what other people are thinking)

it’s gonna be a long post, so continue to the read more to see an in-depth look at the responses so far. BUT if you don’t have time for that, here’s the top race(s) & class(es) for each player (AS OF JULY 16):

marisha: tiefling paladin/barbarian

travis: human rogue/sorcerer/blood hunter

laura: genasi/tabaxi monk/bard

taliesin: dwarf/hexblood/tabaxi rogue

ashley: half-elf/elf paladin/wizard/bard/monk

sam: warforged/kenku/minotaur wizard

liam: tiefling cleric

as you can see from the 4 & 3-way ties above, everybody’s responses are still pretty varied - with only liam currently having a single class and race as definite favorites.

~stats gathered from 14 responses so far~

marisha

class:

y’all really love the idea of beau playing another martial class again - paladin & barbarian are coming in at first, with a respectable 3 votes each, followed closely by rogue at 2 votes.

(classes currently at 1 vote: artificer, bard, sorcerer, bloodhunter, ranger, fighter)

race:

Tiefling is currently ahead with 3 votes, but a 3-way tie is happening between elf, genasi, and half-orc (currently at 2 votes). the consensus currently seems to be that marisha can have a non-human race. you know, as a treat.

(races currently at 1 vote: aarakocra, triton, kalashtar, changeling, goliath)

travis

class:

a SOLID 3-way tie is happening right now for first place, with rogue, sorcerer, and blood hunter all currently residing at first place with 3 votes. a resounding lead ahead of the rest of the classes, none of which has surpassed 1 vote yet.

(classes at 1 vote: ranger, cleric, bard, monk, druid)

race:

the votes for travis’ character’s race are incredibly spread out right now, with only human and aasimar standing out amongst the sea of ‘1 votes’. interestingly, both of these races are human/human-adjacent. (what do you guys know that i don’t? lmao)

(races at 1 vote: tortle, tiefling, shifter, halfling, genasi, elf, dragonborn, changeling)

laura

class:

REALLY interesting spread - everyone seems to have focused on a lot smaller ratio of classes here. monk and bard are tied for 1st with 3 votes each, followed closely by another 3-way tie - this time between wizard, warlock, and barbarian, each coming in at 2 votes. excited to see how this develops, and if we’ll get an outstanding lead here.

(classes with 1 vote: artificer, sorcerer)

race:

another large spread with no real favorite here. genasi and tabaxi are tied for 1st with 2 votes each, but the rest of the responses are spread across the board.

(races with 1 vote: elf, fairy, firbolg, gnome, halfling, hobgoblin, hollow one, leonin, tortle, yuan-ti)

taliesin

class:

love this for him (and me). a nice, clean favorite. we’ve got the zesty rogue coming in at 1st place with a staggering 5 votes, followed by paladin at 3 votes, and at 2 votes each: a tie between warlock and druid.

(classes at 1 vote: sorcerer, bard)

race:

a lot more muddy here, but currently we have dwarf, hexblood, and tabaxi coming in at 1st place with 2 votes each.

(races with 1 vote: changeling, dwarf, elf, hollow one, owlfolk, reborn, warforged, yuan-ti)

ashley

class:

we got some wildly different responses for this one. so currently in 1st place we have our first ranked 4-way tie, between paladin, wizard, bard, monk. each received 2 votes.

(classes with 1 vote: artificer, cleric, fighter, rogue, sorcerer, warlock)

race:

we got our classics in here at the top. half-elf and elf are tied for 1st with 3 votes each, followed closely by genasi and human with 2 votes each.

(races with 1 vote: aarakocra, changeling, tabaxi, tiefling)

sam

class:

now onto what people think that liam has chosen for sam. wizard is the current lead, with 4 votes. paladin and cleric are tied for 2nd with 3 votes each, and druid is bringing up the rear of the rankings, with 2 votes.

(classes with 1 vote: sorcerer, monk)

race:

@ the people who voted minotaur: you’re the only people i respect in this house.

anyway, we have a 3-way tie for 1st between warforged, kenku, and minotaur - each totaling 2 votes.

(races with 1 vote: goliath, dwarf, half-orc, half-elf, dragonborn, human, loxodon, tabaxi)

liam

class:

we got a nice spread here, with cleric coming in 1st at 4 votes, followed by artificer at 3 notes. druid is currently in 3rd, with 2 votes.

(classes with 1 vote: bard, blood hunter, fighter, monk, paladin)

race:

an overwhelming lead for tiefling right now, coming in 1st with 5 votes. elf trails behind with 2 votes, however it’s pretty clear which race is the prediction favorite.

(races with 1 vote: dhampir, gnome, hollow one, leonin, warforged, reborn, tabaxi)

so TL;DR, it’s still looking pretty spread out - especially since we’re so early on in the draw. if you’ve reached the end of this and you’re still reading: thanks!! this was mainly for me and my a couple of friends, but i love seeing what other fans are thinking.

i’m definitely going to update this as i get more responses, so stay tuned for further developments!

#critical role #critical role theory #critical role meta #critical role campaign 3 #campaign 3 #campaign 3 predictions #critical role campaign 3 predictions #critrole #cr #critical role c3 #criticalrole

[another-rogue-trevelyan]

If you liked Dragon Age Masterlist

If you’re anything like me, you’re into niche market, high fantasy, single player RPGs, preferably with a historical setting and romance options. So if you’re looking for a new game, here I am with some suggestions!

Sorted by studio:

Bethesda:

Oblivion (2006)

“In the shadow of evil, a hero will rise from the ashes of a fallen empire. The gates have been opened, and the battle has begun. Only one thing can save the world from Mehrunes Dagon and the demonic hordes of Oblivion. The true heir of the Septim line must be found and restored to the Imperial throne. The fate of the world rests in the hands of one. Find him, and shut the jaws of Oblivion.”

The Elder Scrolls series were my gateway into RPGs and hold a special place in my heart. Oblivion features a wide open world, immersive combat, and the ability to customize race, class, and gender.

Skyrim (2011)

“The Empire of Tamriel is on the edge. The High King of Skyrim has been murdered. Alliances form as claims to the throne are made. In the midst of this conflict, a far more dangerous, ancient evil is awakened. Dragons, long lost to the passages of the Elder Scrolls, have returned to Tamriel. The future of Skyrim, even the Empire itself, hangs in the balance as they wait for the prophesized Dragonborn to come; a hero born with the power of The Voice, and the only one who can stand amongst the dragons.”

I have sunk so many hours into this game and still have not experienced all there is to experience. Just like Oblivion, Skyrim offers the ability to customize your character and find a play style that suits you. A huge open world offers tons of opportunity for exploration and questing. You could play this game many, many hours and not even touch the main quest if you wanted to.

BioWare:

Mass Effect Legendary Edition (2021)

Just do it. Just fucking do it I’m still sobbing I’ve never had a game wreck me in this way. I might possibly like it more than Dragon Age which feels sacrilegious to say but it was so good. You follow Commander Shepard (customizable) for three whole games and the choices have serious consequences. Also, romance. Truthfully this might be the most well written storyline I’ve ever seen in a video game. Also, same studio as Dragon Age.

CD Projekt:

The Witcher III: Wild Hunt (2015)

I’ll let the website description speak for itself, but Witcher III was good enough that I didn’t mind being forced to play as a man (those who know me know that I exclusively prefer to play women and often dislike games where I can’t do so)! The characters that make up this story are captivating and suck you into their world, leaving you with some tough choices to make. Also, bonus points for romance! (Yen is one of my all time favorite characters, Triss never stood a chance for me. Sorry Triss fans 😂)

Larian:

Divinity Original Sin 2 (2017)

“The Divine is dead. The Void approaches. And the powers lying dormant within you are soon to awaken. Choose your role in a BAFTA-winning story, and explore a world that reacts to who you are, and the choices you make. With five races to choose from, and an adventure playable solo or as a party of up to four, lay waste to an oppressive order in a world afraid of magic. Become the God the world so desperately needs.”

Full disclosure, I have not finished playing this one yet and will update when I do, but what I’ve played so far has been great! A classic, turn-based RPG that allows you a wide range of character customization. I find this game incredibly satisfying to be a rogue (my preferred class) because it lets me live my dream of throwing knives at people. Also, romance!

Baldur’s Gate III beta (2020)

“An ancient evil has returned to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out. The fate of Faerûn lies in your hands. Alone, you may resist. But together, you can overcome. Gather your party.”

Fair warning, as of my most recent update to this post (March 30th, 2021) this game is still in a beta phase, which means it is NOT complete and has aspects that are missing, glitchy, or subject to change. With that being said, I’m so obsessed. It’s so, so good already and is only getting better. Another wide open world to explore with a group of companions with strong and sometimes clashing personalities, choices are abundant in this game and will affect how your party members think of you. This game so far gives me the feeling that choices are complicated and aren’t always easy to tell which is morally right, which I personally love. Also, I can be a sarcastic ass with a good heart, which is always fun. Astarion basically owns me now, but if you can resist him there are plentiful other romance choices as well! Customization is already a wider range than I’ve seen in most RPGs and they haven’t even finished the character creator yet, which has me SO excited for the finished product. Also - good hair?!??!! I love it!

Lionhead:

Fable III (2010)

“Lead a revolution to take control of Albion, fight alongside your people, and experience love and loss while preparing to defend the kingdom against a looming threat. Your choices as ruler will lead to consequences felt across the entire land.”

I’ll be honest, this one isn’t my favorite on the list, but was good enough to still make it! This game allows you to choose between playing as the prince or the princess on a quest to save your kingdom from itself, and then a greater threat as well. The game takes place in a kingdom loosely modeled after industrial England, and what did score it some major points were (SPOILER WARNING - skip the purple if you don’t want to know!) that the last act of the game lets you play as the monarch, where you are forced to make some tough decisions in order to save your kingdom. It is very easy to back yourself into a corner, pinch pennies in order to fund the army and save the kingdom, but make your citizens hate you because of it. You’re gonna have to be very, very careful, which is something I did really enjoy about this game. (I’ve heard Fable II was better, and that’s also on my list to try, will update in the future!)

Nintendo:

Fire Emblem Three Houses (2019)

“War is coming to the continent of Fódlan. Here, order is maintained by the Church of Seiros, which hosts the prestigious Officer’s Academy within its headquarters. You are invited to teach one of its three mighty houses, each comprised of students brimming with personality and represented by a royal from one of three territories. As their professor, you must lead your students in their academic lives and in turn-based, tactical RPG battles wrought with strategic, new twists to overcome. Which house, and which path, will you choose?”

Currently playing this one and I’m so addicted! This one is slightly outside of my usual taste but it has made me interested in playing more games like it. The player controls Byleth (you can rename them if you wish), who becomes a professor of combat and battle tactics despite their young age at a monastery and finds themself in charge of a house of students. Battles are tactics and strategy based and classes are highly customizable. I sunk like 30 hours into this game in the last three days. I won’t say more about the plot to avoid spoilers, but it’s been a ton of fun and also has slow burn romance

Spiders:

Greedfall (2019)

This game destroyed my soul in the best way and when I finished it I immediately started a new game to play it again. You play as Lady or Lord De Sardet, Legate of the Congregation of Merchants and effectively the right hand of your cousin, who has been appointed governor of your new colony on the island. While I enjoy the combat in this game, which allows you the choice between one handed, two handed, magic, and pistols or rifles (save that ammo for when you really need it!), this game focuses heavily on diplomacy and relations. Be careful what information you give to whom and how you treat every decision. The enemies you make early on might be people you need on your side later. I also love that choices aren’t always clearly right or wrong, and often are more complicated than they first appear. Even the best intentions can sometimes go awry.

Ubisoft:

Assassin’s Creed, Syndicate (2015)

“London, 1868. In the heart of the Industrial Revolution, lead your underworld organization and grow your influence to fight those who exploit the less privileged in the name of progress”

Another one that I’ll admit, I haven’t finished, and is definitely the odd one out on the list because it’s set in Victorian England, but I was having fun with what I had played so far before Greedfall distracted me. In this game, you alternate between controlling twins Jacob and Evie Frye as you explore and liberate London while meeting famous historical figures and running a gang on the side.

Assassin’s Creed, Origins (2017)

“Ancient Egypt, a land of majesty and intrigue, is disappearing in a ruthless fight for power. Unveil dark secrets and forgotten myths as you go back to the one founding moment: The Origins of the Assassin’s Brotherhood.”

In the spirit of honesty, I haven’t started this one yet, but I am so confident that I’m gonna love it when I do that it’s here anyway. I’ve purchased it, and will get to it soon, I swear! In the meantime, I wanted to put it here because I’m confident some of you will enjoy it. Will come back with a review once I know more.

Assassin’s Creed, Odyssey (2018)

“Write your own epic odyssey and become a legendary Spartan hero in Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey, an inspiring adventure where you must forge your destiny and define your own path in a world on the brink of tearing itself apart. Influence how history unfolds as you experience a rich and ever-changing world shaped by your decisions.”

Y’all this game owned my soul for a while. I’ve sunk so many hours into it. You have a choice to play as either Kassandra or Alexios and navigate the wonders of Ancient Greece. The world is stunning, the choices are important, and this game took a big step for the assassins creed series in becoming a true RPG. I can’t recommend this one enough, you should absolutely go for it!

Assassin’s Creed, Valhalla (2020)

“Become Eivor, a legendary Viking warrior. Explore England's Dark Ages as you raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power in the quest to earn a place among the gods in Valhalla.”

This game is brand new, hot off the press, and has already been a massive hit. I have only JUST started playing it and am about an hour in, but so far so good! It’s here on my recommendations list because of its wild popularity and because I’ve already enjoyed other games in this series, so I feel confident that some of my fellow dragon age fans will enjoy it. Will update again once I get further in.

Other games on my To Be Played list (otherwise known as things I don’t want to recommend because I know almost nothing about them but will update here after I know more)

-Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2

-Horizon Zero Dawn

-Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag

-Fable 1 and 2

-Kingdoms of Amalur

-Breath of the Wild

-Crimson Desert (not out yet but I’m intrigued)

#will update as I find more #if you liked dragon age #dragon age #video games #video game recommendations #op #rpgs #masterlist

[bonkusdonkus]

Now before I say anything, I wanna start off with the disclaimer that I’m fully aware that game development is difficult and expensive, and as such not everything I want is going to make the final cut. Larian has done an excellent job so far with the game, and given their past games I trust them to make Baldur’s Gate 3 a satisfying experience.

That being said, I have a wishlist of stuff I would love to see in the game , and I’m gonna blather about it because I can!

More races! Kenku and Tabaxi would be my first picks, but I’d also love to see Aarakocra, Kobold, Dragonborn, Genasi, Firbolg, or Lizardfolk. There’s also whispers out there that Larian is trying to sneak Warforged into the game, and I want it! Granted, they’d have to do some brain bending to find a way for them work into the story of the game, but they’d also have to do that for a bunch of these races, so they could probably pull it off they wanted to.

More Good Aligned Companions! Listen, Larian has done a really good job with the companions so far. They are complex, deep characters with all kinds of interesting baggage,but... I’d like to have some more people on side my who aren’t either seconds away from turning on me the moment I am no longer useful, or smug, condescending assholes! Okay, maybe that’s a bit too harsh, but still. Most of the current companions seem to lean towards evil alignments, and when you do selfless things, they get pissy. Or, are just pissy in general. As someone who pretty much always goes for good alignment in video games,(doing bad things in video games makes me feel bad, okay?) it’s kind of frustrating to be surrounded by a bunch of people who keep getting mad about it. I’m not asking for perfect goody two-shoes characters, I honestly think that would kind of ruin the game, but maybe a some one a liiiittle less edgey would be nice. In summary, more companions would be great, preferably some that lean a little more on the nice side.

Monk! Monk is probably one of my favorite classes, and it’s definitely one of my favorite non-caster classes.It’s the class I’m most looking forward to, and I can’t wait to kick goblins in the nards with the power of E N L I G H T E N M E N T! That’s it really. No dream features or anything here, I just wanna do some Kung-Fu fighting with expert timing. Moving on!

More weird side stuff! I’m not saying that there isn’t already a lot of weird side stuff in the game, because there is. You can walk in on a bugbear and an ogre ‘doing it’ and can get a magic spell/potion that lets you just walk up to any random animal and talk to them. No, what I’m saying is I want more. This weird optional stuff that encourages the player to check every nook and cranny of the game is basically Larian’s hallmark, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. More please!

More Class Archetypes! I honestly don’t think we’ll be getting any subclasses outside of the PHB, at least not during early access. I’m pretty sure that Larian is just trying stick with the basics for now, at least when it comes to classes. Which, fair enough, but I think it might be kind of cool if we got some dlc post release that added stuff from Xanathar’s Guide, or maybe even Tasha’s Cauldron. Speaking of which...

Post Release DLC/content updates! Baldur’s Gate 3 is already MASSIVE and it’s not even finished. There’s so much content, with even more to come!... Buuuuut Dnd as a whole is still waaaaay bigger. Inevitably, there’s plenty of stuff that won’t make the final cut, because Larian only has so much time and resources. Which is why I would like to see some dlc or something. Once the game is out, hopefully they can come back later and some stuff they couldn’t fit in the base game. New races, new subclasses, new companions, new spells, maybe a new area to explore, that sort of thing. Heck, maybe they could even slide the Artificer class in there, if they were feeling ambitious!

#baldur’s gate 3 #larian studios #dnd 5e #early access #wishlist

[moon-and-stars-appreciation]

Oh, awesomeness! I kinda forget that Skyrim is a heckin old game because it's only been significantly on my radar for maybe 3 or so years (I wasn't always a video game person lol) and I only bought my first copy of the game and started playing in 2020, so I'm a baby Dovahkiin lol XD

That sounds awesome, though! I've played as a Khajit and then I've done a couple of Bretons - I'm a PC player so I mod my game quite a bit (mostly quality of life improvements and added places/quests/aesthetic/immersion/graphics stuff that's not, like, way off in left field lol) and I have a mod that allows me to start wherever, not just in Helgen. So I have a couple dragonborns (and I think I beat the game without any mods at all first), and then I now have a vampire who's not technically a dragonborn. I played through the entire Dawnguard DLC with her, without going through any main quest stuff except getting the Dragon Elder Scroll. So that was fun lol. I definitely do wanna try playing an elf sometime, or just generally all of the other races at some point or another, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Khajit and Breton because they're my first two characters :)

Hearthfire is a DLC! I think it's Hearthfire, Dragonborn (?) and Dawnguard are the three. I think I started Hearthfire and Dragonborn, and I know I finished Dawnguard. I definitely do like Hearthfire though. I think that's the one where you build your own house? It's cool, I really like that :)

And ah, yes. I completely understand the lack of interest in politics, lol! I'm watching Game of Thrones right now, and that's kind of piquing my interest in fantasy political structures... if I feel so inclined ever, maybe I'll go back and try Skyrim's civil war storyline because I've heard good things about it. But I'm definitely gonna have to go find a walkthrough for that because I have no idea how to start or where to go for it XD

(also I really don't love killing real people in game, I always feel so terrible about it, so the politics would make me sad I think 😅)

Anyway that was a hekkin long thingy I'm so sorry lol but I love hearing about your Skyrim adventures!!! That makes my heart happy :)

You can mod on PlayStation as well!! (I have too many mods 🥲)

I don’t really know what to say to your rant but I’m glad you’re playing Skyrim!!! It’s my favorite video game (I don’t consider the Arcana a video game) and it’s really fun!! Starting assassins creed rn actually. Yeah I like hearthfire for my family and building houses!! I think adopting children is part of the hearthfire thing because it was in hearthfire trophies! So yeah it’s definitely my favorite because it allows you to help children and take care of them! Well, adopt them! (Only two though) and when you have children they bring animals! FOX!

So, yeah

Yeah I understand the killing bit, I’m actually feeling really guilty about that rn so here we are.

[lord-of-the-empty]

D&D Nite

[gender neutral reader + avengers]

A/N: Hello, the self-indulgent author here. I’m starting my first D&D campaign as a DM soon and I got super into the idea of the Avengers having a D&D night. This contains the greatest grab bag of “fuck you I wanna feel like it’s 2012 again and they all live in the towerhappily ever after” ever so here we go. This also uses technical terms so I can add a key in a reblog underneath if there’s any non players in the audience. Also also I’m aware of how I spelled ‘night’ in the title. This is not requested but I’m open for them.

This campaign was your new pride and joy. You had spent over a year writing content for it, all the while trying to finish the last one with some old college friends (they had all found it novel that you, an Avenger, ran a fantasy world). Now, you’d finally get the chance to play with your team. Some of them at least.

The Maximoff twins didn’t get the whole appeal, though they were quite adamant in the fact they were sorry they didn’t want to play.

Sam decided he quote “could not sit through 3+ hours of that nerd shit”, while Bucky said no due to a wildly conflicting schedule.

Vision declined only because he didn’t quite get the term “role-playing”, almost everyone at the table decided that was a good idea after the fact.

King T’Challa said he would not leave his country if for just a “board game night”, but had to fight Shuri off with a stick when she heard you’d be hosting a game.

Peter was quite happy that you’d be running a campaign but he couldn’t make it because he had to make up a mountain of schoolwork he’d accrued because of his spidey business (he did assure you he’d make a character and join in as soon as he got the time.

This left the poor unfortunate set of 7 Avengers (6 plus Loki if you really want to be mean about it) to play your newest creation. Tony was the only other person at the table who had any experience with D&D, but that was with 1st and 2nd editions when he was a kid. Bruce, while not having played at all and only having heard about it, was quite the rule sponge and became the go-to consulate after you in the weeks leading up to the campaign. Steve, Thor, and Loki all had no clue what was going on until you basically read them the entire PHB and even then we're still iffy. Loki took this in stride and would wait for someone to correct him if needed but Thor and Steve had asked the most questions out of everyone. Finally, everyone, had their character constructed, and each was marvelous in the fact they belonged to your team (it also didn’t help they were all beautifully developed).

We’ll go oldest to youngest:

Thor decided he would play a Dragonborn Barbarian (he wanted to be big and strong, but thought it was bad juju to go Goliath,) that he named Brandr. Loki had scoffed at the name and rolled his eyes muttering an ‘of course’.

You where convinced Loki would try to play a rogue or a sorcerer. That was until he had come to you with an amazingly optimized changeling Bard. He was planning to play lawful neutral though you could tell that would not last long. The bard's name would be Hars and Hars would be their name. You had a feeling he looked at the D&D Beyond name suggestions and eeny meany miny moe’d it.

Cap wanted to go the route of no magic but after discovering the paladin class he kinda fell in love with it (no one knows why, though). His character was a Human Paladin named Thomas, and he decided he wanted Thor as his god. Thor heard about this and had asked you and Steve for permission to be in-game Thor. You said yes on the grounds that you could interfere if Thor ever got too impartial.

Clint had taken this the least seriously. He was probably only playing because he saw how much it meant to you. Never the less he would be playing a human Ranger named Jlint Jarton under the alias Jawkeye. Little did you know, Jawkeye was soon to be your favorite PC.

Bruce went Artificer. His mind took up until last week for the race, struggling between something he could relate to (humanoid, like an elf or something) or what seemed to be his favorite race, a firbolg. He went firbolg and named him Sweets at your request. He was ready to be play Sweets as kind (and maybe a bit lawful stupid but in a kind way), but only time would tell how merciful Sweets could be.

Now Tony acted like he had no jewel in his grip, but from what you could tell he had a diamond and a very old one at that. He had managed to find an old 2e character sheet that contained the glorious details of a level five Satyr Druid named Moot that was the last character Tony had ever made. Moot, while not an extremely eye-catching character, was the most sentimental to its player and you absolutely fell in love with the doodles Tony had of him on the sheet. This led to you telling everyone to make their character 5th level and Tony that he had your personal permission to use any handbook or homebrew information to properly rebuild whatever Moot had on his last adventure.

Nat, while not the most excited to do things in-game, was happy to see you happy. You think she asked Bruce what the path of least role play was and your pretty sure he said ‘fighter’. She asked you what a cool race was and you went with something you where using to build the latest NPC, a genasi. She settled on an air genasi fighter that she decided she would not name (you, and soon the team, would jokingly refer to her character as [redacted]).

The day of reckoning seemed to go entirely too slow, the toaster seemed to push up pop tarts in ultra slow-mo. You spent the day running over every file you had lined up, which by now had enough material in it for maybe 9 or 10 sessions depending on how fast your friends would eat through it.

At 6:47 pm, Tuesday, September 18th, it began. You let everyone explain their character and their homes, that you would briskly whisk them away from.

“You’ve all received a letter,” you say, “they all look like plain folded parchment with a red and gold wax seal keeping it neat. When you break the seal and unfold it, the only line states: ‘By the time you read this the adventure has already started’. True to the sender's words, by the time you’ve registered the period, a shimmering orange-y golden light encases you and leaves you in a chair facing 6 other faces. Who wants to roll investigation?”

#Avengers x reader #Avengers x gender neutral reader #Avengers x GN reader #Avengers x male reader #x reader #x male reader #x gender neutral reader #x GN reader #marvel fanfiction #its got nerd stuff #ITS PLATONIC

[dmsden]

Heirs of the Forgotten Kingdom – Personal Plot for Dragonborn

Hello, Gentle Readers. Today, we look at a fan favorite race for sure, the Dragonborn. Dragonborn have been a part of the game since 3rd edition, when a very different version of this race popped in via the splatbook called “Races of the Dragon”. As of 4th edition, they became one of the primary races in the Player’s Handbook, and it appears they are here to stay. As such, it’s probably a good idea to be ready to run some fun and interesting personal plot if someone wants to play one in your campaign.

Right off the bat, I have to say that I love the idea of dragonborn being heirs to an ancient and fallen empire that was begun by dragons. This idea has been kicking around in the lore of the game since 4e, and it’s the nature of the race in my Shards of the Shattered Pact campaign. There, Dragonborn took the reins of the Empire of Azmartheon from the dragons, who retreated to become powers behind the throne, and, eventually, left off this game and left the Dragonborn completely in charge. Years later, Azmartheon was largely destroyed by the magical cataclysm called The Rending, and most of it remains a desolation to this day while the Dragonborn wander the world without a homeland to return to.

If your campaign features something similar, you should make sure a Dragonborn player knows that. This might form a core of their character and immediately inform whatever plot they wish to involve themselves in. Perhaps their ancestors were paladins of Bahamut who guarded an ancient temple, long since lost in the Desolation, that was the resting place of a holy sword or an item of similar power. This immediately becomes an integral part of the player’s plot, and it gives you a strong quest-style adventure to run when the time comes.

Another element of Dragonborn nature to examine is their relationship to dragons themselves. A Dragonborn sorcerer with Draconic Heritage certainly makes a lot of sense, but the benefits somewhat overlap…unless the Dragonborn’s dragon blood is at odds with their sorcerous origins. What if a gold dragonborn possesses magic based on a blue dragon? That could be a major plot – delving into their family’s past to find out how this came to be.

The draconic nature of Dragonborn offers plot elements all on its own. A blue Dragonborn isn’t automatically evil, but will Tiamat constantly be trying to gain a foothold in the character’s story and soul? If that blue Dragonborn is a Warlock with the Fiend pact, maybe Tiamat could be their patron, giving them power and trying to lure them down a darker path. Or maybe a red Dragonborn utterly rejects Tiamat and walks the road of a Paladin of the Oath of Redemption. Either one could make for a compelling story, assuming you use Bahamut and Tiamat in your campaign.

Depending on the history of Dragonborn in your world, it’s worth thinking of how others in your world generally feel about Dragonborn. Are they considered noble samurai-like wanderers who can be trusted? Or are they wandering through lands that the Dragon Empire once conquered, and everyone they meet fears and suspects them of trying to establish dominion once again? The answers to these questions can certain inform plot, as a Dragonborn player could find themselves in the middle of a Seven Samurai kind of story, or fleeing from a lynch mob!

If you use kobolds as an adversary for the players at low levels, consider how they will react to meeting a personification of the beings they revere so greatly. In my campaign, depending on the kobolds, a Dragonborn might find themselves held captive as an unwilling god, or followed by a devoted kobold squire who hopes to become more draconic by proximity.

And yes, it’s absolutely worth thinking about how dragons and other dragon-like entities will react to the Dragonborn player. Will they think of them as little cousins, according them a bit of leeway in their dealings? Perhaps they’ll consider them more useful or interesting than the other heroes who wander by? Or maybe the Dragonborn will feel honor or duty bound to take on threats of a draconic nature, because they are one of those best suited to the quest.

I hope this has you thinking about Dragonborn and how to make their personal story feel unique and exciting. If you have a great Dragonborn story, we’d love to hear it.

#d&d #D&D #d&d character #d&d 5e #d&d 5th edition #d&d 5e character #d&d 5 #dnd #dnd character #DnD stuff #DnD 5e #dnd 5th edition #dnd 5e character #dnd 5e campaign #dungeons & dragons #Dungeons and Dragons #dungeon master #dungeonmaster #DM advice #GM Advice #dragonborn

[hunterbahamut]

A Sulefi’s Tale

Back in 2002-2003, I had written a story known as “A Gnoll’s Tale”.  It was a simple fantasy short story that I had come up with, influenced by a few sources, including Baldur’s Gate (I had used a character editor that actually let me change my player sprite with the gnoll sprite). Sadly, the original story was lost when the place I had posted it to before shut down some years ago.

I hadn’t thought about the story in a long time until I say @knaveofdoodles post some art regarding a race he had come up with, the sulefi who are a race of half humans/gnolls. I was a big fan of the idea, so I decided to work on an OC of one myself, and I ended up giving him the same name as the old gnoll character: XanThral.

Because of that, the idea of the story came back to mind, and I had decided to rewrite that old story.  Even though I didn’t have the original, I was pretty confident that I remembered the events and was confident enough to actually sit down and start working. I just didn’t realize how long it was going to take, I started this story sometime back in September.  However, I ended up putting it on hold until sometime in November when I felt confident enough to start working on it again.

So...for my first story post of 2021, here is the completed story: A Sulefi’s Tale.

I should mention though; this story was written in the same mind set as my other stories, so there is every possibility that there will be grammatical and spelling errors.  I did this mostly for fun.

I hope you enjoy!

---

A Sulefi’s Tale 

It was a beautiful day; the sun was out and there was a warm breeze blowing, rustling through the leaves and sending waves over the grass in the open field beyond the forest edge. A lone figure sat underneath the trees in the shade, looking out over the open field and the serene view.  This was one of Xan'Thral's favorite spots; it was a nice walk from his home in the forest and it had an amazing view that thankfully didn't see a lot of traffic, so he could spend hours here and enjoy the scene.

With the warm breeze blowing through his tunic, he started to feel sleepy and he let out a wide yawn. He had nothing else planned for today, so a nap sounded like a great idea right now. The half-gnoll leaned back against the tree, he looking out over the sun-soaked field as he slowly started to drift off to sleep.

Not soon after he drifted off, he found himself in a familiar dreamscape. It was night in a large forest, the the dark skies were filled with stars and the surrounding trees glowed with a faint magical energy.  He was on a cobblestone path that lead to an ancient fountain further up ahead, sparkling water still flowing from it with dark green ivy growing over the old stone. This was a dream that he had for the past few months and it always stuck in his mind even after waking up.  He always wondered if there was was some kind of significance to this place that he didn't understand.

There was a figure standing by the fountain with a mystical glow surrounding them them much like the trees of this forest that kept their features vague, so he was never able to identify what they were. The figure was there every time he found himself in this dream, spending time with them and talking about something, but by the time he woke up he could never remember the details or the words.

This time though, it was different.

The figure looked towards him and he came up the pathway and spoke; “The time is coming.” They said, speaking in an echoy, ethereal tone.

Xan gave them a confused look. “Time?  What do you mean? Time for what?”

“Your time is coming, young one.  Fate's path lies before you.”

He looked at them in confusion, “You keep telling me about this...'path' and the future, but I still do not understand.”

“It will become clear to you in time.” They said, stepping closer to him, “Just do not be afraid of what is to come.  You have been raised well, and you will know what to do.”

Xan shook his head, “That really doesn't help comfort me really.” He admitted, “It doesn't make much sense, isn't there more you can tell me?” As he asked this, he could see that the sky was starting to change, the colors started shifting as if dawn was approaching.  This was a sign that he would wake up soon.

The ethereal figured looked up as well before they spoke again. “There is little time.” They said, “I cannot tell you of what is to come for fear of changing what is meant to be.”  They knelt down and took his hand in theirs.  “ I can only help guide you, dear Xan'Thral.  But, I believe in you.”

There was an odd sense of comfort in hearing that and he slowly nodded his head.  Before he could say anymore, he found himself waking up. Xan let out a soft groan as he started to sit up, rubbing his head and looking around. It was night now, the sky was dark and there was only a little light shining from the crescent moon hanging in the sky.  “Didn't expect to sleep for so long...”  He said to himself; normally this wouldn't be a problem, but now he had this weird feeling he couldn't shake.  “I better get going...”

He slowly started to get back to his feet, but he paused when he heard some kind of rustling nearby.  Before he could get a chance to look around, something came rushing from the nearby brush and tackled him to the ground.  He let out a yelp and tried to struggle, but that was when he saw a flash of metal and soon felt a blade at his throat.

“Move and you're dead, freak.”

Xan grit his teeth and was ready to fight back, but he started to hear more movement as several others emerged from their hiding spots.  He was outnumbered, leaving him little choice but to stay still as the others gathered around.  “I don't have anything of value...”  He tried to say, but felt the blade press against his neck.

“Oh we have what we want.”  The assailant said, and as if to emphasis his point, the halfling suddenly felt the cold snap of metal shackles on his ankles.

Slavers.

He felt his breath catch in his throat as he was suddenly pulled off of the ground, one of cloaked figured grabbing his arms and locked another pair of metal shackles onto his wrists.   “Alright you. Move.”  The thug said said, shoving Xan forward, nearly knocking him down.  Chains rattled as he nearly stumbled before catching himself.  He gave the group a quick glare, but he moved with them as they started to march him away from forest.  

They marched for some time until they finally reached what seemed like make-shift camp.  There was several wagons circled around a large central fire, Xan could see that there were several others tending to those wagons and the herd animals.  Most of the slavers appeared to be human, but what surprised him was that a small number of them had pointed ears; where they elves?

“Hey boss!”  One of the slavers called out.  “Guess what?  We got a new one!”

One of the pointy-eared figured looked over at the group and let out an audible grumble. “For Hells' sake, what is wrong with you lot?” He asked, starting to berate them. “We're already on a job!  I told you we don't have the time or the space to carry on any excess baggage!”

The one thug started to sound flustered. “B-but boss, wait 'til you get a load of him!”

The elven figure seemed irritated, but he finally seemed to notice Xan and moved in for a closer look. “What is that, a sulefi?  This far west?”  He sounded surprised, eyeing him suspiciously.

“That's what I thought!”  The thug replied, “It seemed stupid not to nab him! We could sell him off and-!”

“It was stupid to nab him, you moron!  I told you how sensitive this job was!” The boss started to grumble again. “Hells, fine.  Throw him into the wagon, we'll figure out what to do with him once we reach the port.  But I swear, it'll be your head if this goes all wrong!”

The thug seemed satisfied with that and he pushed Xan forward again, leading him to one of the old wagons that was nearby.  It was an enclosed wagon with bars on what few windows there were and a heavy beam over the door that was held in place with a large iron lock.  There was a guard standing nearby, unlocking the door so the thug could push the sulefi inside. Xan stumbled again and turned as the door was slammed closed without another word, hearing the heavy lock from the other side.  He grumbled, giving the door a quick ram with his shoulder before he sighed.  “Great...how do I get out of this one...”

He studied the door for a moment before his ears twitched, picking up he sound of chains rattling behind him.  He turned, realizing that he wasn't alone. Huddled in the far corner was another figure, looking tired and were in dirty clothing and shackles.  They were filthy so it was difficult to identify them, but with the shape of their head and muzzle, he figured they must have been of some draconic heritage like a dragonborn.  They watched him in the corner with remarkable blue eyes, though they were filled with fear and exhaustion.

Xan watched them for a moment before he slowly approached them, but they started to shrink back away from him.  “It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you.”  He said, trying to reassure them.  “We're both in the same situation.” The figure didn't speak, still watching them cautiously, so he tried to be patient.  “My name is Xan'Thral.”  He said, “What's yours?”

The dragonborn didn't reply right away, still watching them before they spoke in a soft melodic, if not weak, tone, “Skye.”

He nodded his head and slowly knelt down near them.  “How long have you been captive?”

Skye looked down, shuddering a bit.  “I...I don't know.”  They said, “It's been hard to keep track of time.  Weeks, maybe a month now...”

Xan twitched his ears and frowned, “That long?”  He shook his head; where were they planning on taking them?  Something felt wrong about all of this; they only had this dragonborn, and they were holding them for nearly a month?   He took in a breath, “We need to find a way out of here.  I'm not going to let them keep us in here any longer.”

The dragonborn shook their head, “Even if we could get out...then what?  Where could we go?”

“I was raised in these woods.” The sulefi said as he got up and started to press against the wooden walls and rapping his fist against them.  “I know my way around pretty well and my home isn't far from here. ”   He paused when there was the sound of some ruckus from outside.  The two looked over to the door before Xan moved over, trying to look through the barred window and see what was happening.

“Check it out!”  Xan could see a group of slavers outside starting to roll out some barrels while cheering and jeering each other.  “C'mon everyone!”

He then heard the elf boss addressing the group. “What are you lunkheads doing?”

“We found these in our supplies!”  One replied, “I didn't think we had any of this stuff left, so we're gonna crack em open!  Gonna have a fun time tonight!”  There was a loud crack from one of the wooden barrels, making the others cheer.  “C'mon boss!  I think we deserve this!”

“Hells...”  The elf grumbled, “Fine, but don't complain if you get your arses kicked when we get ready to leave tomorrow!”

The group cheered and immediately started to fill their mugs.

“What's going on?”  Skye asked.

“I think they're getting into some kegs of alcohol.”  He replied, stepping back from the door.  “If they're going to get drunk, then this may be our chance.” He moved to the back of the wagon again and started press against the wooden walls again.

The dragonborn watched him, “W-what are you doing?”

“Looking for a weak spot.”  Xan said, rapping at the boards again.  “This wagon looks pretty old and worn down, so there might be a chance that there's-” He paused when he rapped and heard a dull rattle.  “-a weak spot.”  He started to push on it, grunting a little as a part of the board started to groan and and push away from the rest of the wall.  “Here!  We might be able to push this out and make our escape!”

Skye looked at him, the expression on their face a bit hard to read.  “Do...do you really think we can?”

Xan pushed on the board a little more, gauging the gap he was able to make before he relaxed.  “It's dangerous, but it's better to try than waiting and letting them sell us off.”  He sighed and slowly lowered himself down to sit, “We just have to wait a little while for the drink to start working on them.”

They let out a soft sigh and looked down, “It's...it's been this long already.  Can wait a little longer...”

Xan looked at them, swallowing hard as he tried to keep himself calm.  “Where do you come from?”  He asked, hoping to keep heir minds occupied as they waited.

Skye looked down, shivering a little under their tattered robes.  “I lived towards the east...” They started slowly, “I was...with a group, on our way to Alexandria.  That was...was where I was hoping to...to start my study and training.”

“Alexandria?”  Xan replied, “That's where the great library is?”

They nodded again, “The largest in the land, and where one of the magi guilds is said to be located.”  They shook hard again.  “I...we were on our way there, but...when we stopped at another town...I...I was separated from the others...and...and...”

The sulefi nodded his head slowly. “It's okay, I understand.”  He let out a soft sigh, “What about the others you were with? Do you know what happened to them or if they're looking for you?”

“I don't...I don't know.”  Skye's voice was starting to tremble.  “They have to be looking for me, but these...slavers must be clever.”  Xan could hear their voice crack a little as they started to tear up.  “I know that they must have tried to rescue me, but...but I'm afraid something may have happened...”

Xan looked over to them, really starting to feel sad and concerned for them.  “Hey, don't you worry.” He said, trying to reassure them.  “I...I'll get you out of here, and after that we can try and find them.”

Skye was quiet for a long while. “Why?”  The finally asked; taking Xan off guard.  “Why would you help me like this?  We don't even know each other.”

“Because I don't like seeing others in pain or in trouble.”  He said, “I'm certainly not going to leave you here all alone, and I'm not going to abandon you after this.”

They sniffed, looking down for a moment. “I have no way to reward you...”

He shook his head, “Don't you worry about that.  Let's focus on our escape.”

The wait was unbearable; the two sat there in silence, but Xan kept watching and listening to the activity outside.  It didn't seem like it took very long though before he could pick up the rather familiar sounds of drunken activity as there was loud and slurred talking, boisterous laughter and the occasional crash.

“This may be our best chance.” He said and he moved to the back of the wagon and started to press on the weakened board, the lower portion starting to pushed away from the base.

Skye watched with a look of concern. “What about our chains? They'll slow us down.”

“They will, but-” Xan grunted as he pushed harder, “-they will be too drunk to notice.  We'll be long gone by the time they notice.”

The dragonborn still seemed worried, but they slowly got up on shaky legs, moving closer and started to push with him.  Xan could tell that they were weak, but they were both feeling anxious to escape and they put in all the strength they could muster.   The board groaned as they pushed, more and more space being made until there was the soft cracking of wood as old nails were pulled away.  They gave it a few more rough pushes and soon the section of the wagon fell away.

Xan hopped down first, waiting to hear if there was any reaction from the slavers before he helped Skye down next.   He was still being cautious, waiting for a few extra moments before the two started to rush towards the forest, using the wagon as cover as much as they could.  The forest edge felt like it was miles away and Xan could hear Skye struggling to keep up, the chains rattling enough that they were afraid the slavers would catch them at any moment.  

Finally, they reached the treeline, but the dragonborn's breathing was heavy and ragged now.  “I...I don't...I don't think I...”

“Don't worry, you're doing good.”  Xan said, panting a little himself.  “We're have cover now, we can-”  He stopped and both turned back as they suddenly started to hear shouting, seeing the dark figures starting to run around in a commotion.  “Dammit, they must have realized we escaped!  We gotta go!”

Skye whimpered and tried to push forward, but they stumbled and fell to their knees.  “I c-can't...”

Without a second though, Xan reached down and lifted them off of the ground; shocked to discover how light they actually were, and rushed into the forest.  “Hang on, we'll loose them in the woods.”

The sulefi moved as fast as he could; me may have known his way around, but rushing in the dark and fighting against the hobbling chains made that much more difficult.  He didn't stop though; he was confident that they would loose them if they kept moving.

Or so he thought.  His ears perked up when he heard some rough stumbling behind him.  He stopped and turned to see that, somehow, the elf leader was following them, and had caught up.  He was breathing quite heavily from his rushing and had a sword drawn, though he held it and himself up awkwardly, showing that he was affected by the night's drinking. “You little sssonavabastard-!”  He growled out, sloven eyes narrowed as he glared at the two.  “I knew you'd be trouble!  There ish no way in the nine hellsh I'm going to let you get away with our prize here!”

Xan glared back at the slaver, hearing a faint whimper escape from the shaking Skye.  “There's no way you're going to take either of us back!” He shouted firmly.

The slaver laughed. “Fancy yourselfsh a hero, boy?  I'm gonna knock that 'hero' right out of you right here!”

Xan stood his ground, but he didn't like his chances.  Even though the elf was inebriated, he had to try and protect Skye and fight while still in chains. The elf made a clumsy advance and the sulefi was able to move around him easily, giving him a moment so he could quickly lowered Skye down by a tree. He then turned in time to see the the slaver move on him again, swinging his blade out.  Xan raised his arms up, this time using his shackles to his advantage and used the metal to deflect the blow away. He then quickly raised his arms up, slamming his fists up against the elf's jaw and staggering him backwards.

“You damn mongrel!  I'm going to put you down for good!”  The elf yelled out, swinging and stabbing his sword, but Xan was able to deflect most of the blows, feeling the blade nick and cut at his arms as he tried keep himself between the slaver and Skye, keeping him away. Despite his best attempts, the chains on his legs would yank and catch, causing the sulefi to loose his balance and fall to his knees.  The slaver saw this as his chance and he raised his sword up, ready to bring it down on his head., but Xan quickly raised his arms up, catching the blade against the chain.  He quickly wrapped it around the weapon and yanked the elf down just as he pushed himself forward, tackling into him to the ground and sending the sword flying away.

The two struggled and scrambled to get back up, Xan keeping himself in front of Skye while the elf got back to his feet, the fight and adrenaline making him more focused now.  “You damn little bastard!  I'm going to make both of you suffer for this!”

Xan tensed up and readied himself for the next attack, but he hesitated when he saw a cloaked form appear behind the elf.  “What the-?” Before the elf realized what had happened, he suddenly realized the newcomer was there and felt a blade press up against his back. “Who the hell-?!”

“I'm the one that will be taking these two away from you.” The newcomer said, “If you value your life, then I suggest you stumble your way back to your friends and forget about all of this.”

The elf sneered, “You must be out of your damn mind!”  He said, then gasped as he felt the blade press in.

“I won't warn you again.” The figure threatened, “Don't push your luck.

“You're already pressing yours!” The elf spat out, “If you try and take the freak away, it won't be just us that will come after you!  There are plenty of others who are looking!”

“I'll take my chances.” The figure said, “What about you?”

The elf responded by quickly turning around, pulling his arm back ready to strike, but the cloaked figure was faster.  He struck the elf in the head with the pommel of the sword, knocking him to the ground like a sack of flour.

Xan had quietly moved back towards Skye, staying next to them as he watched the scene play out.  The cloaked figure sheathed his blade and then turned towards the two before slowly approaching.  “Don't worry, I'm here to help.”  He said,  holding his arms out in a nonthreatening gesture.  “In fact, I owe you my gratitude.”

The sulefi watched him warily, “How can I be sure of that?”  Xan said; he wasn't so sure, but then he noticed Skye's ears twitching as they finally heard the voice. “G-Gareth...?” They asked weakly, lifting their head up, “Is that really you?”

The figure nodded, reaching up to pull his hood back, revealing a dark-skinned human.  “It's me, Skylar.  We've come back for you.”

Xan turned as he heard them gasp out, “Do you know him?”

Skye nodded.  “He's one of my companions I told you about-!”  They tried to push themselves up, Xan helping them back to their feet. “Are the others here too...?”

“Aye, we're all here!” A new voice spoke up as two others soon came to view; a dwarf in chainmail armor and a taller elf maiden in simple traveler's robes. “It took far too long to reach you,” The maiden said, “But we're here now.”

The dark-skinned human turned his head to the newcomers, “Is everything alright?”

The dwarf let out a hearty laugh. “Oh aye, just had to deal with the scum that was still willin' to fight.  They b' feelin' that mistake in the morning!”

Gareth nodded and then turned to the other two.  “We've been trying to catch up with this caravan for weeks.  We had planned to ambush the slavers and rescue you, but...it seems like your new friend here worked faster than we could.”  He turned to look at Xan directly, “We owe you our thanks for your help.”

Xan didn't say anything right away, he could feel Skye trembling in his hold before they took a few steps forward, embracing the human as much as the chains would allow. Gareth himself was speechless, embracing them for a quiet moment.  “I'm sorry we didn't come sooner.”

“You still came...”  Skye said, starting to sniff.  “I was so worried...”

The human nodded, “Let's get you away from here.”  He gently lifted them into his arms, then looked to the sulefi.  “Come with us, we can get those chains off of you and offer you a place to rest.”

Xan was quiet, but he nodded at the human's offer. “Thank you...I would appreciate the help.” He said, finally starting relax.  

“It's th' least we can do, mah boi!”  The dwarf said with a smile, marching up along with them.  “Let's out some distance between us and that scum!”

The group started to move deeper into the woods, and eventually Xan could hear a creek running nearby, giving him a pretty good idea of where they were now. It took some time, but soon they arrived at a small camp with two tents and unlit fire pit.  The human sat Skye down and quickly started to work on the removing the shackles with his lockpicks, while the dwarf hurried over and started to pitch the tents up and the elf went to build up a fire up using some of her magic.  Xan stood there, feeling a little awkward as he watched the human work.

“So what's yer name?”

The sulefi twitched and blinked, turning his attention to the dwarf as he approached.  “Oh, uhm, it's Xan'Thral.  Most just call me Xan.”

“Well met then Xan!”  The dwarf said, “I'm Heldric of the Homeguard clan.  My companions here are Gareth Ranger and Lady Vanya.”  Despite his shorter height, the dwarf slapped a hand onto Xan's back and lead him closer to the fire.  “Here, looks like ye've been injured, lemme take care of that fer ye.” The sulefi thanked him, but was a little surprised as the dwarf touched his arms and started to say something in his native dwarven language.  There was a gentle glow forming around his hands and there was a gentle, soothing feeling washing over him.  He looked down seeing the slashes and cuts on his arms were completely healed.  “You're a cleric.”

Heldric laughed. “Aye, follower of the great Forge and Hearth Watcher himself!”

There were several quiet snaps as Gareth unlocked the shackles from the dragonborn and tossed them aside.  “Vanya, can you tend to Skye while I help our guest?”

“Of course.”  The elf nodded and went over, gathering some food and cups while the human moved next to Xan and started to work on lockpicking his shackles next.  “So how did you get caught up with those slavers?”

Xan's ears twitched and he shrugged gently.  “Honestly, it was complete chance.  I live in these woods not far from here, and I was just out before I was ambushed.  They jumped me, chained me up and immediately took me back to their camp.”

Gareth sighed, “This group seem to be better trained than others we've encountered.  They've been rather brave operating this far inland, it's been worrisome how effectively they're working as well.”

“Did the same happen to you?”  Xan asked.

Heldric scoffed, “Not exactly, lad.  We were on our way t' Alexandria and we stopped in the town of Bethal.  Skye went off t' do some shoppin' as we were preparin' to leave, but that was when we found out that they'd been taken.”

“We managed to catch one of the slavers, and he was quick to spill what he knew.”  Gareth said, “They were hired to go after them and only them.  We were meant to protect them, but we had no idea there was some kind of plot, nor that a group like this would work so quickly and so well in a crowded town like Bethal.”

Xan slowly nodded his head, “I admit...they didn't seem like normal slavers, at least from what I've heard.”  He twitched an ear, “The boss seemed really upset that others captured me.”

“Aye, whoever hired 'em had eyes only on our Skye 'ere.”  Heldric huffed and crossed his arms across his chest.  “We thought we coulda rescued 'em right away, but they moved too quickly.  Took us days to get a lead and we've been tailin' them ever since.”

“We had formed a rescue plan,” Gareth continued. “We planted the ale kegs in their supplies and waited for them to get drunk before we moved in.  Dealing with them was a lot easier that way, but that was when we discovered you had already broken out and took Skye with you.”  He looked up at him, “You really did us a great service, and we owe you a debt of gratitude.”

The dwarf let out a laugh, “Aye!  Whether it be luck or fate, ye were in th' right place at th' time!”

Xan twitched his ears at that, thinking back on the dream. “Yeah...yeah I suppose so.”

With a final click, Gareth was able to unlock the final shackle, tossing them aside as well before he got up.  “The least we can do for you is let you stay with us, give you a good meal and a bed for the night.”

Xan nodded, as he rubbed his wrists. “Thank you again for that, I am rather hesitant to go off this late after everything.” He looked over to Vanya and Skye; the dragonborn had been rather quiet all this time, and it appeared they had fallen asleep.  Vanya motioned for Gareth and he went over, lifting them up and taking them to one of the tents.  “I still find it strange,” Xan said, “Do you have any idea why Skye was the only one they wanted?”

Heldric was quiet, going over to their supplies and started to dig through, as Vanya answered.  “As you may have noticed, Skylar is unique for a dragonborn.  They are not physically strong like many of their race, but they do seem to have an amazing affinity for the arcane.  This is only an assumption on my part, but someone must have learned of this and want them for some unknown purpose.”

“Best guess we have at the moment.”  Heldric said, setting up a cooking rig over the fire before passing a waterskin to Xan.  “What about you lad?  Y' said you live around 'ere, but what is a sulefi livin' all the way out here?”

Xan took drink, hesitant to answer.  “My parents made a home out here after...”  He paused.  “My parents were forced into a slave army by the Dark Forces many years ago.”

“The Na'Daar?”  Vanya said, quirking an eyebrow. “I see.”

Xan nodded, “They didn't tell me much, but they told me plenty stories about how they and the others rebelled against the soldiers, actually forming a group of resistance fighters before the war ended.  I've lived here for most of my life.”  He looked down, “After their...passing, I had thought of maybe going off on my own, travel and maybe find one of the other gnoll or sulefi tribes, but I've been hesitant.”

“Aaaah aye, I understand.”  Heldric nodded his head, “I know I was a wee hesitant t' leave my home, but the call to adventure is hard to ignore.”  He laughed, “And I am glad t' have met my compatriots here!”

Gareth finally stepped out of the tent and approached the fire.  “Skye's asleep.”  He said, “Heldric, can you look them over and see if they need any healing?”

The dwarf nodded, “I will, but I dun think there's much I can do.  Just needs some good rest and good food, build up that strength again.”

“I would agree.”  Vanya said, “It would be wise to head for the nearest town so we can resupply and give Skye a chance to recover.  We can also send word to Alexandria and let them know of our status.”

Xan was quietly listening in before he spoke up.  “The closest town from here I think is Fire Waters, to the west.”

“I don't think a detour would do us any harm.” Vanya said, supporting the idea.  “They need the chance to rest as do we all.”

“It would mean going in the wrong direction for us.”  Gareth said, “But, I have to agree.  I think we all could use the rest.” Before anymore could be said, the human stood up and turned his attention to the sulefi, “Speaking of, we only have the two tents, but the three of us will be taking on a rotating watch, so you're free to take the other tent and get some rest.  We'll be ready to head out in the morning.”

The group shared a small meal, and soon Xan decided that he would turn in, taking one of the bed rolls inside the tent and laid down.  He was finding it difficult to rest though; it had been a long day and he had so many thoughts running through his mind.  The abduction had actually spooked him, but now finding himself with these adventurers, it was hard to shake this strange feeling, especially when he thought back on the dream.  It couldn't have been a coincidence...could it?

It took some time, but he did eventually fall to sleep, but he would find himself back in the familiar dreamscape.  He stood next to the aging fountain, and the mysterious figure stood nearby, gazing into the sky.  “The time is here.”

Xan looked at them, twitching his ears.  “So was I meant to meet Skye and the others like ?”  He asked, “Is this what you meant about my fate?”  He started to frown a little, “But now what?  Is this all I was supposed to do? Or...or is there more I should do?”

The figure slowly turned to look at him, “You are now on the path Fate intended, but it is now your choice to follow it.”

“My choice?”  Xan seemed a little surprise by that wording.  “If this is Fate, then...how can I have a choice?”

The figure walked over to the sulefi as the sky started to change with the approaching dawn.  “You always have a choice.”  They said, kneeling down to look at him.  “A path has been laid out for you, but you are the only one that can decide to take it.  Choose what you feel is right.”

Before he could ask any more, Xan started to wake up and found himself inside the tent alone.  It was mostly dark out, but the area was starting to lighten up up as dawn approached.  He sat up and rubbed his head, the words from the dream echoing in his mind.  “Choose what feels right...”   He really wasn't sure what to make of it,  but he didn't have a chance to give it much thought when his ears twitched a the sound of voices outside: it was Gareth and Heldric.  He slowly got to his feet, quietly listening in on their discussion.

“I'm still not so sure on this.” Gareth said.

“It'll only be a few days travel.”  Heldric said.

“But that's using the main road.  If those slavers do try to find us, we'll be easily spotted there.”

Heldric huffed, “If they try to find us, but they'd have t' be pretty daft to try.  Especially all the way there.”

“Maybe, but we thought we were safe in Bethal too.”

Heldric let out a sigh, “Aye, I'll give ya that.  But I don't think Skye'll do well takin' a longer route either.  I think we'd be better off takin' the fastest route as possible.”

Xan started to frown with worry.  He was certainly concerned for all of them and was starting to wish there was something he could do to help. There wasn't much, but that was when a thought came to him and he stepped out.

The two turned to him as he emerged.  “Ah, g'morning Xan.” Heldric greeted.  “Didn' mean to wake ya yet.”

“It's okay, I was awake already.”  The sulefi said, “I did catch some of what you were talking about, and if you're worried about any more trouble on your trip, I'd be more than willing to help out.”

The two looked at him curiously. “Oh aye? Well, won't mind any advice or direction ye can give us, lad.”

Xan twitched his ears, “Actually, I was thinking that I could help more directly and travel with you to Fire Waters.”

That surprised the two and Heldric let out a soft laugh.  “Oh aye?  That's a generous offer, lad-”

“But it's too dangerous.”  Gareth said, interrupting the dwarf.  “We won't endanger a stranger in this.”

Xan frowned at that and crossed his arms over his chest. “I've already been pulled into this once, so I know of some of the dangers, but I do actually have some martial training, so I can at least offer another arm to help you out.”

Gareth couldn't reply as Heldric let out a laugh and nodded his head.  “Well then!  I dun think adding a new member t' our group would hurt, but are ye sure you want t' do that?  After Fire Waters, we'll be headed for Alexandria.”

The sulefi nodded his head, “I'm sure.  I've been thinking about going off on my own already, and I think traveling with you to help out would be a good reason to do so.”

Heldric nodded, stepping over to him and clapping a hand on his shoulder.  “Well I certainly welcome a good arm t' the party!  Whaddya say, Gareth?”

The ranger seemed a little loss for words.  “What about your family or friends?”

Xan shook his head, “I live alone here, so all I'd need to do is gather my gear back at my house and make sure everything is secured before leaving.”

The human sighed, “I'd want to ask Vanya before we decide.”

“I think it would be a good idea.”  The elf replied, returning to the group from the direction of the creek.  “He's already proven his skill and bravery, and I have no doubt that he would be quite the fighter unfettered.”

Gareth let out a soft sigh. “Alright...if you're sure.”

Xan smiled a little and nodded before he turned to the elf.  “How is Skye?”

“Doing much better, I would say.”  She replied before stepping to the side.  Xan realized that the dragonborn was behind her, and he was taken aback when he saw them. Skye had the chance to get cleaned up and was dressed in proper travelers robes, revealing gleaming white scales and soft blue fur, matching their already brilliant blue eyes.  Suddenly their name took on a whole new meaning.

“Oh wow...”  Xan said quietly, looking at them until his eyes met with theirs and he quickly turned his gaze down for a moment.  “Uhm, you look so much better now.”  He said, sounding a little embarrassed.

Skye smiled a little and nodded.  “Thank you.  I certainly feel better now...”  They paused and looked at the others, “...thanks to all of you.”

Heldric smiled and laughed, “Aye!  Now we're all back t'gether!”

“We best hurry and break camp.”  Gareth said, “Will you be able to find your way back to your home from here?”

“It'll be easy.”  Xan said, nodding his head.  “I have a pretty good idea of where we are now.”

“Good, once you're ready, then we can make our way to Fire Waters.”  

Skye twitched their ears and looked towards him. “You're coming with us?”

Xan nodded, “The other seem to be okay with the idea.  I would like to help you out, if you'd have me.”

They looked at him and a faint smile started to appear.  “I...I'm happy to hear that!”  They said, twitching their tail behind them, “I...uh...I do...I do owe you for your help.”

Xan laughed a little, pausing as the others started to tear down the campsite.  “It's nothing, really.  I just...if there is any trouble, then I want to be there as well.”

Once the group had packed up their supplies, Xan took the lead and started to lead them through the forest.  The forest started to feel much friendlier as the sun rose into the sky, brightening the sky and chasing away the early morning mist, and by mid-morning, the group soon reached a large tree.  It seemed strange at first, but as they got closer they could see that the halfling's home was actually built into the tree: windows inlaid in the sides of the tree, and a staircase of old stone leading up to a heavy wooden door in the 'front' of the house.

“This is amazing!”  Skye said as they looked around the structure.  “This is where you live?”

Xan nodded, “Yeah, this is it.”  He said, smiling back at the group a little.  “My parents built this decades ago after the war with the Dark Forces ended.  I'm not sure how they did it honestly, cause the tree is still alive, changes with the seasons and everything.”

Vanya looked around, slowly nodding her head as if in approval. “Very impressive, I must say.”

Skye watched the sulefi curiously, “Your parents were involved in the Na'Daar war?  That was over thirty years ago, how did they survive?  Why did they decide to move out here?”

Xan rubbed his head, “Uhm...to be honest, I don't know all of the details.  The liked to tell me stories when I was young, but I don't know how much of it was accurate.  They did tell me that they were part of a revolt against their masters, defeating them and forming a resistance group that ended up defending an outpost for months until the war's end.  After that, they wanted to live someplace quiet.  I don't remember who actually helped build our home, but when I was little I just kind of assumed they did it all themselves.”

“It is really amazing.”  Skye said as they walked up next to him, looking over the tree home. “There wouldn't be any trouble with you leaving?”

The sulefi went quiet for a moment, “Actually, I...live alone now actually.  They passed some years back.”

They twitched and looked down, “O-oh, I see.  I'm sorry.”

“It's okay.”  Xan said, giving them that reassuring smile. “Honestly, that's one reason why I've thought about leaving on my own and travel.  It's just...something always stopped me.”  His thoughts lingered back to the dream for a moment, “But now...helping you guys out seems like good enough reason as any.” He walked up to the door and pushed it open, “You're welcome to come inside, I shouldn't be long, just need to grab my gear and whatever supplies I can scrounge up.”

“Kind of ya, lad.” Heldric said, “But we wouldn' want to intrude.  Best make haste.”

Xan nodded and hurried inside.  He wanted to be quick, but there was no denying that he was actually feeling scared now.  This was it, he was really planning on leaving and the reality was starting to sink in.  It was terrifying, but he had to reassure himself that this was what he wanted to do.  Maybe even needed to do. He went through his stores and gathered up whatever supplies felt he could use before heading upstairs to his room and collected his equipment.  When he was certain that he had everything he needed, he finally stepped back outside.  The group was patiently waiting and they turned, seemingly surprised to see the young sulefi now dressed in a set of scale mail and a polished halberd in his hand.

“Oh wow.”  Skye said, “You...really look like a proper adventurer now.”

“Aye.” Heldric said, a slight chuckle in his voice.  “I musta admit, didn't think ye'd be quite this well prepared, eh?”  He smirked and looked over to Gareth; who must have had similar thoughts.

Xan looked a little embarrassed, but he let out a small laugh.  “Thank you?  The armor and halberd belonged to my parents.” He said, taking time to close everything up; locking the doors and shuttering the windows.  “They must have been concerned about me after what happened to them, so they took the time to train me while I was growing up.  I've only ever needed to really fight on rare occasions, but...they've come in handy.”

The dwarf laughed, “Aye!  Well, hope ye didn' go rusty, ma boy.  Who knows what we might come across next!”

He nodded his head, “I think I'll be okay.  I'll try my best.”

“Sounds good!”  Heldric nodded before address the others, “Then shall we?”

“Yes, let's get going.”  Gareth nodded and turned, starting to head off with the others.  Xan started after them, but he hesitated.  He turned back to look at his home, taking in the sight for one more moment.  “Path lies before me.” He said to himself, “I hope the path will lead me back here.”

--

The trip turned out to be much more peaceful than the party had expected.  There was some tension at first, they all expected to see the slavers coming after them or ready to ambush them on the main road, but the only people they came across was other travelers and caravans.  They seemed to be in the clear and the group relaxed enough to enjoy the rest of the journey.

Xan was able to learn more about the others: Gareth was a human who grew up near the capital of Storm Waters before venturing off to join and train with a group that patrolled the forest area known as the Firelight Forest in the east.  Heldric was a dwarven cleric who's clan made many trips out from the Snow Iron Mountains to provide humanitarian aid to smaller camps and towns who were working on the construction of the 'Great Tunnel' project.  Vanya was a high elf mage from an arcane family living in the  city of Syll Shaeras, it was her family that were asked to assist the Razor Wing dragonborn clan that Skye had come from. It was all really fascinating to learn, but Xan had this weird feeling that there was more to this that the three weren't saying, but it may have just been his imagination.

It was late afternoon of the fourth day when the party could finally see the port city of Fire Waters ahead of them.  It was the largest settlement that the sulefi had seen: sitting on the coast with hundreds of stone and wooden buildings with the ocean stretching out beyond. There was quite a few wooden docks, many of them with ships of all shapes and sizes docked alongside. A large defensive wall was built on the city's east side facing inland with the only way inside through a wide gate that was standing open, guarded by two towers and several armed guards watching travelers move in and out.

The guards did stop the party, but this was more of a formality and they were allowed to pass through without incident, and Xan got his first look at the large city.  “I've never seen a place like this before.” He finally said as they walked through the town proper.

“Aye!  It is an impressive place fer sure!” Heldric agreed, though he was giving many of the buildings a critical eye.  “Mostly human architecture, but I'm sure they had some dwarven help 'round here!”

The group went straight for an inn called the Fireside Tavern to get lodgings for their time here.  Xan could tell there was an immediate sense of relief from the others as they dropped off their gear and got to settle in after such a long time. Xan was getting his own gear put away when he realized that Skye was standing nearby and silently watching him.  He looked over to them, “How are you feeling?”  He asked.

Skye smiled, “Relieved to be back in civilization after so long...”  They said, “It's a little...intimidating though, given what happened last time I was in a town.”

Xan nodded, “I can understand that, but there won't be any surprises like that again.  I'll be sure of that.”

“I hope so, but that does sound reassuring.”  They smiled, but hesitated, looking like they wanted to say some more.  Finally, after Xan had finished stowing his gear, they spoke up again.  “Have you ever wondered why they call this place 'Fire Waters'?”

“Actually, I don't think so?”  He replied; it seemed strange to be asked that out of the blue. “I never gave it any thought, but now that you bring it up...”

Skye smiled wide at that and walked over to him, taking his hand.  “Come on then!”  They said, sounding excited, “Let's go up to the roof and watch!”

Xan blinked in confusion, but he followed as they headed for the roof of the inn.  The rooftop was setup like a small social area where several others were gathered as well.  As Skye lead them over to a free spot at the edge, Xan started to understand; they had a perfect view of the ocean as the sun was starting to set. The sun slowly started to sink in the horizon, and as it neared the water, the ocean's blue color burst into an array of warm colors.  A display of reds, oranges and yellows spread out and danced on the rippling waves as the sky above also changed colors, blazing orange and red and softly fading to purple and dark blue of the approaching night.  It was as if the whole ocean was on fire.

Skye was quiet, watching the scene before them.  “I've always wanted to see this...” They said quietly, “I've been told all about this, but seeing it for myself amazing.”  Their gaze dropped a little, “I may never have gotten to see this if it wasn't for you.”

Xan turned to them, watching as the sunset turned their white and blue fur the same blazing colors as the ocean.  “I'm happy I was able to help you see this.”

Skye turned to them and smiled back before the two turned back.  They were quiet, but Xan was surprised when he felt how close Skye had gotten to him, resting their head on his shoulder.  The sulefi smiled and stayed still so he didn't disturb them,  watching the fire slowly sink into the ocean. “I don't know if this is the path Fate intended for me...”  Xan said to himself, “but I am glad to be on it.  And I'll stay on it as long as I can.”

#bahamut writing #a sulefi's tale #xan #skye #gareth #heldric #vanya #fantasy

[inktog]

Huh!

In 2020, the book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything introduced the option to customize several of your character’s racial traits, specifically the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, and traits that give skill, armor, weapon, or tool proficiencies.

Following in that book’s footsteps, the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage.

Can’t say I’m sad to see racially based alignment go! “These races are the good ones, those are the bad ones” is probably my least favorite bit of DnD lore. I’m sympathetic toward people who liked it—but of course you can do whatever you want in your own playgroup. I’m happy that “no races are inherently evil” is, at least, the default assumption.

On the other hand, I have mixed feelings about getting rid of racial ability score increases. I’m a Mel to my bones: I like being forced to make tradeoffs, and I love creating characters by finding new ways to mix and match race and class options. (Hm, a tortle wizard would have a really high AC, but I’d lose the +2 Intelligence that I’d get with a gnome. Hmmmm.) This change takes away a lot—though certainly not all—of what’s fun to me about character creation.

#dnd #mine #racism cw