The Crew.
I have more coffee, and for today I have nothing but time to burn.
I guess before anything else is said it makes sense to introduce the heroes.
This is their story after all.
As I mentioned in my first post I had each of them come up with a place in the world. I can say now that I like this approach, the world - Lyria - felt a little bit more tangible and real before we even started playing.
I’ll try to express it through their snapshot bios, and maybe another time I’ll sit down to colour each region a little bit more.
So. For now, and for a while, our fair heroes are:
Aratir Thagall - Half-Orc Barbarian
It’s tough being a mongrel. The humans call you half-breed, and so do the orcs. Not quite a man without a country, but definitely a man without a people.
Aratir hails from the West Marches, a collection of squabbling humanocentric kingdoms. Like many of the current generation of non-humans coming of age saw a realisation that the grass is greener on the other side, and this was all the reason he needed to get out.
Chance - Tiefling Sorceror
The Sahar Noran desert is a harsh mistress, and so is Beshaba. Kh’arya, a secluded hamlet hidden far enough from prying eyes; a place of worship for the goddess of misfortune.
Born with the antlers and tail of a deer, Chance belongs to The Scions who are devout followers of Beshaba. Chance runs against the norm; where Beshaba demands mischief and Tymora nurtures good fortune, Chance is the coin that landed on its side.
Fenran - Human Warlock
The long dead Kandrian Empire sought to preserve its knowledge, across the continent several Great Libraries were constructed. Towering fortresses ensconced the precious texts within.
Fenran was born in one such fortress library, deep in the Venglades, and his appetite for knowledge was monstrous. A short stint in the outside world to study a tower that was apparently growing and young Fenran has been swept up by the thrill of adventure.
Lyssa Buckhew - Human Monk
The Northern Borders are a wild, and untamed place. At least they are now. Flip a coin to see how you’ll die; heads is Owlbear, tails is bandit attack. Just kidding, throw the coin in the river, it was an Ankheg.
Well, for Lyssa at least the coin turned up tails. Traveling dwarves returning to a nearby clan-hold at the very least stopped the massacre before everyone died. Lyssa’s new guardians taught strength and pride, but did not mince words. She would describe herself as gentle and caring, and sometimes she’d even be able to express it.
Sirrah of Xyrsandoral - Elf Druid
Born on a Blood Moon, the peoples of the Venglades all agree in hushed whispers behind closed doors that this is an ill omen.
“Only Hags are born on a Blood Moon.”
For 10 years her parents hid this fact, a child of noble blood born on a Blood Moon would be cause for a riot. After 10 years they had nothing but regret for ignoring the whispers, and feared her growing power.
I tried to pare these snapshots down, I didn’t want to get too carried away with any one of them.
Hopefully the characters can be expressed through future snippets and writings, and I know I’ll be writing more about the regions at some point.
On another note, part of me wonders idly about formatting and how readable this all is.
The rest of me wonders how many people other than myself will ever really read all this anyway.