[LFP] 5E: Princes of the Apocolypse

[lokiare]

FG License: Ultimate
Game System: Dungeons and Dragons 5E

Time Zone: CDT
Day of week and time: Wednesdays 1pm CDT
If new game, planned start date: Already started 2nd session on 6/8/2016.
Planned Frequency: Once a week
Term: Full Princes of the Apocalypse campaign

Text or Voice: Voice
Voice software used: Skype

Roleplay & Combat mix: We enjoy both role play and combat in equal measures (mostly dictated by the adventure)
Number of Players in game & needed: 3 players in game, need 2 more. (We currently have A Fey Warlock, Blade Singer Wizard, and a Battle Master Fighter.)
Character starting level & equipment: 1st level will be updated to xp of other players when you join.
Character restrictions: All official rules allowed, UA must be approved on an item by item basis.

Details of your scenario: "A terrible threat gathers in the North. Throughout this region of the Forgotten Realms, savage marauders bring destruction. Monsters are on the prowl, preying on flocks, rampaging through croplands, and attacking homesteads and travelers. In settlements, discord and suspicion grow. Sinister strangers lurk in the shadows, whispering about how everything is soon to change. This year brought an unseasonably warm and stormy spring. Tales spread of flooding, windstorms, wildfires, and tremors."


Link to Gamecalendar page: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/calendar/?id=2021

If you are familiar with Princes of the Apocolypse, we are using the Adventure Hooks and the Faction connections. Choose one of each (or none for the Faction connection).

Adventure Hooks
Best Served Cold
The character must find and defeat Windharrow, the minstrel who attends Aerisi Kalinoth. Windharrow can initially be found in area A4 of the Temple of Howling Hatred. Most members of the air cult know that he stays near Aerisi. The character earns inspiration for reaching the air temple and again for defeating Windharrow.

Dangerous Information
Its a race against time-the character overheard cruel bandits planning a raid and intends to stop them. The bandits report to someone named Grimjaw in a place called Rivergard Keep. The character earns inspiration for defeating the villains in the "Reaver Ambush" encounter in chapter 3 and again for defeating Jolliver Grimjaw.

Dangerous Secret
The character has been assigned to infiltrate the mysterious druids of the Circle of the Scarlet Moon and discover their true plans. The circle supposedly knows ritual magic unknown to other druids. The character earns inspiration for discovering the truth behind the Rite of the Wicker Giant and again for finding the fire gate in the Weeping Colossus.

Defeat the Skyriders
Vicious raiders mounted on hippogriffs have laid waste to several small hamlets and merchant caravans, and the character has sworn to stop them. Clearing the Howling Hatred cultists out of Feathergale Spire earns the character inspiration, as does obtaining a flying mount.

Feathergale Rebel
The character has been sent to retrieve a Waterdhavian noblewoman. Savra Belabranta is currently guarding the front gate of Feathergale Spire. The character earns inspiration by persuading her to abandon the cult and return home, as well as for clearing the spire of air cultists.

Hired Hand
Homesteaders who were kind to itinerant workers are now missing. The character sets out to have revenge and to rescue any survivors. Defeating the kenku in area A2 of the Temple of Howling Hatred earns the character inspiration, as does rescuing Bero Gladham in area A12 of the air temple or Nerise Gladham in area N17 of the Howling Caves.

Madman at Haunted Keep
The character knows that unsavory sorts have occupied Rivergard Keep, and that there's a secret way into the castle. Using the secret entrance earns inspiration, as does clearing the Crushing Wave cultists out of Rivergard Keep.

The Mud Sorcerer
Months ago, the character was robbed by a genasi who killed several innocent bystanders. Now its time to find Miraj Vizann and make him pay. Vizann can normally be found in area B8 of the Temple of Black Earth. The character earns inspiration for reaching the temple and again for defeating Miraj.

Ominous Dream
The character has seen the earth prophet, Marlos Urnrayle, in dreams and knows that Marlos is a dangerous villain who must be stopped. The character earns inspiration for gaining access to the earth temple and again for defeating Marlos.

Rescue Your People
Raiders from the fire cult have abducted people the character feels responsible for protecting. They must be rescued at any cost. The captives are held in area E11 of the Temple of Eternal Flame. The character earns inspiration for reaching the temple and again for getting the captives to safety.

Seeking Revenge
Fire cultists torched the characters home or razed a defenseless village. The character is sworn to stop them. The character earns inspiration for defeating Lyzzie Calderos in area E29 of the Temple of Eternal Flame and again for defeating Vanifer.

Settle a Score
Marauders in stony armor robbed the character's friends or family and left the character for dead. Now its time to even the score. The character earns inspiration for defeating the Black Earth cultists in area M9 of the Sacred Stone Monastery and again for defeating Hedorm in area B14 of the Temple of Black Earth.

Shatterkeel's Trail
Months ago, Gar Shatterkeel destroyed the characters ship by conjuring a powerful storm. Dozens of sailors died, and now the character intends revenge. The character earns inspiration for reaching the water temple and again for defeating Gar.

Standing Offer
Months ago, the character served as a guide for a band of mysterious pilgrims who set out to reoccupy the Sacred Stone Monastery. The character's mission is to infiltrate the group and discover their intentions. The character earns inspiration for successfully joining the earth cult at the monastery and again for surviving an encounter with Renwick, the lich in area M16 of the monastery.

Strange Map
An ancient map has come into the characters possession, showing the location of a forgotten dwarf stronghold beneath the Sumber Hills. The character earns inspiration each time he or she discovers one of the four temples in ancient Tyar-Besil.

Suspicious Fellow
The character becomes suspicious of Thurl Merosska, a knight of the Feathergale Society, and decides to investigate. Thurl is normally found in Feathergale Spire. The character earns inspiration for defeating Thurl and again for discovering the Temple of Howling Hatred.

Undercover
The character is tasked to break up a smuggling and piracy ring on the Dessarin River headquartered at Rivergard Keep. The character earns inspiration for successfully joining the water cult at Rivergard Keep and again for capturing or killing Shoalar Quanderil.

Walked Away
The character was briefly recruited by the fire cultists but never took up arms with them. Now the character wants to stop the villains before they give all mercenaries a bad name. The character earns inspiration for clearing out Scarlet Moon Hall and again for reaching the Temple of Eternal Flame.

[lokiare]

Factions
The Harpers
A scattered network of spellcasters and spies, the Harpers advocate equality and covertly oppose the abuse of power, magical or otherwise. Agents operate in secret and emphasize stealth and subtlety, or at the very least discretion. Bards and wizards are their most prominent members.
Harpers operate in small cells throughout the North. One is based in Triboar: Darathra Shendrel, the Lord Protector, belongs to the faction, and Harper agents can find welcome at the Home of the Boars.
Another cell in the prosperous trade center of Yartar monitors traffic in the Dessarin Valley and the actions and policies of the citys Waterbaron. The Harpers work to maintain the balance of power between the various groups competing to influence the city.
In the Sumber Hills, the Harpers warn travelers and adventurers to stay clear of Rundreth Manor and the Dark Lady who dwells there. Harpers also watch the ruined Halls of the Hunting Axe.

The Order of the Gauntlet
This faction is primarily a military organization made up of paladins, clerics, and monks. Members of the order are faithful and vigilant seekers of justice who protect others from the depredations of evildoers. They exact swift retribution against those who violate the law.
Atop a high crest in the Sumber Hills stands Summit Hall, home to the Knights of Samular. This venerable order of paladins of Tyr strives to promote justice in the savage North. The Order of the Gauntlet hopes to expand its influence in the region by joining the Knights to its cause.
In the western Sumber Hills, the order has little political influence. It hopes to correct this weakness by establishing alliances with local leaders who share its goals, such as the Waterbaron of Yartar. The order is even pursuing negotiations with fringe organizations.

The Emerald Enclave
This widespread group of wilderness survivalists preserves the natural order while rooting out unnatural threats. Many of the Enclaves members are barbarians, druids, and rangers. Some wander the untamed lands while others make their homes on the outskirts of towns and villages, where they help to protect travelers from the dangers of the wild.
The enclave's greatest stronghold in the region is the fortified farm and abbey to Chauntea called Goldenfields. Abbot Ellardin Darovik is a senior agent of the Emerald Enclave. In the High Forest to the east lies Shadowtop Cathedral, another of the enclave's meeting places.

The Lords' Alliance
The Lords'' Alliance is a shaky compact of aggressive political powers concerned with mutual security and prosperity. Fighters and sorcerers are prevalent among alliance agents, and they are often glory hounds seeking personal recognition. Most agents are lawful or neutral; in the courtly circles of the lords', those who don't follow the rules seldom last long.
Trade along rivers and roads links the cities of the Lords'' Alliance, so its operatives eliminate threats to that trade as soon as they appear.
Located at the confluence of the Dessarin and Surbrin rivers, Yartar is a prosperous center of commerce. Various groups vie to control its wealth and influence its trade. The Waterbaron of Yartar, Nestra Ruthiol, is a member of the Lords' Alliance, and her decisions affect the politics of not only her city but the other cities of the region.

The Zhentarim
This shadow network seeks to expand its influence and power base throughout Faerun. Its members coerce, persuade, or buy their way into every major area of influence. Rogues and warlocks fill the Zhentarims ranks, but the faction recruits any who can conduct its business without too many moral reservations.
Zhentarim operatives might be found in any settlement, but in the North the organization is based in the Bargewright Inn. Zhentarim mercenaries and spies meet within its many private chambers. The Black Network disguises its ownership of the inn to avoid unwanted attention. The organization also has a vested interest in maintaining the prosperity of Yartar.

Minor Factions
A number of minor factions also seek influence in the Dessarin Valley: the elves of the High Forest, the Hand of Yartar, the Knights of Samular, and the Uthgardt tribes.

Elves of the High Forest.
The High Forest once sheltered three great elven realms beneath its boughs. Many tribes of wood elves-and a few moon elves-still protect the ruined monuments to their golden age. Few beyond the borders of the High Forest know much about these elves; they have no single leader and make little contact with the outside world.The wood elf Morgwais, known as the Red Lady or the Lady of the Wood, seeks to unite the disparate tribes through the
Caerilcarn ("Council of the Wood"). Her aim is to resurrect the ancient kingdom of Eaerlann, and she has made steps in that direction by allying various elven settlements. As yet, though, only a few elves believe in her vision, and they are spread far apart over the eastern reaches of the forest.Male Elf (image)
The Emerald Enclave is friendly to the elves of the High Forest. However, Morgwais has a troubled history with Turlang, a treant leader of the enclave in Shadowtop Cathedral.

The Hand of Yartar.
The famous chronicler Volo once said that everyone in Yartar is after money or power-preferably both-in as short a time as possible. The Harpers, the Lords' Alliance, and the Zhentarim compete within the city. The local thieves guild, the Hand of Yartar, vies for a larger piece of the action, but infighting has kept the guild from having much influence.Within the guild, a new and deadly group is flourishing, comprising ambitious young female thieves and assassins. They are masters of disguise and infiltration, impersonating officials and commoners alike in order to steal, bribe, and murder.
The Hand of Yartar might work with the Zhentarim when its convenient for both parties.

The Knights of Samular.
This order of paladins dedicated to Tyr has pursued justice across the North for over five hundred years (see chapter 3 for more information). Its founder, Samular Caradoon, built Summit Hall in the Sumber Hills as a training monastery for the order. Young men and women across the North travel to Summit Hall so that they might learn from its aging heroes.The Lady of the Hall, Ushien Stormbanner, is sympathetic to the Order of the Gauntlet.

Uthgardt Tribes.
For over a thousand years, the barbarian humans of the Uthgardt tribes have roved the North, holding to ancient customs of ritual and taboo. They are notorious for their hatred of magic, disavowal of any gods but their own, and hostility to anyone not of their tribes. Most in the North consider Uthgardt to be little better than orcs. Two tribes are the most troublesome to folk of the Dessarin Valley: the Tree Ghosts and the Elk. See chapter 2 for more about the Uthgardt.

[callahan09]

Hi, I am interested in joining you Are you starting from the beginning, characters at level 1? Or would I be jumping in as a replacement for someone who dropped out of an already ongoing campaign? When would character creation be?

[DMZeff]

Use the template in the sticky so people reading this know if your group works for them.

[lokiare]

Thanks for mentioning that!

[lokiare]

We are starting at 1st, but have played the first session. If you join we'll update your xp to match the party. You are not a replacement, we just need more players to more closely match the adventures expectations. At the moment we have no healer, (but this is not a requirement). You can create a character tomorrow or you can do it on your own and import it in when we start.

[Gingiwi]

Would love to join you guys! I'm from NZ but can play at any time you set, got a lot of spare time on my hands, played 5e before so I know the rules and skype suits me perfectly! Really hope you still have space!

[morgalahan]

Hi there, do you still need one more player or are you doing without? :) I see you have a lot of applications going on in your game calendar. I'm new to the website so I'm not 100% sure how all of this works.

[hydrol]

Hi

Do you still need players? I would be very interested in joining and have already signed up in the game calendar. I have a great rogue that would work very well with one or two of the adventure hooks.

[Monkeydrow]

Hi, are you still looking for players?

Name: nguyen
Age: 24
Experience: I've playing 5e for about a year. I've dmed at cons and many expeditions. I feel that 5e has been the most streamlined and newbie friendly system, which is why I enjoy playing and talking to new people about it.
A little about yourself: I'm not an RP heavy player. However, I will act out things rather than just be monotonous about my actions. Overall, I play the game with a grain of salt. Don't take things too personally and will never deliberately attack an ally or do anything to harm us. As you come to know mr, you can tell that I honesty just like having fun playing dnd with a good group of prople.

Character concepts. (They're flushed out and I have a strong understanding of who they are. I just don't want to make you read a 3 page essay. Haha)

Captain Quinn Reed: Ex-naval officer turned mercenary/Zhentarim agent. He thinks himself smooth with the ladies, but raddles when his advances truly work. He has a noir feel to his look and personality. Think Cowboy Bebop and the likes.

Professor Galeo: An eccentric sorcerer who's wild experiments with alchemy caused his colleagues to kick him out of The Order of the Cloaks Now he lives in isolation waiting for a time to use his genius, albeit unorthodox methods for good. Think Doc Brown or The Professor from Futurama

Gregor "Pepplesmasher" Killspeak: Golaith barbarian of an Uthgardt nomadic tribe. Standing at 7ft 250lbs Gregor was considered the runt of his village. Before being able to take the Spirit Test, Gregor must go out into the world and prove to his village that his size will not become a hindrance to their tribe.

I have concepts and will play to fill rolls as well. Look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for reading.