Alright! It all has to start somewhere so I decided to keep it simple enough - you all come from the same town of Pailworthy, and have known each other since childhood. Your families are all alive and well in this town, and pretty much are on good terms with one another. It’s more preferable for me to be that way since there are way too many edgy, murder hobo campaigns out there already. You can use this instance to introduce your character to the others - like class, physical characteristics, personality, all that good stuff. Let’s start with you, Anne.
Mariyah Anne Bright, Half-elf Bard 1
OK. My name is Mariyah Anne Bright, and yeah, you pronounce that Mariyah like Mariah Carey. But since we’re friends, you can call me Anne. I'm a half-elf bard and I’d like her to be a well-known local entertainer with aspirations to be like a KPop idol someday or whatever equivalent a KPop idol is in this place. I believe that my songs and dances make the world a better place.
DM
Ah, nice. Since you're like a local celebrity, we can have something like this - let's have your family set you up with a coming-of-age birthright, like some property in the country outskirts of Pailworthy. Maybe we can have it overrun by some baddies and that can be your first adventure!
Teresa Silverlane, Human Paladin 1
We can be best friends, growing up and all. Since I'm supposed to be of noble heritage. I'm all for eradicating baddies, of course.
DM
Yes, that works. You did mention that your character background would be of some noble lineage. Sounds great!
Mariyah Anne Bright, Half-elf Bard 1
What's your character's name?
Teresa Silverlane, Human Paladin 1
My name is Teresa Silverlane. My close friends call me Tessa. I'm a human paladin of the great House Silverlane, who is renowned as a noble family, defending Pailworthy from bad guys and whatever mucky muck. We can have our two houses as long-standing allies. That works, right?
DM
Yes, I'll allow it. It sounds like a solid background. How about the rest of you guys?
Bianka Vas'zoli, Human Warlock 1
I'm gonna be one of the misfits of the town. I'm a human warlock and my name is Bianka Vas'zoli. I live with my single mom in town who's one of the well-known healers around these parts. The only people I bother with are my childhood friends, who are Tessa, Anne and everyone else in the adventuring crew. My mom knows that it's only a matter of time before I take to the dirt roads to answer the call of adventuring myself. I'm a free thinker as well, but somewhat oblivious to social expectations when it comes to speaking my mind.
Seabreeze Palazzo, Human Fighter 1
I'll be your basic, run-of-the-mill human fighter because no other class interests me. My name is Seabreeze Palazzo, but my buddies call me Zee. I want my family background to be strongly involved in the kingdom's military, but they all were born in Pailworthy. So yeah, soldiering and adventuring are all strong points of the Palazzo family name. I'm a good guy. It's in my nature to be ready to lend help and protect those who cannot protect themselves. So, I guess I act like a paladin but without the holy stuff that comes with being one.
Val'Rei, Vengeance Unrelenting, Tiefling Rogue 1
I've never been a tiefling or a rogue, so that's what I'll play. My name will be Val'Rei, Vengeance Unrelenting. You guys, of course, call me by a more common name, maybe just Rei. I'm a born gambler but I also know the value of true camaraderie. My folks will be successful businessmen, or "businesstiefling", in Pailworthy, but my mom started off as an adventurer, so she is at peace with the reality that one day, I might go out on adventures of my own. That day will be when Lady Mariyah asks us for help, right?
DM
That would make a good starting adventure, won't it?
Teresa Silverlane, Human Paladin 1
<Satisfied> So we're all childhood friends? That's fine with me.
Seabreeze Palazzo, Human Fighter 1
<Agreeable> Yeah. Sounds good to me, too.
DM
Any other objections? None? And with that, let's start the adventure!
Anne unfurls a large, leather-bound parchment. It looks like the one in that movie where Heath Ledger was a knight and he wanted to join a tournament.
Bianka Vas'zoli, Human Warlock 1
<Excited> That movie would be, A Knight's Tale. He wanted to join the tournament at Rouen but they were limiting the registration to knights who could provide something that was called "patents of nobility".
Images purchased from Heroic Maps, Printable Heroes and Paper Forge.
DM
That one! But the ones that Anne is showing to you guys was more of a title of birthright, which is exactly like deeds of ownership. This one is for the property that her family owns, which, since she recently came of age, is now hers.
Mariyah Anne Bright, Half-elf Bard 1
<Excited> Cool! I get to have my own crib!
DM
But it's on the outskirts of Pailworthy, quite some distance from town. Which is also the reason why it was terribly neglected. It was so neglected to the point that the main building fell to ruin, and is known to have been a bandits' nest at some point. Who knows? The bandits may still be squatting there now.
So, our little adventure begins with the half-elven bard calling to her childhood friends to help her with her task of clearing and re-establishing her birthright property.
I assume that all of you are OK with provisions for the trip. Traveling outside the walls of Pailworthy is generally safe, provided that you stick to the main road. On foot, it would take around three days to reach what is currently called Brightstone Keep.
<To Mariyah Anne Bright> You can name it whatever you want, of course.
Even though adventuring isn't an entirely safe venture, you all say your farewells to your families and they all expect you back soon. And so, not wanting to waste any more daylight, the five of you set forth outside the walls of Pailworthy.
So, our little adventure begins with the half-elven bard calling to her childhood friends to help her with her task of clearing and re-establishing her birthright property.
I assume that all of you are OK with provisions for the trip. Traveling outside the walls of Pailworthy is generally safe, provided that you stick to the main road. On foot, it would take around three days to reach what is currently called Brightstone Keep.
<To Mariyah Anne Bright> You can name it whatever you want, of course.
Even though adventuring isn't an entirely safe venture, you all say your farewells to your families and they all expect you back soon. And so, not wanting to waste any more daylight, the five of you set forth outside the walls of Pailworthy.
