Speaking of inspiration, here's personal quest for the new character I have settled on for this game.

Drakkenheim on Canvas. The ruins of Drakkenheim present a whole slew of unique opportunities. Not just for adventurers seeking riches or factions seeking supremacy, mind you. Secrets both arcane and apocalyptic in nature. Strange landscapes brought into being by the contamination. The intrigues of faith, faction, and throne. Larger than life characters casting their shadows across the city, and the simple souls holding them up to the light. Monsters and treasures big and small alike. All this and more would provide a great wealth of inspiration to any artist intrepid enough to brave what lies behind those walls. My personal quest is to experience as many facets of what has made Drakkenheim the great and terrible place it is today as I can, and then use that experience as inspiration to paint a masterpiece.

@Denalz Out of curiosity, which 2014 source books are you allowing/not allowing? And how would you like us to generate our stats?

@rush99999 Oh that's such a cool idea! Are you going with a bard for that one or something else? I also like this idea because I think it will be fairly easy for your character to want to stick with the others.

@Guardian Angel Haruki I'm allowing all the source books. The only thing I can think of off the top of my head that I don't want to deal with is Silvery Barbs. But I reserve the right to ban other things if they start to cause difficulties for myself or other players in the game. Don't worry, I don't plan on being capricious about this.

As for stats I tend to prefer the point buy system or standard array.

I'll be playing a rogue still. Though he'll have the swashbuckler archetype rather than the assassin.

I'll be playing a rogue still. Though he'll have the swashbuckler archetype rather than the assassin.

Oh that's cool. Here's a link to the "Smuggler" subclass the Dungeon Dudes created for rogues. You might already know what subclass you want to go with but if not I want you to have all the options.

https://www.worldanvil.com/w/drakkenheim-stevensummers96/a/rogues-of-drakkenheim3A-smuggler-article

@Denalz For backgrounds, I am leaning toward taking the Last of the Line from Dungeons of Drakkenheim. Would it be possible for my character to be distant enough to not know/realize that she is part of the line to begin with?

@Guardian Angel Haruki I'm not sure I understand your meaning. Are you asking if it's okay to be an heir to the throne of Drakkenheim without realizing it?

@Guardian Angel Haruki I'm not sure I understand your meaning. Are you asking if it's okay to be an heir to the throne of Drakkenheim without realizing it?

Yes. ^^"

Yes that's totally possible. And honestly I was a little disappointed no one seemed to be interested in that quest line. So I'd be thrilled to let you run with that angle. We should give your character a trinket of some sort connecting them to the throne. Like a broken locket or a birthmark.

I will say I'm not crazy about the idea of your paladin not having any faith affiliation whatsoever. At the very least I think I'm would want to see a strong and clearly defined moral code your character swears to uphold. In addition, I think it would be very helpful if your character at least had some soft opinions about the three major faiths in this setting (The Sacred Flame, The Falling Fire, and the Old Gods). I'm more than happy to give you info on those things or answer any questions you might have to help you get these details settled.

If you're interested here's a link to the "Oath of Hexes" subclass for paladins created for the Drakkenheim campaign...
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/drakkenheim-stevensummers96/a/paladins-of-drakkenheim3A-oath-of-hexes-article

Yes that's totally possible. And honestly I was a little disappointed no one seemed to be interested in that quest line. So I'd be thrilled to let you run with that angle. We should give your character a trinket of some sort connecting them to the throne. Like a broken locket or a birthmark.

Sounds good! Thank you!

]I will say I'm not crazy about the idea of your paladin not having any faith affiliation whatsoever. At the very least I think I'm would want to see a strong and clearly defined moral code your character swears to uphold. In addition, I think it would be very helpful if your character at least had some soft opinions about the three major faiths in this setting (The Sacred Flame, The Falling Fire, and the Old Gods). I'm more than happy to give you info on those things or answer any questions you might have to help you get these details settled.

If you're interested here's a link to the "Oath of Hexes" subclass for paladins created for the Drakkenheim campaign...
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/drakkenheim-stevensummers96/a/paladins-of-drakkenheim3A-oath-of-hexes-article

I already took a look at the Oath of Hexes, and I don't think that really fits with what I have in mind. ^^"
I felt that the Oath of Watchers is a better fit because she would be trying to protect people from the monsters/Eldritch abominations and she would be facing whatever waits in that crater.

I still would like to keep my Paladin secular and separate from a religious faction. I imagine that my character has met at least one person who justified their atrocities with faith and religious quotes. That is something that she despises the most.

I am thinking that she does have a strong moral code where she wants to protect the people around her as best as she can. She believes in community, loyalty, and trying to leave the world a better place than it was. After all, if people don't look out for each other, than the world is doomed. She, herself, is alive because people were willing to help her. She wants to pass on that kindness forward in her life.

Of course, she's mortal and her flaw is that she doesn't believe that her actions are enough. Her alcoholism also comes from the fact that she failed to protect someone dear to her.

The Oath of Watchers has the values of Diligence, Loyalty, and Discipline. When it comes to Diligence, she fits the bill because she is extremely wary of anything not mortal extending boons. She has enough Discipline to not get drunk in extremely dangerous areas or when she's working.

(TLDR: She believes in doing what's right, and actions speak louder than words. ^^")

I will need more information on the religious sects to give a soft opinion on them. ^^"

I still would like to keep my Paladin secular and separate from a religious faction. I imagine that my character has met at least one person who justified their atrocities with faith and religious quotes. That is something that she despises the most.

Fair enough. Though if your character is going to have strong, negative feelings towards religion it would be important to consider who in her past hurt her and what religion they subscribed to. Which brings me to explaining the three religious sects in this game...

Note: If you haven't read my Drakkenheim History In Brief yet, please do so before reading these summaries I typed up. The context is pretty crucial. I promise it isn't too long. You can find it on Page #1

The Faith of the Sacred Flame

The dominant religion of the continent. Its deity is a faceless/formless flame (more a force than a being), monotheistic, and morally good aligned. This religion is credited with causing the downfall of the tyrannical Sorcerer Kings in ancient times. The different nations on the continent are bound together by the mutual subscription to this religion. Its doctrine holds that any light, no matter how small, can lead the way through darkness (Major tenants include compassion, truth, justice, and redemption). This faith's holy city is based in Elyria and they are led by a divine matriarch (think of the pope for comparison). They command The knights of the Silver Order which is a group of paladins and one of the five major factions in this game. The Silver Order has been sent to Drakkenheim by the divine matriarch to destroy delerium at its source as they believe it, the haze, and contamination to be an unholy abomination.

For more info, please see this link...https://www.worldanvil.com/w/drakkenheim-stevensummers96/a/faith-of-the-sacred-flame-organization

The Followers of the Falling Fire

A new offshoot of The Sacred Flame (and one of the five major factions in this game), The Followers of the Falling Fire are sometimes regarded by outsiders to be more of a fanatical cult than a legitimate religion. That being said, the faith is gaining steam across the continent. Led By Lucretia Mathias who, after being passed over to become the newest divine matriarch, had a vision foretelling the destruction of Drakkenheim by a falling star. A vision that came true. Now she lives within the city itself, calling for the pilgrimage of thousands, if not millions of faithful followers to the crater's edge to "take their place within the divine plan". She states that "Perhaps if taken up by righteous souls, the crystals might become an earthly vessel for the Sacred Flame itself." Lucretia has revealed herself to be carrying a piece of delerium which she implanted into her chest. This has led to Lucretia being branded a heretic by the church of the Scared Flame.

For more info, please see this link...https://www.worldanvil.com/w/drakkenheim-stevensummers96/a/the-falling-fire-organization

The Old Gods

The old gods are all the deities who made up the various pantheons that held power in the time before and perhaps during the Sorcerer Kings. However, these gods have been fully silent since that primordial age. If they ever existed at all is unclear though there are some fringe groups and individuals here and there that still worship them.

Here is my guy.

Edwin Fawkes

@Denalz Thank you! That really helps. ^_^

I reread the summary in the beginning and the detailed information for both The Faith of the Sacred Flame and the Followers of the Falling Fire. And I've got a better idea of her soft opinions on the religious factions.

Faith of the Sacred Flame
When the paladin, Phiolvamea, was a child, the tenets of compassion, truth, justice, and redemption of the Sacred Flame resonated with her deeply. She admired those tenets and tried to uphold them as best as she could when she was a child. But, when she learned that the order themselves were oppressing mageborn, which led to the underhanded war between them and the Amethyst Academy, she started to see the hypocrisy of the organized religion. The group who used to help people rise up against tyrants were becoming tyrants themselves.

That fact becomes even more clear after one fateful day. When Phiolvamea was 17 years old, a horde of monsters attacked her small hometown. She wanted to fight back, but her parents told her to run and to get herself and her younger brother, Vinnus, to a city where they could meet up with a family friend. The paladin did just that while her parents went to the front lines.

However, what the paladin and her parents didn't realize was that her younger brother was a mageborn.

The two siblings would eventually encounter a Paladin of the Sacred Flame, Sir Brutus Bernardus. This Paladin recognized that her younger brother was a Mageborn upon first glance, and immediately moved to kill the 7 year old boy.

Phiolvamea didn't hesitate to draw her own blade against Sir Brutus, to protect Vinnus. Suffice to say, she was no match against Sir Brutus. The man had beaten her within an inch of her life, before he moved to Vinnus. All Phiolvamea could do was scream as Brutus killed the boy in cold blood. The paladin left Phiolvamea to die as he moved to kill the monsters. Phiolvamea watched him walk away before she fell unconscious.

She woke up to her hometown in ashes, and with a newfound rage, not just towards the religion, but also towards herself for not being able to protect Vinnus. She remembered Sir Brutus and his cruelty; His pure, unadulterated glee in killing her little brother. She remembered his entourage and how nobody thought to stop him; Some even egged him on! She remembered how useless and pathetic she was; How she couldn't do anything to someone who was counting on her!

Because of this incident, she does not trust the Faith of the Sacred Flame at all.

She didn't meet with the Family Friend after this incident; There was no point. Everyone she cared about was gone. So she had to make a living for herself and protect any other survivors from her hometown. The nightmares started shortly after this incident.

Followers of the Falling Fire
Phiolvamea is aware that this is a sect from the main faith. That does not inspire any confidence or desire to follow this religion. She maintains a healthy dose of skepticism, and intends to pay close attention to the followers' actions, rather than what they say, before rendering a judgment.

The Old Gods
Phiolvamea is not sure what to make of them. She doesn't know the stories, nor what the followers for these Gods do. She still maintains a healthy dose of skepticism, and intends to pay close attention to the followers' actions, rather than what they say, before rendering a judgment.

On another note, here is Phiolvamea's Character Sheet: myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=3062431

@Guardian Angel Haruki Thanks so much for thinking all of that through and for your character sheet.

A couple of things...

Before the Edicts of Lumen, the type of behavior you're describing from Sir Brutus would have been much more likely. In present day the actions of Sir Brutus would have had him branded a criminal by the church and removed, not cheered on. If he has an entourage, it would be very difficult to find other Silver Order knights who would be willing to be branded as criminals alongside him. What your describing sounds more like a group of frat boy malcontents than an organized order of professional knights who have sworn to uphold compassion. Unless Sir Brutus is a complete idiot, he would know that he'd needs to leave no survivors to his crime or else run the likely scenario in which he is tried and convicted.

Based on the lore stated in the source books, the religious orders operate in a certain way and therefore would not tolerate this type of behavior. My concern is, based on your character's backstory, you need the church itself to be corrupt rather than a mere stray paladin. Otherwise Im afraid you'll be disappointed when, virtually all people within the church, are behaving entirely different from what you've described above.

Thanks for your feedback. ^_^
I have thought about the points you brought up, and here's what I've got.

@Guardian Angel Haruki
Before the Edicts of Lumen, the type of behavior you're describing from Sir Brutus would have been much more likely. In present day the actions of Sir Brutus would have had him branded a criminal by the church and removed, not cheered on. If he has an entourage, it would be very difficult to find other Silver Order knights who would be willing to be branded as criminals alongside him. What you're describing sounds more like a group of frat boy malcontents than an organized order of professional knights who have sworn to uphold compassion. Unless Sir Brutus is a complete idiot, he would know that he'd need to leave no survivors to his crime or else run the likely scenario in which he is tried and convicted.

Sir Brutus could very well have been an idiot. That's not out of the realm of possibility.

I was thinking more along the lines that he probably would have the confidence to do that sort of thing because of his standing as a Paladin, an embodiment of righteousness, and he is probably a noble himself. Possibly, a noble whose family is helping fund the faith, so doing anything to this paladin means a significant decrease of funds at their disposal.

In short, He would definitely use the religious quotes and faiths to justify his atrocities. He would also have the knowledge and social savvy on how to evade the consequences of his actions, if he was caught. He could have excused his actions and say something like, "Oh, this kid was infected, so I had to mercy kill him,"

The Silver Order knights (or members of the faith that are of lesser standing) would have corroborated and protected Sir Brutus in order to protect themselves, at the very least. Those members could also have been his friends who agreed with him, or couldn't stand up to him.

I also imagine that under normal circumstances, Phiolvamea would have died because of Sir Brutus and his entourage. He did take measures to ensure that there were no witnesses. But by chance, by fate, or by divine intervention, Phiolvamea and any other survivors she found managed to live through the event.

Based on the lore stated in the source books, the religious orders operate in a certain way and therefore would not tolerate this type of behavior. My concern is, based on your character's backstory, you need the church itself to be corrupt rather than a mere stray paladin. Otherwise Im afraid you'll be disappointed when, virtually all people within the church, are behaving entirely different from what you've described above.

For this backstory, I don't think the entire church itself needs to be corrupt; Just bad apples that managed to cleverly enter and navigate the system.

If the church isn't actually corrupt, then cool! But, Phiolvamea would still have that view of the church being corrupt. Her trust and faith in that religion is just broken by those bad apples. The idea of getting rid of corrupt churches may sound great to her, but Phiolvamea knows that that's an impossibility, so there's no point in trying.

Her main goal is to actually do good in the world, and to get rid of the nightmares that plague her. If she can make Sir Brutus pay, that'd be a bonus.

***Campaign Closed***

Is this too late to join?

@Dran Hey there. Yeah, sorry. Doing a 1x1 now.