Rescuing Sildar with finding Gundran left the group feeling somewhat successful, but there is worry. We know just enough to start tracking down where our patron is being held. First, we must complete the hired mission – delivering the goods to Phandalin.
Getting paid is good for morale. As our coffers fill we learn that this poor frontier town has little in the way of a constabulary, and rather large department of Protection Racket.
The group decides that before we rescue Gundran we will help this town live without fear. Time to clean the streets!
One things I’ve realized about Phandolin, as opposed to my home village or the woods where I earned the name Fat Goose, is that everyone is caught up in some kind of tragedy or ill business. Between the Red Brands/Cloaks terrorizing the town, the goblins able to raid with impunity, some kind of haunted house, and a set of mines which a dwarven community is trying to bring back this frontier town needs heroes.
That’s what we are. The Loragwyn family taught me that. People in need deserve help, even if you fail while you try.
At Barthen’s Provisions we were paid for the work we’d completed. Unfortunately Sildar demanded his oxen back. I’d grown comfortable with the dumb beasts. Mayhap, I’ll purchase them from him in the future.
While most of us were concentrating on getting paid for an unplanned return of merchandize, Rowan, the Priestess of Lady Tymora, visited a shrine. In the eve, after a few battles she shares what occurred at that shrine.
“You wouldn’t believe how it warmed my heart to find shrine to the Lady Tymora in this little village. It made me feel like the Lady’s luck will be following me wherever I go. And the cleric who cares for the shrine, Garael… I can’t wait for all of you to meet her. She’s in need of our help, but I expect she’s going to be a great help to us as well.”
We learn that there is a coster that is responsible for the rest of the goods we rescued from the goblin caves. There should be a bit of money in returning those goods.
Money is good, but solving problems is better. I’ve always felt that addressing confrontation straight on is best. The Red Brands have a particular bar that they enjoy.
We visit it. Or we try to visit it. A handful step out to confront us.
“What are you doing here?”
I respond, “We’re here to clean up town.” I cast a basic spell to clean up the poor, dirty bastard’s disgusting cloak.
My generosity is ignored. Those idiots. It takes a bit for us to clean up the south end of town and this stupid bar. We leave behind four dead bodies, a handful of smarties that surrender.
Those that surrender let us know of more dangers at the manor house – bugbears, undead, more red brands, a couple of wizards. This is probably beyond our capabilities.
I toss a gold towards the barkeep. His inn is a mess after our conflict. While my companions interrogate, I clean. This town needs help. We help.
We take the dead to the edge of town to serve as a warning, their red cloaks hanging over their bodies as a symbol towards those who would terrorize good peoples.
The living we leave with Sildar overnight. In the morn we are to raid the manor house.
Life is only worth living if you are to help others. The people of Phandalin will live free, or our band will perish.
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve started working towards a bundle of dozens of backgrounds for use in 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons. The basic version of these would be to fill out the space of time before you became a hero — so toss that Folk Hero in the trash.
The goal is to keep the core of these with the 2 skills and 2 language/tools of the base system, while having handful that may go beyond the base ruleset. Each would have a description, the gained skill set, equipment, the feature (maybe an alternate) as well as the including the personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws.
Backgrounds, when fully explored, give power to the social and exploration pillars of play. With them we discover that point of time “Before We Were Heroes.” There will also be need for at least one more language and a few more tools.
My goal, is to put this forward as a product on the DMs Guild, eventually. If my dreams come to fruition that I would partner with an experienced editor. I have an artist and designer in mind at this point. Depending on the editor, I may need a cultural consultant or two.
The list grows daily. At this point a few have full descriptions and associated personalities, while others are a title with the skills associated with the Background. Here is a list, in order of inspiration, that is far from complete.
Farmer
Minder
Barber
Crier/Herald
Pamphleteer
Lamplighter
Clerk
Hunter/Trapper
Third-Born
The Gambler
Lantan Mechanik
Barista
Tea Master
Bartender
Tax Collector
Oracle
Caravanserai
Tinker
Messenger
Teacher
Perfumery
Talking Drummer
Herbalist
Brute Squad
Logger
Eventually these will be organized — likely by urban and rural. A few more magical and mystical backgrounds will be added. Those will likely include tropes that can only exist in a world of fantasy.
For now, my focus is on what the heroes of our times did, before they became legends.
All of these backgrounds vary from the system as outlined in the Player’s Handbook (2 skills and 2 languages/kits/games/instruments/tools). They are slightly more powerful, but also have limitations in regards to origin kingdom and maybe negative features. The bonuses include an extra non-damaging cantrip, a bit more equipment, a single weapon or companion points. A DM running a game outside of the World of Everflow should take caution in adding these to their campaign, but they may be needed flavors within their world.
The backgrounds are: Street Mage, Glight’s Monitor, Keeper of Everflow, Tinker, Farmer/Rancher, Messenger Service, Villien
This post was updated on 5/24/2020
Street Mage
Performing on the streets earned you a few coin, and the feeling that you are constantly hunted by those that wish to limit magic. You’ve found a way to take the new magic and use it to entertain the common man. You can be a hustler, an entertain, and some even call you a charlatan, but you know that magic is real and there is potential for so much more to Kin than a few animals and stodgy rituals.
In most of the West street mages are welcomed in the ghettos while watched by the Guard when they visit good neighborhoods. In Qin they are often found dead in alleys, unless they are part of the Ashen Scarves.
Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Sleight of Hand Tool Proficiencies: None Languages: Two languages Equipment: Gaming set, Fine clothes, 3 shells or similar, belt pouch containing 15 gold
Feature: Prestidigitation and Wanted
Word of your powerful magic (it’s not necessarily powerful) has spread. You heard you were being hunted and now know you cannot stay in one town too long as word will get out that you have learned to control magic. There are many who distrust magic, as the Awakening and magic lead to the fall of Sheljar and other cities around Kin.
These itinerant teachers visit small villages on the Day of Glight. They encourage reading, study and a knowledge. In all villages they are a welcome distraction from day-to-day life. The Day of Glight ensures that everyone has a bit of an education in how the Kingdoms came to be and what the various faiths are. But none can explain the Awakening and these magics that are now real, rather than legend.
Glight has the second most followers in the West. These teachers are common throughout Kin, even in Azsel.
Skill Proficiencies: History, Religion, Arcana Tool Proficiencies: None Languages: One of your choice Equipment: Folding chalkboard, chalk, common clothes, history book, belt pouch with 10 gold
Feature: Pupil in power
A former student of yours is now in a place of influence. During your traveling and teaching you taught hundreds. One of those is now in a position that can help guide you towards finding the answer to a question or the merchant that sells the rare, but needed equipment.
Characteristics: Sage
Keeper of the Everflow
Prerequisite: Must be a follower of Quar.
The Church of Quar and Bishop Ollium lead the largest faith in the West, Kirtin and Daoud. Due to the Everflow’s powers Quarites are popular in the other Kingdoms as well. The Keeper of the Everflow is part merchant, part cleric. They heal and serve the people, for a price. You serve this powerful Church spreading the word and maintaining its influence in all the Kingdoms.
Shrines and churches to Quar dot the landscape throughout Kin. The Church’s historical control of the Font of the Everflow and Lake of Two Paths empowers them to limit all other faiths’ potency.
Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Persuasion Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher’s Supplies Languages: One of your choice Equipment: One vial of the Everflow, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, common clothes, belt pouch with 5 gold
Feature: Gift of Quar and First Aid (Spare the Dying if played outside of the World of the Everflow)
When you visit a temple of Quar you can ask the ruling deacon to give the gift of the Everflow. If they have the resources and find your needs worthy you will get one vial.
At non-Quarian temples you can still make this request but the chances of success are minimal. Most faiths will make an exchange for a lower price than typically asked.
Characteristics: Acolyte
Tinker
Tinker’s travel between farmsteads, hamlets and villages that lack most smiths. They use both natural and magical means to repair metal goods. In the evening they share news or stories from history and legend. You don’t have a home, and have long left your family. Now, wandering the world you discover new tales and new ways to fix the problems that keep people from doing the things they love.
They are particularly common in the less organized West as well as areas under sway of the Crinthian Confederation.
Skill Proficiencies: Performance Tool Proficiencies: Tinker’s Tools Languages: Two of your choice Equipment: donkey/mule/pony, Tinker’s Kit, 1 pound each tin, copper, iron, pack saddle, traveler’s clothes, pouch with 5 gold
Feature: Job Seeker and Mending
Whether fixing small metal objects or telling tales in the local inn, you find a way to survive at a modest level. This can be through a mix of both activities or just one. If fixing objects all of a morning or afternoon of most days is occupied. If at an inn every evening and some afternoons are occupied.
Characteristics: Folk Hero
Farmer/Rancher
You raise crops or animals for food. At some point your property, or that of your neighbors needed defense. Some of your friends and family were unable to survive the raid from the bandits, but you did. That’s when you discovered there’s more to life that a cock-a-doodle-do at dawn, milking goals, shearing sheep, weeding, swinging a scythe. Your people need protection. You are their hope of a simple, safe life.
Many farmsteads and ranches in Telse lose family members to quests, adventures and those that are searching for better lives. In Kirtin every man or woman must serve, some do not come back from service. Daoud, Azsel, Mehmd and Crinth all have portions of the populace that start as mere serfs and become greater.
Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling or Athletics, Nature Tool Proficiencies: Farmer’s Tools, Vehicles (Land or Water) Languages: None Equipment: Farmer’s Tools, common clothes, a beast of burden (mule, donkey, dog, flightless bird), lantern, flask of oil, week’s rations, pouch with 1 gold and 17 silver.
Feature: Druidcraft and Foraging
In occupied lands you know how to take just enough food to live without most farmers/ranchers noticing, unless you do so for more than 2 days.
Characteristics: Folk Hero
Messenger
Prerequisite: Your bonded companion(s) must be a messenger bird/dog or a riding horse. You gain an extra companion point.
Messengers work throughout Kin and the Lands of the Everflow. Their birds, dogs and horses carry news, treaties, love letters and more between the cities and towns that remain in the post-Awakening world.
Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling Tool Proficiencies: None Languages: Any three Languages Equipment: Common clothes, map case, ink, quill, 5 pieces of paper, pouch with 15 gold
Feature: Service Connections Past messages have been sent to two major cities as well as two small towns in the past. Your bonds know how to get to these places, to your home and to yourself.
Characteristics: Folk Hero
Villein
When a youth comes of age they or their family visit the local Villein. While some, particularly Crinthians, do not use a service, many Kin find their first companion through the services of those who know animals as well as any.
Most Villeins deal with mammals, though some in Daoud have experience with fish. Those in Mehmd deal with saurs and lizards.
Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling (Expertise), Nature Tool Proficiencies: None Languages: None Equipment: 50 gp worth of non-bonded animals, common clothes, pouch with 5 gold
Feature: Domesticating beasts
You are able to calm the semi-wild beasts and prepare them for a bonding session. You also have two additional companion points but must have more than one companion.
Characteristics: Guild Artisan, your art is raising animals.
After being ambushed along the trail we learned of a cave from which these goblins raid the civilized folk along the merchant’s road. Within those caverns may just be Gundran and Sildar.
So we headed out, an attempt to rescue the men responsible for paying us. We mount this rescue operation out of self-interest, revenge, whatever motivates the individual. We aren’t yet a band of brothers (and sister – Rowan), but this is developing.
Spoilers for the D&D Starter Set adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver follow.
Repelling the ambush wasn’t hard. My golden flame axe swung powerfully. The bell of death rung hard. These companions fight well. We are noble, and let one poor gobbo live. He told us where to go.
It meant a hike, and we left the poor oxen and the burdened cart behind. But Sildar was to the north in the woods, up a stream through the woods, and into a goblin-cave.
Outside the cave an outpost tried to ambush us. The wood elf, Norran, took quick care of those. I think Ambrose and Rowan joined that attack, as they have some effectiveness at range while Krakomand I, honorable dwarves, guarded the rear.
Yeah, we’re also slow and not good with “stealth.”
Two goblins dead before I could swing my axe.
That meant the group was a bit inverted when we entered the caverns. Those faster members of the group rushed past a group of guard-wolves.
The wolves could have been a problem, as they were trying to escape their chains and the uproar meant we would lose all surprise. They died, a couple with burns and blade.
Krakom and I had to rush to catch the group. The “eating room” created an urgency from the group. In our haste the conflict spread throughout a handful of rooms. The fight was came from all angles and there was much confusing with the screams of pain from goblin and peoples.
I, me, stopped one pathetic goblin from flooding the caves. I, me, also took a significant blow to the head from some kind of super-goblin. The wretched soul dropped me quickly. I woke a dozen minutes later.
Ambrose, the ranger, told me of throwing a spear near through one on a bridge. I’m intrigued by spears now. I will not be able to sing with them, but they seem useful. The toothy one can teach me much.
The stories of the battle are glorious. My friends took out 25 gobbos, a few wolves, and that one thing that smacked me on the head.
Dear reader, this is where we learn that good Awf is not necessarily a reliable narrator.
Rowan, by luck of her goddess, or through shear will takes out that jerk that dropped me. What a blessed soul Rowan is.
Norran and Ambrose rescue Sildar.
With Sildar, in a room I never saw, was a dark soul. Zardos is quiet. Withdrawn from us, the man offers much power. The others saw him in action, and vouch for his usefulness. His eyes carry knowledge.
There was a lot of hauling of goods from cave to ox-cart and then the trudge back. Each of us had to make multiple trips. I may hate the goblins more for that then anything else. But when we traverse back towards the caves Krakom teaches me a game that shield dwarves play – golf(?) he calls it. Basically, the goal is to hit a round object (like a goblin head) as far as you can. There are rules, but we just do the long distance smacking, because it’s fun. We have to stop when Krakom sends a head out into an area we haven’t scouted.
On the journey to Phandalin Sildar tells us about Gundren’s brothers, the goal to re-open a mine, that Klarg’s goblins are working to support someone(?) called the Black Spider.
Thankfully Phandalin offers a short respite. There we can rest again, sell the goods we have, buy some rations and whatnot, and learn from some dude named Iarno Albrek, a friend of Sildar who is also a member of the Lord’s Alliance.
I’ve worked with the Lord’s Alliance in the past, as they and the Order of the Shooting Star oft work together. With the Alliance’s goals matching ours, for now, it not only makes sense to help them, it is right and just to work together.
For now, I’ll bring some joy to the children of Phandalin and whatever their local wines and ales are. Because I’ve got coin in my pocket – we earned our pay delivering the goods that Gundren hired us to bring to the city.
We also have more goods to try to sell. And clues to discover, and honestly a town to improve. These people are down. Let’s get them up, again.
Awf Hornjaw et Loragwyn, a gold dwarf battleaxe wielding wizard, left his homes because he heard of a goblin threat near Neverwinter. In Neverwinter Awf met some industrious souls in the city.
Karkom Hammerstone, that wonderful axe and hammer dwarf, knows how to share an ale and those massive arms look like they’d be strong along his side. Rowan Evenwood, the lucky priest, keeps winning at cards, but she cannot match Awf’s skill at dragonchess. She’s a solid companion.
Favoring the bow, Norran Galanodel reminds Awf of his Loragwyn family. Norran is a bit of a sneak, but his aim is true. Like Awf, Ambrose is prone to The Violence. The dual-axe man has a bit of hate in him — that’s familiar.
Together we were hired by Gundren to meet he and his guard, Sildar, in a small mining town. Our ox-drawn wagon is slow. The big, dumb oxs are dragging along chests of mining supplies towards the town of Pandelver so that Gundren can profit and our group can earn a few gold.
Spoilers for the D&D Starter Set adventure Lost Mines of Phandelver follow.
This campaign is set five years after the Lorebook Hunters. With the call of magic strong in the Western Wildes, the kingdoms of the Everflow are stressed by magic. The New Peoples (Ken and Kon), the Offspring of Chorl, the elementals in The Ferments, the Haunting of the High Hills, truce at the River Crinth between the Crinth Confederation and Empire of Azsel, the Sundering of the Church of Quar, and the beacon of the Free City of Sheljar are all plaguing the Kingdoms of Daoud and Kirtin.
Campaign Premise
You are common people living in and around Kirtin-on-the-Lake who are inspired to free the city from under the rule of Daoud. You may want it to once again be part of Kirtin, or you may want to copy the Free City of Sheljar. The City Guard, a unit of Daoud’s military, and even dragons, who see Kirtin-on-the-Lake as their ancestral home, stand in your way.
Background
The Lorebook Hunters secured several of the Lorebooks, returning magic to the Land of the Everflow. In doing so they drew the attention of the Ken (dragons, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and other fey creatures). At the same time the goblins returned to the Land of the Everflow, with their smog-punk teknology.
Grand Conflicts
The Proctors of Grace and their other allies want to control access to magic. Certain dragons also want to repopulate Kirtin-on-the-Lake as the Ward of Mighty Trees is the ancestral home of certain types of dragons (at least a Red as that first DragonTree has regrown).
Daoud will not allow their winnings (Kirtin-on-the-Lake and the Slope) to leave their control after centuries. The rebellion has taken control of the Dock District. What will they free next? While the mayor may be willing to have the rebels help repel the Proctors, he serves at the whim of an empire that refuses to recognize Kirtin-on-the-Lake as anything but its own territory.
A lovingly maintained coaching inn, the Marching Tankard is more than most travellers expect along the back roads servicing a few small settlements.
the Marching Tankard – Ground Floor – Tagged
While the Tankard’s history goes back a few generations, the current ownership brought it up to the standards it holds today. In his years as a roadwarden, Gunter Grohl saw the tankard as his perfect retirement spot – a nice sturdy compound & inn, far enough off the beaten track that it doesn’t get too busy or crowded, but still bringing in enough traffic to not become a money-sink. So when a windfall came his way in his late 30s, he bought the establishment and has happily settled in.
The Marching Tankard – Upstairs – Tagged
A fairly typical outpost-style coaching inn, the Tankard only has one gate for traffic (larger coaching inns usually operate with two gates so…
The Way of the Frayed Knot is a Monk subclass that attempts to feature some Western fantasy tropes. The most common of these is Friar Tuck from Robin Hood, but there are other studious, religious types that fought alongside rogues and pirates.
Some ignored their ideals. Others felt that the ideals of the gang or troop were more in common with their religious beliefs. In the magical settings of most versions of D&D the Way of the Frayed Knot will have some amount of overlap with a Cleric. While these Monks commonly use bludgeoning weapons, it is not required mechanically, though I’m tempted to make it so.
This is a work in progress for a subclass of Monk. Language still needs adjustments to meet 5e. My purpose in sharing is to garner feedback about the concept as it fits the description and entertainment within most 5e paradigms. A lot of the power is wrapped up in Cleric spells as rituals.
Cloistered Student
The Drunken Monk, Mansion House, Cardiff by Michael Gwyther-Jones (CC BY 2.0)
At 3rd level, when selecting this Monastic Tradition, you gain proficiency in Religion (or another Intelligence skill if you already have Religion) as well as a proficiency in one of the following artisan tools — Brewer’s Supplies, Calligrapher’s Supplies, Mason’s Tools, Painter’s Supplies, or Woodcarver’s Tools.
Circle of Life
At 3rd level you gain access to the ability to Channel Divinity. You have one use per short or long rest at this level. At 8th and 18th level you gain an additional use of this ability.
Some Channel Divinity effects require saving throws. When you use such an effect from this class, the DC equals your spell save DC (8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier).
The Channel Divinity options available are Preserve Life and Sacred Weapon (with Wisdom being the attribute connected to that Paladin ability). You may also use 3 Ki Points towards a Channel Divinity. This cost replaces the per rest cost for that specific usage.
You may pay 1 Ki Point to cast the following Cleric spells as Rituals at 3rd level;
Ceremony (XGtE)
Detect Magic
Detect Poison and Disease
Purify Food and Drink
At 5th level you gain access to the following Rituals, at the cost of 1 2 Ki Points;
Gentle Repose
Silence
At 9th level you gain access to the following spells as a Ritual, at the cost of 1 4 Ki Points;
Feign Death
Water Walk
At 13th level you gain access to the following spell as a Ritual, at the cost of 1 7 Ki Points;
Divination
At 17th level you gain access to the following spell as a Ritual, at the cost of 1 11 Ki Points;
Commune
Live to Fight
Monk by Vladimer Shioshvili (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Starting at 6th level you are able to cast Prayer of Healing at the cost of 2 Ki Points. Your spellcasting ability modifier for this Prayer is Wisdom.
The use of an additional Ki Point increases the spell level by 1, granting an additional 1d8 of healing to the spell.
You also gain proficiency in Healer’s Tools if you do not have this proficiency. If you do have this proficiency, you are granted double your proficiency bonus on checks for this tool.
Submission
At 11th level your blows are now so potent that Stunning Strike no longer costs a point of Ki.
Kneel Before the Gods
At 17th level when you Stun a creature they fall Prone. You also gain an additional two blows from Flurry of Blows. Those blows can be against any target within your reach.
In most fantasy worlds dragons are hoarders of treasure. In some they are (also?) destroyers of worlds. There are worlds where dragons founded existence. On Krynn the chromatic and metallic dragons battle each other sometimes interfering in the lives of Man.
In establishing the World of the Everflow I wanted a slightly different take upon how dragons (as well as other dragonkin) exist within the World.
Dragons are part of the People of Ken. They are knowers of things, especially of magic. They, and all of the Ken, control access to magic of all kinds. For millennia of millennia they prevented the People of Kin (companionship and love) from knowing magic. Through the Scholars and the Proctors of Grace the Dragons and their followers (Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes) kept their thumb on magic, eliminating all but love and the healing power of the Everflow.
Rather than piles of gold, a dragon’s home back on Ken (the continent) is full of scrolls, books, and tomes. The long lives of all Ken mean that their minds are full of mighty spells well beyond the standards of Dungeons & Dragons.
Dragon breath by Nicklas Lundqvist (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Their immense powers are legendary, the same way that our modern world views dragons — a story so fictional it is not even legend. Statues and tales about dragons are created for artistic reasons.
Within the current campaign the dragons are returning to Kirtin-on-the-Lake seeking an ancestral homeland in the Ward of Mighty Trees. These trees are essential to the Dragons life in ways that the group has yet to discover.
Those Dragons, from the Ale Dragon Brewst Griselle to a mighty Red waiting on the southern plains of Kalst’s Field, are now quite real. Some fit in well. Brewst is small enough to fit inside buildings. He drinks and cavorts. His study of brewing, distilling, and vintning is familiar to the Kin. Yes, he’s different, but there is also familiarity.
Other drakes do not cause fear, initially. They remind most in Kirtin and Daoud about the lizards of Mehmd, a Kin-ish kingdom that bonds with lizards more frequently than mammals.
KOMODO DRAGON by NAPARAZZI (CC BY-SA 2.0)
But, when those drakes fought they taught fear. Their breath of fire, or poisoned stingers, killed in ways that nature should not. The drakes are not as intelligent as a person. Unlike Brewst they do not speak. They consume. Negotiation is not possible.
Brewst, and his companion gnome Oolia, are talkers. They also use the power of illusion and charm to work their way towards their goals. The governor and the group do not know these goals. They only know that the influence of the two continues to grow.
They worked as advanced scouts for the Proctors of Grace. Their goals could be called fey-like as all of the magical Ken work in ways that are not familiar to Kin (Goliaths, Halflings, Humans). The plans of Ken take centuries or even millenia.
When life lasts at least a few hundred years the approach to the world is incomprehensible to races that live to 100 at most.
Now, our heroes have to discover how these plans impact life in Kirtin-on-the-Lake, and the two kingdoms. This process of discovery could be deadly, it will be challenging. In the end, life in Kirtin and Daoud will change. Our heroes will determine how much it changes and how the Dragons will be included, punished, or rewarded.
In the first entry of this short series, I wrote about the philosophy of passive skill or trait use in roleplaying games. That piece focused on information exchange and the use of passive skill to determine the baseline of what a character knows in a game. There, I claimed you could use passive skill, or almost any trait you might normally roll for, in active situations in a game.
What that claim means, in practical terms, is allowing player characters to have a bottom performance level in physical activities, such as athletics and stealth. This passive us fits alongside the mental acuity I advocated for in the first essay. For the sake of narration and speed of play, it’s fair for this floor of expertise to apply to NPCs, too. They can sometimes perform fancy maneuvers based on their capabilities just like the player characters.
Full Moon Storytelling 
