Character Creation Challenge - Day One: Echo Fabletongue
Finally! Day one is posted. Took me a couple days to get the website up and running again in it's current barebones state. (Mostly because I also came down with a 24-hour bug of some sort over the weekend and did nothing.) But, here we are.
The first setting I've chosen for the challenge is Humblewood from Hit Point Press. This was one of the first settings I backed on Kickstarter when I started getting back into D&D three or four years ago. The second book, Humblewood Tales was on Kickstarter at the time and I could get the original book as an add-on. I think it was the premise of the setting that hooked me at first. While it might be all cozy woodland on the surface, there is a vein of darkness underneath.
The description from the website:
In the world of Everden, nestled between the mighty Crest mountain range and the vast marshes of the Mokk Fields, lies a mystical forest known as Humblewood that hums with the Great Rhythm of nature. It has been ruled for generations by the birdfolk who inhabit the Great Tree City of Alderheart. Humblewood has endured for centuries thanks to the industry and compassion of its people but now the fires have come, and the Woods have been thrown into chaos. Flames ravage the land and destroy the homes of the humblefolk, stoking a growing resentment against the birdfolk, whose cities have managed to avoid the worst of the fires so far.
Hatred burns in the hearts of those who have lost lives they cherished, and these once peaceful peoples now take up the sword and turn to banditry. The disaffected turn their gaze on Alderheart, and threaten to reduce an age of peace to ashes. Yet there is still hope. Even in these dark times, brave heroes can be found within the Wood. Only they can quell the raging flames that have been unleashed upon the land, and restore balance to the realm. Will you answer the call?
For the challenge, I'll be making a party of humblefolk, the land-based animal races.
The vulpin, a fox-like race, grabbed me first. Maybe it was because the character optinons came after the race descriptions and vulpine was the last race, leading right into the subclasses. I'm not sure. But, after reading the race description and the subclass, the vulpin bard leaped into my head.
As described in my plan post, I used the dice roll method to generate the ability scores: roll 4d6 and drop the lowest, repeat six times, then assign results to abilities. For this exercise, I am only using the Humblewood sourcebooks and the core 2014 Players' Handbook, as I want the emphasis to be on the Humblewood setting's unique options. In Echo's case, that includes the subclass, feat, and some spells. Unfortunately, most of the background options seem to be more geared toward the birdfolk races and didn't make much sense for the fox race.
I really like the College of the Road subclass, too. It feels very much like your archetypal bard, a Will Scarlet (Disney version) sort, as opposed to the music major and college theatre types that come out of a lot of the bard colleges. Ironically, while I normally abhor the new (compared to 1993 when I started playing bards) stereotype of the bard as a flirt and a scoundrel, dear Echo pouted at me to inform me that "there is nothing wrong with a little harmless flirtation, darling, if it gets the job done...or is just plain fun".
And now, I give you Echo Fabletongue.
Stats
NAME: Echo Fabletongue
RACE/SPECIES: Vulpin
CLASS & LEVEL: College of the Road Bard - Level 5
BACKGROUND: Entertainer
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral
ABILITIES: STR 11(+0) DEX 14(+2) CON 13(+1) INT 15(+2) WIS 14(+2) CHA 17(+3)
FEATS: Opportunistic Thief
TRAVELER'S TRICKS: Acrobatics Lessons, Bind the Wound
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Viol, Lyre, Dulcimer, Drum
Combat
AC: 12
INITIATIVE: +5
ARMOR: Leather Armor
WEAPONS: Rapier, Dagger
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Bite
Proficiencies
PROFICIENCY BONUS: +3
SKILL PROFICIENCIES: Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight (Expertise), Performance, Persuasion (Expertise), Sleight of Hand
TOOL PROFICIENCES: Disguise Kit, Thieves’ Tools
LANGUAGES: Vulpin, Birdfolk, Jerbeen, Hedge
Prepared Spells
CANTRIPS: Gust Barrier, Mage Hand, Viscious Mockery
LEVEL 1: Bane, Detect Magic, Disguise Self, Feather Fall, Charm Person (limited)
LEVEL 2: Enthrall, Knock, Locate Object, Ambush Prey (limited)
LEVEL 3: Hypnotic Pattern, Fear (limited)
Description and History
Echo has the appearance of an arctic fox vulpin, with silvery white fur and brilliant blue eyes that have been batted at males and females and in between to great affect over the years. Youthful features that have most pegging him much younger than his 35 years, give him an aire of innocence that he's not above using to beguile an audience...or a lover...or a purse from a rich man's pocket, if that be what's required.
From an early age, Echo learned the necessity of survival. His parents were poor, simple folk who tried their best to make a life for their family in the city. But, the wealthy cityfolk held by the old prejudices against vulpine-kind, assumed they were cheats and theives, and were disinclined to provide many positions of means to one of them, no matter how honorable Echo's father truly was in reality.
It was up to every member of the family to help as they could.
Even as a young kit, Echo was a gifted storyteller and singer. He began busking in the streets as soon as he was old enough to be let out without supervision and was reasonably successful at it. Of course, impressionable youth often learn skills of a less savory nature when they spend so much time on the streets and Echo was no exception. One of his earliest original compositions was about having to pick a pocket or two, which the local urchins and destitute would whistle any time he passed. He wouldn't have called himself a thief, of course. He was an entertainer...who occassionally needed to relieve an unappreciative audience member of his rightful due.
Eventually, Echo chose to ply his trades outside the familiar walls of the city where he'd grown up. (Mostly, this was because he'd created perhaps too much of a reputation there.)
He hit the road, wandering the woodland trails wherever his paws would carry him. He'd sing for his supper where he could and keep other skills sharp as needed in between gigs. As a more mature performer, however, he became more adept at keeping his less than legal activities quiet and his only reputation became that of a consummate performer and, perhaps, a bit of a cad for the string of broken hearts he tended to leave in his wake when he no longer needed a particular roof over his head. Echo has had many lovers, but no true loves.
It was a random meeting with a cervan druid that changed his course to one of burgeoning folk hero and reluctant activist.
But, that's a tale for another time.