Welcome to the Lands of Arda
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Thirteen fragments, beings with vast power, originating from the Divine Realm, traveled to this newly found planet. These fragments, later known as the major gods, live in the Divine Realm together with other fragments. They called themselves fragments as they believe they all originated from one, all powerful being, that created all universes, but then split. The thirteen fragments were close like siblings and always did things together. The planet when it was found was barren, without life or magic, but it had potential. The one that was first to spot this new planet, named Arda, did not hesitate to detach herself from the Divine Realm and imbue with the planet to give it life and magic. That was seen as a great sacrifice by the other twelve, who knew that their sibling Arda would not be able to return until this planet is no more.
The twelve gods split into three groups, which were later known as Gold (Good), Silver (Evil) and Emerald (Neutral). The groups stayed the same, except from three changes. Dominaria switched from Gold to Silver, Iskar from Emerald to Gold and Oromne from Silver to Emerald. The exact dates of those changes are largely unknown but they are approximated at the end of 1st Era or the early centuries of the 2nd.
From that change and onwards no shifts have been reported. The groups are as following:
| Gold (Good) | Silver (Evil) | Emerald (Neutral) |
Besides the twelve major fragments, lesser fragments travelled to the world of Arda for various reasons. Other seeking to gain followers, other intrigued by events, other simply by curiosity, others banished from their previous worlds or other seeking refuge from forces that want them perished. These Lesser fragments are not as powerful as the twelve gods and cannot sustain themselves by feeding from multiple plains. They are also referred as "local gods" and such local communities or events is what feeds them. They full extent of their power varies, but many estimate them to be equally strong as the first dragons. Lesser fragments are not widely known, even though they'd wish to be. Even if they could be amassing a large amount of followers, they prefer to be more subtle, to not incur the wrath of major fragments for stealing their energy. Some of the Lesser Fragments work as Patrons, offer power to individuals known as warlocks, in exchange of tasks or worship.
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Backstory
Where did your character grow up? What place do they call "home" now? (could
be the same or different.)
When Cornelia was little, she was raised by her parents in a small cottage in the forest. After her parents died, she went to a boarding school where she learned her skills as a wizard. Now she is a wanderer and does not have anywhere she considers "home."
Who raised your character and how? What are these people doing now?
As a small child, she was raised by her parents. (Her father was an elf, and mother a human). After they were killed, she was raised by the teachers at her boarding school. Now, she is on her own.
How did your attribute scores affect your character?
She was at the top of her class in school, due to high intelligence. She also has confidence due to her high intelligence/wisdom that she will be able to solve the mystery of who killed her parents, and that she will know what to do at the time to bring justice and avenge their death. She has a lot of trust in her intuition.
What made your character obtain the class they have now?
She became a wizard by chance, because the boarding school that took her in after her parents death was a school specific for wizards.
What your character doing in recent years before the campaign's start?
My character has been traveling around, trying to find information about her parents murderers. Prior to that, she was attending a school for wizards.
What motivated your character to leave their previous lifestyle and become adventurers?
Cornelia's main goal has always been to find out who killed her parents and avenge their death. After graduating from school, she had no place she considered "home" to return to, so set out on her journey and has been looking for clues ever since.
Which people are important for your character?
Her parents, although no longer alive, are the most important people to Cornelia. Second to them
What connections does your character have to the other player characters?
Cornelia met Vigo Mortanion shortly after graduating school and beginning her journey. He tried to recruit her to his Cult of Beauty, and also requested that she perform a spell on some old Cleric (Sister Teddy). Cornelia them to find her once she was able to learn the right spell and slipped away into the night.
Name a promise you have made to another player character that you would never break.
She made two promises to Vigo Mortanion - the first that she would try to learn a spell to help beautify Sister Teddy, and the second that she would do everything she can to help find his parents' murderers. She would be willing to break the first promise, but would never break the second promise.
If nothing happened, what short/long term goals does your character have?
She is looking to find who murdered her parents and avenge their death. Once she completes that goal, she hopes to find someplace that she'll love enough to eventually call home, along with a group of people that will become her family.
What makes your character a likeable adventurer that others would be willing to have to risk their lives for?
Cornelia is truly a good person (chotic good). She would never think of harming anyone who didn't deserve it. She is also on an honorable mission to find out who killed her parents and bring justice to the world. She is also pretty charismatic, and knows (or will know?) spells to make her even seem even more charismatic and be able to win people over and gain information, and be someone people really want to help.
What has your character done in the past, that they now deeply regret?]
She regrets wandering off too far as a child. It was while she was out adventuring in the forest that her parents were killed. She came back to find them murdered and feels as though she could've helped prevent their death if she was there.
Are there any people that would wish harm to your character and why?
Possibly whoever killed her parents, but who they are and why they killed them is a mystery to her.
More optional plot hooks:
- My character's lineage might not be what I think it is. -This one will be unknown to you as player as well. Do not add details-
Overview
Lyra was born into a noble Aasamar family renowned for their magical prowess and celestial heritage. Gifted yet restless, she always sought to push beyond the limits imposed upon her. A childhood magical accident left her missing the first finger on her right hand, a constant reminder of her ambitions and failures. Seeking knowledge and purpose, she found refuge in the golden temple, dedicating herself to the study of both divine and arcane mysteries. However, the high priestess has now sent her into the wilderness, believing that true wisdom can only be earned through experience.
Early Life
Within the temple, Lyra found teachers who nurtured her talent rather than suppressed it. The high priestess, though strict, has been a guiding force in her life, seeing the potential in her that her family overlooked. Now, with Lyra being sent out into the world, the priestess has given her a final challenge: prove that wisdom is not just found in books, but in action.
Overview
[Type below:] Write a short (around 100 words) overview of who your character is. Content, written in orange letters like this, will not be visible when you are done. It's simply there to provide guidance]
Orrek is a mountain dwarf from a small hold deep in the Ironbeard mountains. He is heavily scarred from an incident that occurred many years ago. That same incident also left him with difficulties learning and communicating. He is often quiet and withdrawn, having faced mocking and ridicule when he tried to participate in conversations. Orrek is fanatically devoted to Iskar, and seeks to follow his teachings by perfecting his craftsmanship and aiding those need wherever he finds them. He is equally devoted to destroying any monstrosities that prey upon the innocent and defenseless and will use every means in his power to defeat them. With hammer and shield in hand he will bring the fires of Iskar's forge to the dark corners of Arda.
Early Life
Orrek grew up with his clan in a small hold deep in the mountains southeast of the Wildlands. He was apprenticed in the forge where his father and brother already worked, while his mother tended to the hearth. He has a natural aptitude for smithing, and was beginning to learn to brew his clan's secret beer recipe. His life changed when the hold was invaded by a beast from below. Although he was too young to fight, the creature broke through the holds outer defenses and rampaged through the halls slaughtering indiscriminately. Orrek was nearly killed, but the timely intervention of the hold's clerics of Iskar finally drove the beast back and brought the onslaught to an end.
Orrek's father Hengram still toils at the forge within the clanhold, while his mother Hedrid continues to care for their home. His brother Orbet, bitter from having lost an arm to the beast from below, left the hold to find his fortune on the surface. After a long convalescence, Orrek joined the temple of Iskar; impressed with how they were able to defeat the fiend that killed so many of the clan. Thradil the high priest of the temple, took a personal interest in guiding Orrek, and helped him to recognize Iskar's will. Finally, when he was not needed at the temple, Orrek spent countless hours back at the forge under the guidance of the forge master Kranog, who gave him the honorific 'Hammerborn' due to how he seemed to come alive at the forge, working with a skill and precision rarely seen, even among dwarves.
STR 17 - Dwarves do not indulge idleness at any age. Early on Orrek worked at the smithy with his father and brother. Years spent hauling ore, pounding with hammers, and shoveling mountains of coal gave him a prodigious strength.
DEX 12 - While he would never be considered graceful, Orrek learned just how to turn the metal and strike it true to achieve the desired shape. His hands are capable of working with delicate metals such as gold and silver as well as hard steel.
CON 17 - A life spent toiling hour after hour in the heat and smoke of the forge left him capable of tremendous endurance. While focused on his work, he often fails to even recognize that a full day has passed with little to eat and no rest.
INT 5 - Dividing all his time between his craftwork and his time at the temple of Iskar has left Orrek with little understanding of other topics. His early injuries only added to this naivety, making it difficult for him to understand even basic concepts that others grasp with ease.
WIS 17 - What he lacks in comprehension, he makes up for in simply being attuned to the world around him. With a mind unencumbered by complex thoughts, he instead pays attention to what is happening around him. At all times he is alert for subtle messages from Iskar that guide him to his next task.
CHA 5 - Orrek's single mindedness in most things leaves little thought for social niceties. He rarely remembers to bathe, put on fresh clothes, or work a comb through his tangled hair. Furthermore, he knows that he often gets lost in conversations and prefers to keep to himself to avoid being ridiculed.
Defining Events
When he witnessed the priests of Iskar driving back the foul beast that killed so many of his friends and clansmen, Orrek made an oath that very day to learn the power of Iskar so that he too could defend those he loves against any who might prey upon them. He will never fail to aid those who need his protection and will never rest while a threat remains to be defeated.
In recent years, Orrek has been finishing his training at the temple. Recognizing that there was little left that he could teach Orrek within the halls of the clanhold, Thradil decided to send him out to experience some of the surface world. Recently traders have mentioned that the mines at Owlreach have been abandoned, but with no mention of why. Seeing an opportunity Thrandil has tasked Orrek with traveling to the small village to find out what happened to the mine, and try to help the small community of dwarves there if they are in need of aid.
Orrek has very simple aspirations in life, he wants to deliver the message of Iskar to all who are willing to listen, demonstrate his devotion to the god of crafts by perfecting his smithing skills, and provide aid to whomever is in need (particularly fellow dwarves). He dreams of one day building a temple-forge to Iskar and bringing others into the faith, but he is concerned that he isn't smart enough to build such a holy place nor charming enough to lead it.