home.wanadoo.nl/offereins/D&D/Thistlebrook%20Map%20with%20legend.JPG “For some time now, I’ve been preparing a new RP. So here it is, and I’ll start by explaining the particulars.”
Plot:
All of you will begin in the city of Thistlebrook, a small city in western Cormyr. A map of the surrounding area will be provided. All of you grew up in the city. Ten years ago an attack took place on the city, but a band of adventurers saved Thistlebrook from certain destruction. You were not these adventurers. Instead, when this campaign begins, you are all common folk, having just reached a first level in your chosen class.
Differences from normal campaign:
All of you will start at level 2. However, the first of these levels will be in an NPC class: Adept, Aristocrat, Commoner, Expert or Warrior. This level will not count to your experience table for gaining other levels. It is not, however, merely your background. You do get your skill points and/or feats for that particular class, as well as class features and benefits per class. Your choice in NPC class will also affect your possibilities for PC class. All of this described in further detail below:
Adept: Cast divine spells from Adept Spell list. Prohibited classes: Barbarian, Rogue.
Aristocrat: More financial means at start, training in most armour types, varied class skills. Prohibited classes: Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Rogue.
Commoner: Extensive knowledge of farming. Apart from that, friendly contacts with many of the people in the city. Possibly DM favour for picking a tough class. Prohibited Classes: none.
Expert: A craftsmen of specialized work. Ten skills freely chosen as class skills. More money than most, less than aristocrat. Prohibited classes: Barbarian, Cleric, Paladin.
Warrior: Guardsman, militia member or otherwise, a warrior is more skilled than the other classes at fighting. Skilled in the use of all simple and martial weapons, and all armour and shields. Decent equipment at start due to membership of one or another warrior group. Prohibited classes: Wizard, Druid.
Every character can only become the class because they had training from a previous member of that class. An exception to this rule is Sorcerer, because a sorcerer’s power comes from within, rather than from outward training. At the start of the campaign, each of you has had some training, enough for level 1, with a member of your chosen class. Who these are in Thistlebrook will be relayed to you when you tell me your chosen class.
Another difference is a restriction on alignment. Every character MUST be Good aligned. There is no restriction on Chaotic, Neutral or Lawful Good. The only temple in Thistlebrook capable of training Paladins and Clerics is the Temple of Helm. No, of course I’m not hinting that I have adventure hooks for that particular class…
Prestige classes, when they become appropriate, are also only available through a mentor in the class.
So, in short, what I need is around five Good aligned characters, preferably one from each of the NPC classes, but I’m willing to adapt.
The city you all come from is, as named above, Thistlebrook. A map of the location it has in Cormyr will be provided shortly.
Common information about Thistlebrook:
Population: 2446, 1957 adult
Ruler: Duke Steven Tarwen
Type of community: Small City, mostly agricultural production, fewer crafts.
Notable sites:
-The Tower: Located inside the city, it survived a fire and now stand like a scorched pillar just outside the richer part of the city. It is still inhabited by a wizard known to all only as Thorpe. Very little is known about the wizard, as only his apprentices ever see him. Thorpe himself has not left The Tower in 10 years, and even before that he was a bit of an outsider. Some of the oldest members of the community might remember more about him.
-The Militia Barracks: Located in the center of the city, the Militia Barracks house both Thistlebrook’s regular guards, as the training ground for the town’s volunteer militia. Commander of the City Guard Vedan lives above the barracks, and directs regular guard patrols, crime fighting and training of the city guard.
-The Villagers’ Council: The common folk make up the majority of Thistlebrook’s population, and the benevolent Duke Tarwen allows them to hold their own meetings in order to involve themselves more in politics. Each of the races in the city has a representative, the most notable being Gharka of the Half-Orcs, Snurble of the gnomes and Tomadin, the leader of the commoner elves and chairman of the Council. The Villagers’ Council convenes in a different locale every time, usually one of the city’s inns.
-The Temple of Helm: The only religious building larger than a shrine, this massive building is a remnant of earlier times. Now it is led by only one cleric and her initiates. Elnius of Helm and the paladin Jarvis of Helm do what they can to help the people of Thistlebrook who are less fortunate, and Elnius herself is a skilled healer. Her own health, however, is poorly, and many fear she will not live much longer.
-The Green Heart: One part of the city wall was destroyed in the attack ten years ago and never rebuilt, unlike the rest of the wall. In this part now grows an unimaginably verdant forest. It forms a near perfect circle that encloses a part of the city with it. Never would the Duke consider rebuilding the wall though, for the druid living in the Heart, Devemar has assured him that this is as good a defense as any wall. The forest is alive, but kind hearted to the villagers. The Druid Devemar can often be counted upon to provide herbal healings for villagers who are sick. People will usually seek out the village healer, Edna Wisewords, or Elnius of Helm first, because they seem afraid of the Druid.
Notable personas:
Tomadin, a gray elf, is Chairman of the Villagers’ Council and the most widely known person in the city after Duke Tarwen.
Duke Steven Tarwen rules over Thistlebrook with a kind heart. Once an adventurer himself, he is of positive outlook towards people taking up an adventurous lifestyle, but at the same time he is hesitant to let just any of the villagers pick up a sword and ‘fight evil’. For this purpose, the Duke keeps an open communication with some of the representatives of adventurous professions in the city. Rumour has it that he is the only person to have seen the wizard Thorpe, apart from the wizard’s apprentices, since his self-styled exile into the tower.
Benedict Thorne and Hewnin Silverblade are aristocrats who have the duke’s ear more than most.
Benedict in particular is helpful to the Duke in handling many of the more tiresome parts of ruling for him. The Duke was always a more practical man than a politician, and Benedict acts as a judge to criminals and liaison to the factions of the city. He holds meetings with Tomadin and Vedan about matters that the Villagers’ Council and Militia guards consider necessary, and relays such information to the Duke. He also meets with a representative of Thorpe on the rare times the wizard wishes to send either an apprentice or a magical servant to do so.
Hewnin is a elf who seems born for the aristocracy. Always quick with a witty retort, the charismatic elf handles most of the Duke’s affairs on a lower level than Benedict. Adventurers new to the city would likely be directed to Hewnin to get an update of affairs in the city.
The various class trainers: As stated above, each class has a trainer, a member of that class, in the city. These will be made known to the person who has taken that class, and through him or her, may be made known to the rest of the party... or not...
"More information will follow once I get a better idea of what kind of classes I’ll be dealing with. Adventure will focus in the area in and around Thistlebrook."
home.wanadoo.nl/offereins/D&D/Thistlebrook%20area.JPG
For me it's autmumn. 
Now, Ish, I still haven't done what I was supposed to do with my character. I am on holidays now, so if possible can we catch up online so that you can explain what it is I am supposed to actually be doing?
