While we are restricting characters at the Drowathon to pre-gens, if you are aiming on joining the follow-on encounters season at your local gaming store (such as Mondo Comico, Tabletop Tyrants, Chaos City Comics), then we thought you might like to know what the adventure booklet says about character generation.
Character creation
For this season, players can use materials from Heroes of the Fallen Lands, Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms, and Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook to create their characters. In addition, players can use rules presented in Dragon magazine in support of these products.
Races
The race options for this seaon are Dragonborn, Drow, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Goblin*, Half-Elf, Halfling, Half-Orc, Human, Kobold*, Svirfneblin*, and Tiefling.
*new races found in Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survivial Handbook.
Classes
Players may choose classes from the above listed handbooks.
Themes
Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook offers new character theme options in addition to its class to expand the character.
Themes in Brief:-
- Bloodsworn: have a vendetta against a particular Underdark race.
- Deep Delver: knows how to expertly navigate the tunnels of the Underdark.
- Escaped Thrall: former prisoner of an Underdark race.
- Treasure Hunter: gems and gold of Underdark creatures call you to action.
- Trapsmith:knows how to make and disarm traps.
- Underdark Envoy: an ambassador or diplomat among the races of the Underdark.
- Underdark Outcast: banished from your home you make your way in the world.
Backgrounds
Players in this seaon gain access to on of the following three character backgrounds. When a player selects one of these backgrounds they can select one of the following benefits.
- Gain a +2 bonus to check with one skill associated with the background.
- Add one skill associated with the background to that characters class skills for the purpose of choosing trained skills.
Shadowdale
You’re a native of Shadowdale, well familiar with the stories of drow invasions from under Old Skull. Your homeland shows few signs that the drow once ruled it. These days, pastoral farmlands stretch out around Old Skull, and the great wizard Elminster protects the area. Or at least he usually does. Elminster is often away, and his magical wards arent as strong as they once were.
Did you grow up in Shadowdale or did you settle in the area later? What close ties to the town do you have? What possessions or people do you feel a need to protect? Have you met Elminster? Have you worked with him in the past or been inspired by him?
Associated skills: Diplomacy or Nature.
Myth Drannor
The eladrin city-state of Myth Drannor seems like a place out of time in comparison to the human dominated settlements of the Dalelands. Though the city’s inhabitants are predominantly eladrin (plus a large minority of elves), they welcome outsiders and participate in th politics of the region. Myth Drannor’s people drove the Jaelre drow into the Underdark in ages past, and they realise how dangerous it would be if they retook Shadowdale.
Did a life among the eladrin instill a hatred of the drow in you? Do you come from Myth Drannor, or the exotic forest of Cormanthor that surrounds it? Do yo serve as an ambassador between Myth Drannor and Shadowdale? If not, what brings you here?
Associated skills: Arcana or Nature.
Deep Wastes
You hail from beneath the Dalelands, born in an area of the Underdark called the Deep Wastes. Though Valan Jealre’s drow have grown in numbers lately, most societies in the sparsely populated tunnels of the Wastes remain small.
How much do yo know about Valan Jealre? What sort of dealings have you had with the drow under Old Skull? Did you suspect the drow might be planning to attack Shadowdale? Why did you ravel to the surface instead of staying in the Underdark?
Associated skills: Dungeoneering or Nature.
Changing Characters
Players can switch characters during the season. If a player wishes to do so the new character starts with xp equal to that of the old character. However the new character can keep neither treasure nor items fro the previous character.
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