Campaign Background

Setting

The 'Sliver of Despair' campaign will be set in the Sword Coast area of the Forgotten Realms using the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rule-set and homebrew rules changes as the need arises. Each of the characters are from different areas of the realms, so there will be some pre-adventuring time spent building a motivation to gather all of them in a single location. I decided on Daggerford as the initial gathering spot. It provides a convenient location for future adventuring, being located between the cities of Waterdeep to the north, Baldur's Gate to the south and the Sea of Swords a short distance west.

The Characters

Kalain Galathil

Callin is playing a wood elf Ranger named Kalain Galathil. His early life was spent in a small village in the High Forest with his parents and two siblings. It was a peaceful, typical elvish life until the village was attacked by a horde of undead. The undead laid waste to the entire village, other than Kalain, who with the help of his father was able to make his escape and head to a nearby moon elf village. They tried to come to the aid of his village but alas, were too late to help. Kalain was raised by the moon elves and taught about their deity Sehanine Moonbow.

Kalain has always felt tremendous guilt for being the only survivor of his family. He suffers from nightmares of that fateful day. Due to his circumstances his background is a Haunted One. As Kalain came of age he decided to leave the village to seek vengeance on those responsible for the death of his family and villagers. He spoke with travelling rangers and bards that visited the village to glean what information he could and heard of a powerful necromancer that had been destroying villages around the High Moor and collecting an army of undead. He will head to Daggerford, a town near the High Moor.

Pork Chop

Grayson is playing a half-orc Cleric nicknamed Pork Chop that grew up in the village of Merk. The village bordered a cemetery called Augvald, the final resting place for many soldiers of a forgotten war. The cemetery was the providence and home to an old priest of Kelemvor, whom the Order of the Silent Shroud dispatched to care for the cemetery. The village folk tolerated the old priest, but didn't have much need for a priest for the dead, being a farming village that predominantly worshiped Chauntea. Although the priest was a visitor to the town on a regular basis, they never asked about him nor about the half-orc child that accompanied him on the visits. It was the villagers that first playfully called him 'Pork Chop', but the old man never corrected them, and the half-orc just accepted it. The townsfolk grew to accept 'Pork', his disposition were more man than beast, belying hiss monstrous appearance. His goofy tusked smile that made the children giggle was a stark contrast to the solemn ecclesiastical training he received in the care and guardianship of the dead. Pork considered the folk of Merk to be his people.

Six months ago a foul Necromancer, drawn by the call of the grave only an old cemetery emits, made his way to Augvald. The terror that was inflicted on Merk by the Necromancer included not only the skeletons of old soldiers clawing their way out of their resting place, but also the slain townsfolk rising as zombies to aid in the assault. Pork found himself in a battle for his life against former friends, but did his best to rally the town and fend off the advance of the undead. When the Necromancer's assault finally concluded, the remaining corpses and skeletons fell to the earth, and Pork Chop was slathered in blood and surrounded by bodies. Pork offered what healing and help he could to the injured, then set to burying and re-burying the fallen.

Pork Chop took up his trusty shovel, an old mace and chain shirt from a fallen soldier, and left the town as a folk hero, not the outcast he was. Wherever that Necromancer was, he was determined to find him and destroy him and his undead horde. In his travels from town to town, searching for evidence of the Necromancer, he heard word of one wreaking havoc on the areas around the High Moor, so he set off in that direction. His travels led him to Daggerford to find some assistance to fulfill his quest.

Fosgrim Darkforge

Courtney is playing a mountain dwarf Warlock named Fosgrim Darkforge comes from a clan deep in the Underdark. His clan worked with the duergar in the region to provide assistance to the slavers. Fosgrim was a soldier in the clan in the support role as a scribe and wizard. He didn't have the patience to sit and study the tomes necessary to become a wizard, he wanted power now, resulting in a patronage with the Arch-Devil Dispater. Through his worship of the deity Laduguer, he was taught obedience to one's leader, empowerment through the exploitation of slaves, and enrichment through the creation of magical weapons and protections via an unforgiving military program.

There was a recent change in leadership in his clan by way of a treaty with a group who were not dwarves. This change resulted in the clan breaking a trade agreement simply for gold & gems. Instead of choosing to follow a corrupt leadership, Fosgrim decided to leave and explore the surface world. His patron devil has capitalized on his feelings about the clan dealings, promising Fosgrim more power in the future and prodding him to investigate the town of Daggerford.

Erzenei Lapennarm

Eugene is playing a human Rogue named Erzenei Lapennarm who has grown up in the town of Daggerford. Erzenei grew up as an orphan in Daggerford, relying on the generosity of the townsfolk for sustenance. As a teen he was taken under the wing by a local rogue named Stanberry Tindall. He trained him in the ways of a rogue albeit in a more honorable manner, showing kindness to his neighbors. His mentor had some kill in bow crafting and Erzenei had hoped to learn the craft, but his mentor was slain by a rival gang that was never identified. To make some money he would take on small jobs on sailing vessels here and there. He is still searching for the gang that responsible for the murder of his mentor.

The big news around town is the abduction of a young woman (Rosie Emberhelm) who was walking with her beau (Landor Hill) on the streets after dark. The incident happened about four weeks ago and no leads have been found by the constables office. They are still seeking any information about the attack.

Krogioshudo Medrorimbetter

Mike is playing a wood elf Monk named Krogioshudo Medrorimbetter or "Shudo" for short, who hails from a nomadic tribe of wood elves that live in the Silverymoon area. For generations, his family were part of a large traveling caravan, serving as acrobatic performers. he started performing at an early age and quickly became one of the most adept of the young acrobats. One night the caravan was attacked by a tribe of bugbears and amidst all of the chaos, he lost track of his family. Krogioshudo was kidnapped and held prisoner by the bugbear leader Barohowl ElfCleaver. One day, while working in the woods, felling trees for the bugbear tribe, a group of adventurers happened by and were able to dispatch the guards. The adventurers returned the slaves to their previous camp, but there was nothing left, all had been slain or moved on.

Having no other options, Krogioshudo lived on the streets of Silverymoon, begging and stealing to survive. One day, while feeling particularly hungry, he tried to steal some food and was caught. The local magistrate sent him to the local monastery, where he could be taught to be respectful and disciplined. Once he graduated from his training, he began to search for his lost family. He heard rumors of his families carnival being seen in the southwest, so he decided to head that direction. His search continued to be unsuccessful and eventually led him to the town of Daggerford, leagues away from where he grew up. Maybe this will be the place where he gets the information he seeks.