Suvi Korpela: Mother of Gorion's Ward, Talvi Korpela, (Read her ongoing story here!), Suvi is a renowned adventurer on her own right. Like her daughter, she possessed an amazing talent for the arcane from a young age, although concepts such as "control" and "discipline" always seemed to elude her. Like many elves, she feels the innate urge to throw off her clothes and frolic naked in the woods, though the cold climate of the north precludes such fanciful activities.
Ignaar Drowslayer: Ignaar wants you to know that he's a lean, mean, drow-killing machine. Well, he's not too terribly lean, and if he is a machine, then he's the kind with only two settings: "off" and "kill." He boasts proudly about the number of drow he's slain, and claims to have left the Underdark awash in dark elf blood on multiple occasions. Still, he is apparently willing to travel with a drow, whom he barely tolerates.
Ilona: She declares that she has come to the north to teach it some "discipline." You aren't sure what she means by that, but given that she is a follower of Loviatar and dressed in a skin-tight black leather bodice, you have a feeling it probably isn't too pleasant. Whatever you do, don't let her take you to her "dungeon."
Ihriel Laelslyannen: A drow orphaned on the surface at a young age, Ihriel has spent most of her life in Easthaven. Owing to the prejudice faced by her kind outside the Underdark, her foster-parents have kept her sheltered from the world, and thus she approaches adventuring with a mixture of wide-eyed innocence and idealism. Her favourite activities include "hugging," "cuddling," and "snuggling." Naturally, she does not get along with Ignaar Drowslayer, who promises to violently murder her on a daily basis.
Stratford Dickshot McKillington: A bloodthirsty, psychotic halfling from gods-know-where, Stratford signed on for the sole purposes of murdering, mutilating, and robbing (not necessarily in that order) anyone who stands in their way. He would eventually meet his end man years later at the claws of a red dragon who devoured him whole, his last words being a threat to give the dragon "the worst gas he ever had" which would make it "very unpopular with other dragons for some time afterwards."
...What? I couldn't help it, okay! The New Party Bug bit me again!
Usually when I make Icewind Dale parties I stick my own characters into the game. Not just game-created specific, but protagonists from entire (mostly unfinished) novels I've written.
This time, I decided to take other people's characters and put them in a party!
[spoiler=Jon Snow] [/spoiler]
From "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. I don't really have to explain this one, right? And no, I don't know how he left the Wall, but I know darn well that he'll be itching to get back to his Night Watch brothers ASAP. To do that, he's gonna have to band this group together and conquer the Dale. Thus, Jon's our leader. Ranger. Racial Enemy: cadaverous undead.
It was either that or skeletal undead, really. They don't have white walker as an option.
[spoiler=Moiraine] [/spoiler]
From "A Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson). Again, no need to explain, right? Wheel of Time. Blue Ajah. Badass. The mage who started it all. Pure awesome lady-power.
And I've only gotten through partway of book four, and it's been a while, so please no spoilers. Please? >.>;; If she dies later on in the series or something else awful, I don't wanna know.
[spoiler=Sorcha] [/spoiler]
[spoiler=Raed] [/spoiler]
Both Sorcha and Raed are from the "Order" books by Philippa Ballantine. The first is called "Geist." Sorcha is a rough woman who'd rather talk with her fists than her lips, and works with her order to fight geists. Ghosts. Shades. You name it. She'll be dualing to cleric rather quick, thus her high wisdom. Raed, on the other hand, is a sexy smooth-talking Pretender to the Throne who's lived a life at sea since...well, since he got possessed by an evil geistlord and killed his mother. Cue exile.
Oh, and they've totally got the hots for each other. Expect awkward alone-time between rests. Moving on...
[spoiler=Oree][/spoiler]
From "The Broken Kingdoms" by N.K. Jemisin, second book in her "Inheritance Trilogy." Oree was living just an ordinary life as a blind sculptor/painter when she discovered she had magical powers...in probably the most horrible, twisted way you can imagine. There were gods involved. Lotsa blood. People died. You know what, just read the book. It's fan-freaking-tastic.
Thus, she is our party's sorcerer...appropriately proficient with a quarterstaff. You know. Cause she's blind. Eh? Eh?? ... I'll go jump off a cliff now.
[spoiler=Kiukiu] [/spoiler]
From "The Tears of Artamon" trilogy by Sarah Ash. Kiukiu is a bard. Sort of. Kind of. Well... What they call a spell singer, the last of a long line of magic musicians who can heal souls. Or something like that. It's been a while since I read the whole trilogy... Anyway, Kiukiu is here because I wanted a bard. And she's adorable.
---
There you have it. I wanna make a YA Fantasy-themed party too, but all the voice sets sound so darn old for a teenaged cast... *sighs*
An excerpt from an old and tattered journal found among the hall of relics within Waterdeep's Temple of Lathander:
"Lathander’s Faithful: Our group of unusual faces are all members of Lathander’s clergy, though many of them fill unusual and oft unnoticed roles among it. Our leader is one of the most well-renowned members of Lathander’s paladins, but the rest of our group is less-trusted and respected, some for their unusual heritage, others for their unusual skills. Some believe this group was formed for this far-off mission to force them away from civilization. Others believe that not only that, but those who formed the group also wish to dispose of it’s members. Regardless, our group are experts in their fields, and will not fall easily.
Gryffon Redalia: Undead Hunter of Lathander “Knight of the Aster” (Human)
The poster child for both Lathander’s paladins and the Order of the Aster specifically, this man has been recognized many times over for his bravery and heroism, specifically when combatting the undead. He is strong, agile, hardy, wise, and charismatic, making himself thought to be perhaps the greatest of Lathander’s paladins. He has been in service since his youth, first becoming a paladin at the age of seventeen, and is now in his early thirties. He is most saddened at this trip because it means he will be apart from his wife and seven year old son for several months at least. They are all used to this, though, and have accepted this fate. Wields: Longswords, Flails, Shields
Cirtas Koth: Priest of Lathander “Dawnbringer” (Half-Orc)
A rare sight in the ranks of the clergy, Cirtas, as he was named after becoming a Dawnbringer, is a peaceful and quiet young Dawnbringer who since his youth has desired to become one of the faithful. He was found outside a village as a babe, and despite his odd heritage he was taken in by a peasant farmer and his wife, who could bear no children. They brought him up with loving care, and he sees himself as merely a very big, kind of ugly human. Despite being peaceful and quiet, he can be a nightmare in battle, and he is by far the strongest member of our group. Wields: Maces, Slings, Shields, Warhammers
Meverick Vinhais: (Swashbuckler) “Eyes of Lathander” (Dwarf)
Once a petty thief living on the streets, Meverick was saved by a force of Lathander’s faithful when the town Meverick lived in was overrun by undead, controlled by a dark necromancer. Despite his criminal past (mostly due to his birth into extreme poverty) the young dwarf was allowed to become a lay servant for a local temple of Lathander. One day he overheard a group of Lathander’s faithful saying that they wished they had a skilled lockpick and disarmer of traps to take on the next mission, as it was the ruins of a great necromancer’s lair and was likely to be full of locked doors and traps. Knowing that it was forbidden for a member of Lathander’s faithful to learn such lawless skills, he rushed to the head priest of his temple. He begged to be allowed to journey with them, as his skills could be invaluable to the group, and it would not be wrong as he had already learned the skills. After much consideration, the head priest allowed him to go after he swore an oath that he would never use his skills for evil nor would he strike a foe from behind, for such was the way of the villainous. Meverick has upheld this oath for more than five years, and is the first of an order of scouts and “good rogues” for Lathander, now known as the Eyes of Lathander. Wields: Shortswords, Daggers
Baladas Demnevanni: (Mage) “Loremaster of Lathander” (“Drow” Elf)
Baladas is yet another rare sight, at least on the surface, as he is a full-blooded drow. Despite this, he was born on the surface, to two drow who had escaped the evils of the underdark, and therefore has had none of the drow’s “conditioning”. There is no tragic story for him or his life, as his family lived (and still lives) in relative peace, though dirty looks often fell their way. He gained a certain knack for magic through self-study, and applied to become a book keeper for Lathander’s temple as a method of learning more. He is good, and his actions are merely those of one with a desire to learn, not to steal. Over time his skill as a mage grew, and he began being called upon to take various missions with the active members of the clergy. He had no complaints with this, as it allowed him new opportunities to learn, and whenever he found books with new or useful knowledge, he brought them back to the temple. The library of his temple now contains many tomes quite valuable, even rarer than some of those in fabled Candlekeep. He keeps a strict physical routine as well, providing him with excellent physical abilities for one of the mage’s profession. He seems unphased by this mission, though this calmness seems to be the norm for him. Wields: Sling, Staff, Dagger
Tresia Oum: Sun Soul Monk (Human)
Tresia is a bright, headstrong, charming lass, full of the Morninglord’s vitality and brightness, and while the Sun Soul and the clergy of Lathander sometimes butt heads over the Soul’s belief that Lathander is a third of Aumanator, we are happy to have this young monk join us on a dangerous mission. She is exceptionally skilled for one so young, and her bright cheerfulness brings a sense of levity to an otherwise rather quiet party. She has bonded greatly with both Meverick and myself during the short journey, and the three of us have made up most of the conversations, though Gryffon occasionally joins in. Tresia is a bit too headstrong, however, and she can rush headlong into danger without thinking, though the rest of the group is always there to support her. Wields: Fists, Katanas, Scimitars/Wakizashis/Ninjatos
Falinia Serin: (Bard) “Chorister of Lathander”
And I am Falinia Serin, chronicler of our tale, and member of my temples choir. I know it seems rather odd that a chorister is part of an expedition, even more so that it is with this one, but there are reasons. Although I am at the temple singing everyday, I am not like most of the other choristers who are merely Awakened of the temple. I am a civilian, whose immense singing skill and deep faith have caused the priests to hire me to sing, and nothing more. Well, apart from this mission. I am also a skilled archer and author of several books. The priests requested I go on this mission for three reasons. To provide my aid to the members of the mission, to keep an eye on them, as the priests who chose them for this mission do indeed wish them all dead for one reason or another, and to chronicle their journey. Obviously the priests who requested I do this are not associated with those who wish the party’s death, and in fact are working to expose these corrupt priests. For now they merely desire me to do my best with this group. Wields: Longbow, Spear
Our group set out for the village of Easthaven, as there had been strange rumours about the area. When we finally arrived in town we were met with a warrior in the tavern. He seemed to be the governor and chieftain of the village, more or less, though it’s but a small fishing village. I suppose one could say he is merely the village’s guardian. After speaking to him, he asked us to stop by his home later. We searched around the village, learning of it’s culture and aiding it’s villagers with tasks both simple and dangerous. Killing some goblins, helping a drunk, aiding a man plagued by dreams, squashing some beetles, the list goes on. Nothing of great note, however. When we had finished, we also spoke with the Priest of Tempus, Everard. He was a harsh man, and I do not believe any of us liked him. Tresia in particular noted a disdain of him and his dismissal of another’s sacrifice after we had left the temple. From him, however, we learned of a messenger from Kuldahar, who died not long after arriving in the village. He managed to inform the people of Easthaven that Kuldahar was subject to great disturbances and pleaded for help, though. Apparently the warrior we met after arriving to town, Hrothgar, was organizing an expedition to aid Kuldahar. We then went to speak with Hrothgar himself, and he requested our aid in the expedition. Seeing as these disturbances were why we came to begin with, we gladly accepted. First, however, he had us seek out a missing caravan that would be needed to supply the town while we were gone. Hrothgar in the meantime would finish gathering the expedition."
This is the party that I'm currently running with. Departing from the "rogue/outlaw parties" of my prior playthrough attempts, this party is very much good-oriented.
EVANGELA, LG human paladin - A young paladin who gathers a party to lead, in effect, a crusade to the untamed northern lands, seeking to root out and destroy any evil forces that may be lurking there. With her youth comes a certain amount of inexperience about the ways of the world, but she is aware of her limitations, and more importantly, is quick-learning and able to adapt to whatever comes her way.
KRÖNUG SKULLCRUSHER, NG human ranger - The party's scout and guide, possessing both great strength and surprising agility for someone of his size. Although he lacks a formal education, he is very wise to the ways of the world, and there is a strong spiritual side beneath his deceptively rugged exterior. My intention is to dual him to a cleric at level 3.
MARIANNA REDAXE, CG human barbarian - A thrill-seeking "wild child," also the best sharpshooter of the party, as well as a capable flanker. Oftentimes rude, crude, and brash, but beneath her uncouth exterior, there lurks a heart of gold.
VARANIS - CN half-orc fighter/thief - A powerhouse in terms of fighting ability, thanks to her half-orc heritage. Essentially a mercenary, she has joined the expedition in the hopes that their journeys will lead to some nice quest rewards and uncovered loot.
SERENA - TN human shapeshifter - Enigmatic and soft-spoken, she has joined the expedition in order to pursue her own personal investigation into disruptions of the natural balance that appear to be emanating from the north. A distinct gleam in her eyes hints at the secret supernatural power that she possess.
DALORIA - LG gnome cleric/illusionist - The quintessential "brainiac," she has a vast array of spells, both learned and innate, at her disposal. Though awkward and nerdy, she also possesses a certain likable charm. She is traveling to the north at the request of her temple, to investigate reports of mysterious but unspecified "disturbances" there.
@SharGuidesMyHand , "Evangela" - what a perfect name for a paladin, or maybe cleric. It could be "Evangelus" for a male. You're very good at naming characters.
@Elrandir and @SharGuidesMyHand; two excellent party presentations with interresting characters and background stories. I especially liked Elrandir's character Meverick. Thank you both.
I played BG & BGII back in the day, but I'd never picked up IWD. I just finished my first playthrough of the base game, and I'm about to start HoW. My goal when rolling up the party was to play a standard D&D party with an extra tank and a backup caster. I went with a sorceress instead of a mage because I'd never played one before and I thought the tactical flexibility would be useful in what I'd heard was a tactics oriented game. I rerolled to get everyone over 80, but then did a minimum of minmaxing just to get their primary stats maximized. I was looking to make some balanced, role-playing (as opposed to powergaming) characters.
And now, the Heroes of Icewind Dale:
The leaders - Wulf and Raelynn
Wulf is a "pure bred" half-orc from the docks district of Neverwinter. His parents tried to raise him right, but they both had to work to put food on the table, so Wulf ended up falling in with a bad crowd. An old sergeant from the city watch first knocked some sense into the boy, then took him under his wing. Working as a longshoreman alongside his father, plus frequent training sessions with his mentor, soon honed Wulf into the powerhouse he is today. When he began hearing rumors of the troubles in Easthaven, he decided to head North to test his mettle. Three days out of Neverwinter, in a roadside inn, he first laid eyes on Raelynn... Raelynn was born into a noble family in the Silver Marches. She never really set out to be rebellious, but the universe just seemed to push her that way. Like the way she was born a sorceress in a family of wizards or the way she cared more about helping people than ruling over them. When local seers started predicting trouble in the North, she jumped at the chance to get away from her family's stuffy ways. Still, she's a beautiful, strong-willed noble, she's used to getting what she wants. So when she realized the well-built, friendly half-orc she'd met wasn't going to make the first move, no matter how much he wanted to, she took matters into her own hands. Since then, this unlikely couple have led their companions from victory to victory and nothing, not even demons and devils, have been able to stand up to them. Wulf is a specialist in single-weapon style, though he had to switch from bastard swords to long swords because he hasn't been able to locate any decent magical bastard swords. He now wields Aihonen's blade. Raelynn prefers spells that directly damage her enemies, but she also has directed some of her energies to spells which boost the party. When she uses a physical weapon, it's almost always a sling, but she recently began referring to her Mage Dagger +4 as "Devil-butt" after she stabbed Behlifet in the glutes with it.
The jokers - Gunther & Thomas
Gunther is the only local boy in the party. He was raised in the forest Northwest of Good Mead by a druid and her ranger husband after his parents were killed during a hill giant incursion. He comes across as grim and taciturn at first, but it's always the quiet ones you have to watch. He grew up with spriggans and pixies as his playmates and he hides a wicked sense of humor. When the party was plagued with practical jokes in the early days of Hrothgar's expedition, they naturally suspected the halfling thief, until Thomas caught him rigging up a stink bomb outside of Hrothgar's tent. Now, whenever the party is resting in town between adventures, the ranger and the thief trade prank for prank to pass the time. The rest of the party tends to steer clear of them when this happens, lest they get caught up in it. Thomas is the true enigma of the party. He hasn't revealed where he comes from, why he came North, nor even his surname. He's obviously running from something in his past, though from the few clues Gunther has pried out of him, it was more embarrassing than sordid. They're both accomplished archers, but Gunther hasn't touched his longbow in weeks. He'd much rather meet the enemy with steel. Gunther started out dual wielding scimitars, but he learned to use katanas when he found a magic one in the Vale of Shadows. Now he holds Solemn Duty in his right hand and Frostbrand in his left and he calls himself Gunther the Giant Slayer. Thomas has become the party sniper almost by default, and his shortbow is responsible for at least as many disrupted spells as the ladies' magic missiles.
The city girls - Rhiannon & Khanna
Rhiannon and Khanna have been friends since childhood. Their families live next door to each other in an affluent and cosmopolitan neighborhood in Waterdeep. Rhiannon's mother and grandfather run a successful trading house. Rhia herself is the result of a casual dalliance between her mother and an elven trader. The two were never a serious couple, but they've remained friends both personally and in a business sense. Rhia usually spends a couple months a year living with her father and his extended family at their estate in Silverymoon. She's a studious girl who often seems disconnected and lost in daydreams, but she possesses the ability to concentrate her prodigious intellect on any task she sets for herself, whether it's learning a new spell or recalling the tell-tale attributes of common magic items. Her love of magic and her family's involvement in the shipping trade led her to the service of Selûne, and she made a point of showing up at the docks whenever her grandfather's ships were leaving or arriving to invoke the blessings of the goddess upon them. Khanna's family is in the jewelry trade. Her mother is a goldsmith and her father is a gemcutter, and they collaborate on overall design. Their work has adorned the high and mighty of Waterdeep and beyond. Khanna has never been even slightly interested in joining the family business. She's been a devotee of Marthammor Duin practically since she learned what gods were. She often spent her days exploring abandoned buildings or supposedly haunted crypts, usually with Rhia in tow. Khanna called it "Keeping Rhia grounded in the real world." Rhiannon called it "Getting Rhia into trouble." She usually went along anyway, after all it was fun, and sometimes they'd find an old book or scroll. Khanna is brash and outgoing, sometimes crossing the line into reckless and boorish. Fortunately, Rhia's usually there to pull her back. When the girls started having nearly identical dreams of trouble in the North they realized their gods were sending them a message, and they set out along the trade routes for Easthaven. Both of them use slings in most fights, and while Khanna prefers the hammer and Rhia prefers the mace, they're equally proficient in flails also, and will use whatever's best at the time. Rhiannon concentrates on buffing spells while Khanna is the primary healer, but they both reserve some slots to back up each other and Raelynn. Given their position as rearguard, they've occasionally had to turn and put the fear of the gods into something trying to sneak up on the party. Rhiannon's studies have also made her the party's loremaster. She can usually identify all but the most obscure items without using any spells.
Posing for a family portrait outside Waukeen's temple soon after arriving in Lonelywood.
Well then, here is my first HoF party which currently is half way through Chapter 6. I based the characters on a story my friend is writing. The story also has six uh... "heroes" who used to lead a faction called Black Pegasus. They were known as the Black Six and their public image has become so tainted that the common folk use the word "Black Six" as a sort of swear or curse in that particular world. At some point, other great factions turned against Black Pegasus and destroyed it in a bloody war. The leaders, however, still remain in hiding. Character wise the guys themselves are not as bad as their reputation makes them out to be.
I'll start with Leon Byrne. He is the de facto leader of this bunch. A relatively gentle and soft spoken person. He used to be a professor in a national university and a leading expert in the field of Nekma (a mysterious power in my friend's fictional world which gives people special powers) studies. The brains of the team. A socially awkward type, he is not charismatic to strangers but his friends and allies know better: his plans rarely fail. He believes he discovered "too much" in his studies and holds himself responsible for the downfall of Black Pegasus. In the world of IWD I chose him to be a ranger 18-cleric dual class. Initially his role was to be the dual wielder/ archer of the party. He would provide extra damage in the front lines and if necessary, disturb enemy casters with his arrows. When his cleric abilities mature, he will also start adding tremendous boosts to the entire party. His current plan is to face Maiden Ilmadia and bring her to justice.
Kendall Quentell. He is a man of principles and has undergone vigorous training to master his body and his mind and has become an excellent warrior. He is strong, resourceful, kind and acts like the moral compass of the party. His beliefs in the greater good are in fact so firm that in the story he actually betrayed his friends over principles. It could be argued that he was the brightest of the Black Six, and that perhaps he was, indeed too kindhearted to belong there. Or it might just be the common blindness of lawful stupid. Anyhow, the IWD party would not be complete without him. I chose him to be a cavalier - he is the tank and always the first one to enter the fray. Notable kills: Gave the slaying blow to Yxunomei. He is looking forward to destroy the foul Idol and mad priests in lower Dorn's Deep.
Lee Wei Chang. He used to be the logistics and supply manager for Black Pegasus and he definitely has a knack for doing business. However, the past tragedies of war have turned Lee into a pacifist. He likes to meditate on Nekma energy and spend time in nature. In the fictional world of my friend, Lee had the ability to control water and had a mastery of polearms. So, in the world of IWD, he became a fighter 9-druid dual class with preference towards healing and water spells (crushing wave, cloudburst). For the first half of the game he has been the main healer of the party, with Leon now catching up as a cleric. Lee can also act as a rear line fighter, poking the enemy with his spear. Notable kills: Challenged and defeated Joril in single combat.
Xander Weiss. He was the unseen hitman of Black Pegasus, known by many as the Angel of Death, considered to be one of the two "blackest of the Black Six". The neatness of his work is actually a signature that gives him away - a paradox of sorts. He has an inner rivalry towards Kendall whom he constantly tries to best in swordsmanship. He wields electricity. In IWD I turned him into a greatsword-wielding fighter 9-mage dual class who mostly uses lighting spells and necromancy. I especially like to assign him touch spells which paralyze enemies, making him a true threat in close range. Notable assassinations: Paralyzed and killed Krilag in a relatively unfair one on one combat.
Gerard Freegard. He was the intel/reconaissance/spy thingie of Black Pegasus. He is in the center of attention in every social event. Charming and shining, yet wicked and deceptive. A tremendously agile and nimble warrior who applied wind to make himself faster in the original story. Thus, in IWD he became a shadow dancer 13-fighter dual class. He is the spokesperson of the party. With the help of shadowstep and hide in plain sight, enemies can lose him easily on the battlefield, only to find him right behind them. Notable achievements: Faced Marketh in a contest of charm and wits, ultimately convinced him to leave Dorn's Deep.
Damien Brimstone. The other "blackest of the Black Six". A fiery one in both abilities and temper. Foul-mouthed. Easily provoked. Yet fiercely loyal to his comrades. In war time, he used to be the mass destruction weapon for Black Pegasus, burning everything and everyone in his path. Thus, he became a dragon disciple in IWD. He likes to apply burning hands, fireball, sunfire, agannazar's scorcher, horrid wilting... He also has formed pacts with fiends from a lower plane. Damien has heard of a dark elf wizard who resides in lower Dorn's Deep. He feels inclined to seek this one out and test his mettle...
So there you go, this is my current party. I must say that after countless replays on core difficulty, I am positively surprised about this particular party. Apart from some trouble with Yxunomei (one party member died), it has been a fun ride so far, regardless of the higher difficulty.
It's a very Noldorian party. I'm still in the beginning of the game, so I don't have all these characters yet. I started the game with Curufin and Namour, and I'm adding each of the other characters gradually, so it makes a "Baldur's Gate story pace sense".
[spoiler=Curufin] Curufin is the leader of the group. He is the rightful heir to the throne of the ancient-now-fallen Eaerlann elven kingdom. He is a fire spirited elf, and is raising funds in the Icewind Dales to reconstruct his Kingdom someday.[/spoiler][spoiler=Namour] He is a strong and huge (7,5 f / 2,30m tall) sea-elf Fighter with the fury of the sea in his heart, and he is a sworn knight to King Curufin. Curufin had defended his family from rival nobles in the sea elf court, and now he will follow Curufin and help him to rebuild his kingdom.[/spoiler][spoiler=Ellassien] Elassien is a younger sister of Queen Ellessime, from Suldanesselar. She hasn't followed her good hearted sister since the fall of Myth Drannor, but Curufin has found in her a talented sorceress and offered her a position in his to be rebuilded Kingdom.[/spoiler][spoiler=Eulyria] Eulyria is a half-elf/half-dryad druid found by the party in Kuldahar. She had accept to help Curufin to solve the recent anomalies felt by nature in the region.[/spoiler][spoiler=Floki] Floki is an insane rogue that survived the massacre in Kuldahar Pass. He was accepted by the party, since he could be of help in this foreign unknown towns. What Floki wants is that is a mistery. He is insane and change his mind very often (He's like Loki, the god of mischief).[/spoiler][spoiler=Grimnir] Grimnir is a dwarf fighter-cleric that the party will eventualy meet. He's a mighty hero from the Nibelungs that has prepared himself his entire life to battle demons.[/spoiler]
Hehe @Vitor, I liked that you've used the name and picture of the character Floki from the tv-show Vikings. He is indeed rather chaotic/neutral in that show; irratic, paranoid and changes his mood and actions all the time.
Hehe @Vitor, I liked that you've used the name and picture of the character Floki from the tv-show Vikings. He is indeed rather chaotic/neutral in that show; irratic, paranoid and changes his mood and actions all the time.
Yes. I love this show! But I got Floki's name and apperance, because they're the best representation ever from Loki, the god of mischeif. But his personality is more based in the norse god than the character in Vikings. That's why his alignment is Chaotic Evil.
Also, Curufin is very inspired in Fëanor, from Tolkien's The Silmarillion, and Namour got the name and apperance from Marvel's hero Namor, The Submariner... But his personality is a bit different. He's like a proud and loyal warrior from the sea.
The stats are balanced for the “Revised Stat Bonuses” component of the Might and Guile mod.
The weapon combos assume the “Weapon Proficiency Overhaul” component of the Might and Guile mod.
Some explanation of the class/kit choices:
At first I had an "Earthwalker of Grumbar" (single-class cleric kit from A Frosty Journey) as the dedicated party priest, but he was not that well integrated with FP, his special summon was too cheesy, and due to FP he could not wear heavy armor as a single-class cleric - and I wanted at least one front-line character who wears heavy armor. So I replaced him with the Alaghor multi-class kit.
Similarly, I first tried to play without a Thief and had an "Elven Archer" (single-class ranger kit from MG) in the 4th slot. But it was too annoying to not have a thief (I was soaking up trap damage all the time, and the monk's 18 STR wasn't enough to bash all locks), and also I realized that archers are kinda boring because they can do only one thing well. (The kit added "called shot" abilities which made it slightly more interesting, but still). So I replaced him with a very cool character made possible by the FP mod: A multi-class Cleric/Thief with a kit that turns her into a Druid/Thief! She can also hit things relatively well with a bow (so I don't miss the Archer), plus she has much more druid spells, and can take care of locks and traps! Definitely a winner.
Its hard to follow Ineth's magnificent looking party above. Fantastic portraits and Ineth, as do you all, really *care* for your characters.
I too like to write a biography for each member - it adds to the RPG feel using depth and creativity.
I'm currently writing one for a new team using Forgotten Realms place names and my own its still in progress I might add
Sevaria Darkmourne - Human female Blackguard, Neutral Evil
Beautiful Sylldyth Whyteheart was a paladin of Cragfall, a towering keep above the town of the same name in the mountainous region east of Luskan, the ancestral home to the noble house of Tulln. The Whyteheart's had served the Tulln house since times began often taking posts in the armed forces. Sylldyth rose to become the High Castellan through merit. In 1275, a large band of marauders had plagued the area; threatening trade by ambushing the caravans, pillaging the outer farms and burning crops and produce. Cragfall could not afford the losses when harvest had been poor due to bad rains, so the militia led by the house troops, marched out and in a stunning move, encircled the brigands and put them to the sword. Sylldyth, in her famous White Swan armour, had led the house men and during the celebratory feast, a soldier known to her as Sparrow informed her that her father had not died of natural causes, but had been in fact poisoned by Brenedict Tulln, now the head of the house. Sparrow gave her a page taken from the nobleman's diary in which he talks about his glee at her father's death and that years of torment had been laid to rest. Sparrow was given this information from inside the house, because Sylldyth's father had been very popular and that Brenedict, known as Bren, was not. During the course of the next few months, Sylldyth began to collect information about her father's relationship with Bren. She discovered that the lord had been diagnosed with a degenerative disease that crumbled bones and had been searching across Faerûn for a cure. A man visiting the keep known only as Jekull was tracked down at Waterdeep who admitted to Sylldyth that Bren had acquired his talents for poisoning. He was richly paid, but contested that he knew nothing about her father's death. Sylldyth brought this information to Bren who revealed to her that her father had laughed at his form and made crude comments about his condition, he was now nicknamed 'Brittlebones'. He claimed to have confronted her father about this and was cruelly admonished, but then he admitted it had just been for fun and did poison him with ingredients left by Jekull. Sylldyth had loved her father and could not contain her anger. Bren commented that her father was ailing anyway and that was enough for a grieving Sylldyth to take. She cast off her badge of office and grabbed hold of Bren by his neck and dragged him up to the battlements before throwing him over them. Loyal men to her took key positions and suddenly a civil war broke out. It left Cragfall a burning shell reeking of butchery. But Sylldyth still lived. Her white armour was now scorched and dented by battle and blackened by flame. It soon became known as her Black Swan armour. She rode out with a hundred of her remaining men, turning her back on the place she had called home, but a new fiery spirit that thirsted for slaughter and evil deeds drove her. She changed her name and for years haunted the Sword Coast with brigandage being given the names of 'Mistress of Harm', 'The Black Maiden' and 'Bane's Revenant'. She sailed across the Sea of Swords sometime in 1279 to the Moonshae Isles. She disappeared from all but name, but now in 1281, alone and still dressed in her black armour, she has arrived in Icewind Dale. For what purpose, no one but her knows.
My current IWD playthrough involves three characters: Isi, Asi, and Osi! Each character has their maximum health decreased by 400, making it so that there's basically no way for them to have more than 1 max HP per level (which is the minimum max HP a character can have).
Isi is the Tanky Assassin! She can take lots of hits despite her low health, since she has 99% resistance to all damage types except for poison and magic damage. Anyone who hits her will deal two damage (they'd normally deal one damage but I'm playing on Insane difficulty). She can use any item and can use thief skills while wearing heavy armor. Isi is the only one of the three who has this damage resistance, and I made it so that she is unable to get additional damage resistance (so wielding a sword that gives slashing resistance won't give her any slashing resistance).
Asi hits hard.
Osi is a Dragon Disciple who has Aura Cleansing and can cast quadruple the normal amount of spells. However, I'm not giving her the most powerful spells. In particular, I'm not giving her any good defensive spells like Mirror Image or Stoneskin. Currently her main offensive spell is Shocking Grasp.
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Suvi Korpela: Mother of Gorion's Ward, Talvi Korpela, (Read her ongoing story here!), Suvi is a renowned adventurer on her own right. Like her daughter, she possessed an amazing talent for the arcane from a young age, although concepts such as "control" and "discipline" always seemed to elude her. Like many elves, she feels the innate urge to throw off her clothes and frolic naked in the woods, though the cold climate of the north precludes such fanciful activities.
Ignaar Drowslayer: Ignaar wants you to know that he's a lean, mean, drow-killing machine. Well, he's not too terribly lean, and if he is a machine, then he's the kind with only two settings: "off" and "kill." He boasts proudly about the number of drow he's slain, and claims to have left the Underdark awash in dark elf blood on multiple occasions. Still, he is apparently willing to travel with a drow, whom he barely tolerates.
Ilona: She declares that she has come to the north to teach it some "discipline." You aren't sure what she means by that, but given that she is a follower of Loviatar and dressed in a skin-tight black leather bodice, you have a feeling it probably isn't too pleasant. Whatever you do, don't let her take you to her "dungeon."
Ihriel Laelslyannen: A drow orphaned on the surface at a young age, Ihriel has spent most of her life in Easthaven. Owing to the prejudice faced by her kind outside the Underdark, her foster-parents have kept her sheltered from the world, and thus she approaches adventuring with a mixture of wide-eyed innocence and idealism. Her favourite activities include "hugging," "cuddling," and "snuggling." Naturally, she does not get along with Ignaar Drowslayer, who promises to violently murder her on a daily basis.
Stratford Dickshot McKillington: A bloodthirsty, psychotic halfling from gods-know-where, Stratford signed on for the sole purposes of murdering, mutilating, and robbing (not necessarily in that order) anyone who stands in their way. He would eventually meet his end man years later at the claws of a red dragon who devoured him whole, his last words being a threat to give the dragon "the worst gas he ever had" which would make it "very unpopular with other dragons for some time afterwards."
...What? I couldn't help it, okay! The New Party Bug bit me again!
Usually when I make Icewind Dale parties I stick my own characters into the game. Not just game-created specific, but protagonists from entire (mostly unfinished) novels I've written.
This time, I decided to take other people's characters and put them in a party!
[spoiler=Jon Snow]
From "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. I don't really have to explain this one, right? And no, I don't know how he left the Wall, but I know darn well that he'll be itching to get back to his Night Watch brothers ASAP. To do that, he's gonna have to band this group together and conquer the Dale. Thus, Jon's our leader. Ranger. Racial Enemy: cadaverous undead.
It was either that or skeletal undead, really. They don't have white walker as an option.
[spoiler=Moiraine]
From "A Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson). Again, no need to explain, right? Wheel of Time. Blue Ajah. Badass. The mage who started it all. Pure awesome lady-power.
And I've only gotten through partway of book four, and it's been a while, so please no spoilers. Please? >.>;; If she dies later on in the series or something else awful, I don't wanna know.
[spoiler=Sorcha]
[spoiler=Raed]
Both Sorcha and Raed are from the "Order" books by Philippa Ballantine. The first is called "Geist." Sorcha is a rough woman who'd rather talk with her fists than her lips, and works with her order to fight geists. Ghosts. Shades. You name it. She'll be dualing to cleric rather quick, thus her high wisdom. Raed, on the other hand, is a sexy smooth-talking Pretender to the Throne who's lived a life at sea since...well, since he got possessed by an evil geistlord and killed his mother. Cue exile.
Oh, and they've totally got the hots for each other. Expect awkward alone-time between rests. Moving on...
[spoiler=Oree]
From "The Broken Kingdoms" by N.K. Jemisin, second book in her "Inheritance Trilogy." Oree was living just an ordinary life as a blind sculptor/painter when she discovered she had magical powers...in probably the most horrible, twisted way you can imagine. There were gods involved. Lotsa blood. People died. You know what, just read the book. It's fan-freaking-tastic.
Thus, she is our party's sorcerer...appropriately proficient with a quarterstaff. You know. Cause she's blind. Eh? Eh?? ... I'll go jump off a cliff now.
[spoiler=Kiukiu]
From "The Tears of Artamon" trilogy by Sarah Ash. Kiukiu is a bard. Sort of. Kind of. Well... What they call a spell singer, the last of a long line of magic musicians who can heal souls. Or something like that. It's been a while since I read the whole trilogy... Anyway, Kiukiu is here because I wanted a bard. And she's adorable.
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There you have it. I wanna make a YA Fantasy-themed party too, but all the voice sets sound so darn old for a teenaged cast... *sighs*
"Lathander’s Faithful: Our group of unusual faces are all members of Lathander’s clergy, though many of them fill unusual and oft unnoticed roles among it. Our leader is one of the most well-renowned members of Lathander’s paladins, but the rest of our group is less-trusted and respected, some for their unusual heritage, others for their unusual skills. Some believe this group was formed for this far-off mission to force them away from civilization. Others believe that not only that, but those who formed the group also wish to dispose of it’s members. Regardless, our group are experts in their fields, and will not fall easily.
Gryffon Redalia: Undead Hunter of Lathander “Knight of the Aster” (Human)
The poster child for both Lathander’s paladins and the Order of the Aster specifically, this man has been recognized many times over for his bravery and heroism, specifically when combatting the undead. He is strong, agile, hardy, wise, and charismatic, making himself thought to be perhaps the greatest of Lathander’s paladins. He has been in service since his youth, first becoming a paladin at the age of seventeen, and is now in his early thirties. He is most saddened at this trip because it means he will be apart from his wife and seven year old son for several months at least. They are all used to this, though, and have accepted this fate.
Wields: Longswords, Flails, Shields
Cirtas Koth: Priest of Lathander “Dawnbringer” (Half-Orc)
A rare sight in the ranks of the clergy, Cirtas, as he was named after becoming a Dawnbringer, is a peaceful and quiet young Dawnbringer who since his youth has desired to become one of the faithful. He was found outside a village as a babe, and despite his odd heritage he was taken in by a peasant farmer and his wife, who could bear no children. They brought him up with loving care, and he sees himself as merely a very big, kind of ugly human. Despite being peaceful and quiet, he can be a nightmare in battle, and he is by far the strongest member of our group.
Wields: Maces, Slings, Shields, Warhammers
Meverick Vinhais: (Swashbuckler) “Eyes of Lathander” (Dwarf)
Once a petty thief living on the streets, Meverick was saved by a force of Lathander’s faithful when the town Meverick lived in was overrun by undead, controlled by a dark necromancer. Despite his criminal past (mostly due to his birth into extreme poverty) the young dwarf was allowed to become a lay servant for a local temple of Lathander. One day he overheard a group of Lathander’s faithful saying that they wished they had a skilled lockpick and disarmer of traps to take on the next mission, as it was the ruins of a great necromancer’s lair and was likely to be full of locked doors and traps. Knowing that it was forbidden for a member of Lathander’s faithful to learn such lawless skills, he rushed to the head priest of his temple. He begged to be allowed to journey with them, as his skills could be invaluable to the group, and it would not be wrong as he had already learned the skills. After much consideration, the head priest allowed him to go after he swore an oath that he would never use his skills for evil nor would he strike a foe from behind, for such was the way of the villainous. Meverick has upheld this oath for more than five years, and is the first of an order of scouts and “good rogues” for Lathander, now known as the Eyes of Lathander.
Wields: Shortswords, Daggers
Baladas Demnevanni: (Mage) “Loremaster of Lathander” (“Drow” Elf)
Baladas is yet another rare sight, at least on the surface, as he is a full-blooded drow. Despite this, he was born on the surface, to two drow who had escaped the evils of the underdark, and therefore has had none of the drow’s “conditioning”. There is no tragic story for him or his life, as his family lived (and still lives) in relative peace, though dirty looks often fell their way. He gained a certain knack for magic through self-study, and applied to become a book keeper for Lathander’s temple as a method of learning more. He is good, and his actions are merely those of one with a desire to learn, not to steal. Over time his skill as a mage grew, and he began being called upon to take various missions with the active members of the clergy. He had no complaints with this, as it allowed him new opportunities to learn, and whenever he found books with new or useful knowledge, he brought them back to the temple. The library of his temple now contains many tomes quite valuable, even rarer than some of those in fabled Candlekeep. He keeps a strict physical routine as well, providing him with excellent physical abilities for one of the mage’s profession. He seems unphased by this mission, though this calmness seems to be the norm for him.
Wields: Sling, Staff, Dagger
Tresia Oum: Sun Soul Monk (Human)
Tresia is a bright, headstrong, charming lass, full of the Morninglord’s vitality and brightness, and while the Sun Soul and the clergy of Lathander sometimes butt heads over the Soul’s belief that Lathander is a third of Aumanator, we are happy to have this young monk join us on a dangerous mission. She is exceptionally skilled for one so young, and her bright cheerfulness brings a sense of levity to an otherwise rather quiet party. She has bonded greatly with both Meverick and myself during the short journey, and the three of us have made up most of the conversations, though Gryffon occasionally joins in. Tresia is a bit too headstrong, however, and she can rush headlong into danger without thinking, though the rest of the group is always there to support her.
Wields: Fists, Katanas, Scimitars/Wakizashis/Ninjatos
Falinia Serin: (Bard) “Chorister of Lathander”
And I am Falinia Serin, chronicler of our tale, and member of my temples choir. I know it seems rather odd that a chorister is part of an expedition, even more so that it is with this one, but there are reasons. Although I am at the temple singing everyday, I am not like most of the other choristers who are merely Awakened of the temple. I am a civilian, whose immense singing skill and deep faith have caused the priests to hire me to sing, and nothing more. Well, apart from this mission. I am also a skilled archer and author of several books. The priests requested I go on this mission for three reasons. To provide my aid to the members of the mission, to keep an eye on them, as the priests who chose them for this mission do indeed wish them all dead for one reason or another, and to chronicle their journey. Obviously the priests who requested I do this are not associated with those who wish the party’s death, and in fact are working to expose these corrupt priests. For now they merely desire me to do my best with this group.
Wields: Longbow, Spear
Our group set out for the village of Easthaven, as there had been strange rumours about the area. When we finally arrived in town we were met with a warrior in the tavern. He seemed to be the governor and chieftain of the village, more or less, though it’s but a small fishing village. I suppose one could say he is merely the village’s guardian. After speaking to him, he asked us to stop by his home later. We searched around the village, learning of it’s culture and aiding it’s villagers with tasks both simple and dangerous. Killing some goblins, helping a drunk, aiding a man plagued by dreams, squashing some beetles, the list goes on. Nothing of great note, however. When we had finished, we also spoke with the Priest of Tempus, Everard. He was a harsh man, and I do not believe any of us liked him. Tresia in particular noted a disdain of him and his dismissal of another’s sacrifice after we had left the temple. From him, however, we learned of a messenger from Kuldahar, who died not long after arriving in the village. He managed to inform the people of Easthaven that Kuldahar was subject to great disturbances and pleaded for help, though. Apparently the warrior we met after arriving to town, Hrothgar, was organizing an expedition to aid Kuldahar. We then went to speak with Hrothgar himself, and he requested our aid in the expedition. Seeing as these disturbances were why we came to begin with, we gladly accepted. First, however, he had us seek out a missing caravan that would be needed to supply the town while we were gone. Hrothgar in the meantime would finish gathering the expedition."
This is the party that I'm currently running with. Departing from the "rogue/outlaw parties" of my prior playthrough attempts, this party is very much good-oriented.
EVANGELA, LG human paladin - A young paladin who gathers a party to lead, in effect, a crusade to the untamed northern lands, seeking to root out and destroy any evil forces that may be lurking there. With her youth comes a certain amount of inexperience about the ways of the world, but she is aware of her limitations, and more importantly, is quick-learning and able to adapt to whatever comes her way.
KRÖNUG SKULLCRUSHER, NG human ranger - The party's scout and guide, possessing both great strength and surprising agility for someone of his size. Although he lacks a formal education, he is very wise to the ways of the world, and there is a strong spiritual side beneath his deceptively rugged exterior. My intention is to dual him to a cleric at level 3.
MARIANNA REDAXE, CG human barbarian - A thrill-seeking "wild child," also the best sharpshooter of the party, as well as a capable flanker. Oftentimes rude, crude, and brash, but beneath her uncouth exterior, there lurks a heart of gold.
VARANIS - CN half-orc fighter/thief - A powerhouse in terms of fighting ability, thanks to her half-orc heritage. Essentially a mercenary, she has joined the expedition in the hopes that their journeys will lead to some nice quest rewards and uncovered loot.
SERENA - TN human shapeshifter - Enigmatic and soft-spoken, she has joined the expedition in order to pursue her own personal investigation into disruptions of the natural balance that appear to be emanating from the north. A distinct gleam in her eyes hints at the secret supernatural power that she possess.
DALORIA - LG gnome cleric/illusionist - The quintessential "brainiac," she has a vast array of spells, both learned and innate, at her disposal. Though awkward and nerdy, she also possesses a certain likable charm. She is traveling to the north at the request of her temple, to investigate reports of mysterious but unspecified "disturbances" there.
And now, the Heroes of Icewind Dale:
The leaders - Wulf and Raelynn
Wulf is a "pure bred" half-orc from the docks district of Neverwinter. His parents tried to raise him right, but they both had to work to put food on the table, so Wulf ended up falling in with a bad crowd. An old sergeant from the city watch first knocked some sense into the boy, then took him under his wing. Working as a longshoreman alongside his father, plus frequent training sessions with his mentor, soon honed Wulf into the powerhouse he is today. When he began hearing rumors of the troubles in Easthaven, he decided to head North to test his mettle. Three days out of Neverwinter, in a roadside inn, he first laid eyes on Raelynn...
Raelynn was born into a noble family in the Silver Marches. She never really set out to be rebellious, but the universe just seemed to push her that way. Like the way she was born a sorceress in a family of wizards or the way she cared more about helping people than ruling over them. When local seers started predicting trouble in the North, she jumped at the chance to get away from her family's stuffy ways. Still, she's a beautiful, strong-willed noble, she's used to getting what she wants. So when she realized the well-built, friendly half-orc she'd met wasn't going to make the first move, no matter how much he wanted to, she took matters into her own hands.
Since then, this unlikely couple have led their companions from victory to victory and nothing, not even demons and devils, have been able to stand up to them. Wulf is a specialist in single-weapon style, though he had to switch from bastard swords to long swords because he hasn't been able to locate any decent magical bastard swords. He now wields Aihonen's blade. Raelynn prefers spells that directly damage her enemies, but she also has directed some of her energies to spells which boost the party. When she uses a physical weapon, it's almost always a sling, but she recently began referring to her Mage Dagger +4 as "Devil-butt" after she stabbed Behlifet in the glutes with it.
The jokers - Gunther & Thomas
Gunther is the only local boy in the party. He was raised in the forest Northwest of Good Mead by a druid and her ranger husband after his parents were killed during a hill giant incursion. He comes across as grim and taciturn at first, but it's always the quiet ones you have to watch. He grew up with spriggans and pixies as his playmates and he hides a wicked sense of humor. When the party was plagued with practical jokes in the early days of Hrothgar's expedition, they naturally suspected the halfling thief, until Thomas caught him rigging up a stink bomb outside of Hrothgar's tent. Now, whenever the party is resting in town between adventures, the ranger and the thief trade prank for prank to pass the time. The rest of the party tends to steer clear of them when this happens, lest they get caught up in it.
Thomas is the true enigma of the party. He hasn't revealed where he comes from, why he came North, nor even his surname. He's obviously running from something in his past, though from the few clues Gunther has pried out of him, it was more embarrassing than sordid.
They're both accomplished archers, but Gunther hasn't touched his longbow in weeks. He'd much rather meet the enemy with steel. Gunther started out dual wielding scimitars, but he learned to use katanas when he found a magic one in the Vale of Shadows. Now he holds Solemn Duty in his right hand and Frostbrand in his left and he calls himself Gunther the Giant Slayer.
Thomas has become the party sniper almost by default, and his shortbow is responsible for at least as many disrupted spells as the ladies' magic missiles.
The city girls - Rhiannon & Khanna
Rhiannon and Khanna have been friends since childhood. Their families live next door to each other in an affluent and cosmopolitan neighborhood in Waterdeep.
Rhiannon's mother and grandfather run a successful trading house. Rhia herself is the result of a casual dalliance between her mother and an elven trader. The two were never a serious couple, but they've remained friends both personally and in a business sense. Rhia usually spends a couple months a year living with her father and his extended family at their estate in Silverymoon. She's a studious girl who often seems disconnected and lost in daydreams, but she possesses the ability to concentrate her prodigious intellect on any task she sets for herself, whether it's learning a new spell or recalling the tell-tale attributes of common magic items. Her love of magic and her family's involvement in the shipping trade led her to the service of Selûne, and she made a point of showing up at the docks whenever her grandfather's ships were leaving or arriving to invoke the blessings of the goddess upon them.
Khanna's family is in the jewelry trade. Her mother is a goldsmith and her father is a gemcutter, and they collaborate on overall design. Their work has adorned the high and mighty of Waterdeep and beyond. Khanna has never been even slightly interested in joining the family business. She's been a devotee of Marthammor Duin practically since she learned what gods were. She often spent her days exploring abandoned buildings or supposedly haunted crypts, usually with Rhia in tow. Khanna called it "Keeping Rhia grounded in the real world." Rhiannon called it "Getting Rhia into trouble." She usually went along anyway, after all it was fun, and sometimes they'd find an old book or scroll. Khanna is brash and outgoing, sometimes crossing the line into reckless and boorish. Fortunately, Rhia's usually there to pull her back.
When the girls started having nearly identical dreams of trouble in the North they realized their gods were sending them a message, and they set out along the trade routes for Easthaven. Both of them use slings in most fights, and while Khanna prefers the hammer and Rhia prefers the mace, they're equally proficient in flails also, and will use whatever's best at the time. Rhiannon concentrates on buffing spells while Khanna is the primary healer, but they both reserve some slots to back up each other and Raelynn. Given their position as rearguard, they've occasionally had to turn and put the fear of the gods into something trying to sneak up on the party. Rhiannon's studies have also made her the party's loremaster. She can usually identify all but the most obscure items without using any spells.
Posing for a family portrait outside Waukeen's temple soon after arriving in Lonelywood.
Victory Pic:
I like that HoW lets you have control of your party in between winning and playing the ending cinematics.
I'll start with Leon Byrne. He is the de facto leader of this bunch. A relatively gentle and soft spoken person. He used to be a professor in a national university and a leading expert in the field of Nekma (a mysterious power in my friend's fictional world which gives people special powers) studies. The brains of the team. A socially awkward type, he is not charismatic to strangers but his friends and allies know better: his plans rarely fail. He believes he discovered "too much" in his studies and holds himself responsible for the downfall of Black Pegasus. In the world of IWD I chose him to be a ranger 18-cleric dual class. Initially his role was to be the dual wielder/ archer of the party. He would provide extra damage in the front lines and if necessary, disturb enemy casters with his arrows. When his cleric abilities mature, he will also start adding tremendous boosts to the entire party. His current plan is to face Maiden Ilmadia and bring her to justice.
Kendall Quentell. He is a man of principles and has undergone vigorous training to master his body and his mind and has become an excellent warrior. He is strong, resourceful, kind and acts like the moral compass of the party. His beliefs in the greater good are in fact so firm that in the story he actually betrayed his friends over principles. It could be argued that he was the brightest of the Black Six, and that perhaps he was, indeed too kindhearted to belong there. Or it might just be the common blindness of lawful stupid. Anyhow, the IWD party would not be complete without him. I chose him to be a cavalier - he is the tank and always the first one to enter the fray. Notable kills: Gave the slaying blow to Yxunomei. He is looking forward to destroy the foul Idol and mad priests in lower Dorn's Deep.
Lee Wei Chang. He used to be the logistics and supply manager for Black Pegasus and he definitely has a knack for doing business. However, the past tragedies of war have turned Lee into a pacifist. He likes to meditate on Nekma energy and spend time in nature. In the fictional world of my friend, Lee had the ability to control water and had a mastery of polearms. So, in the world of IWD, he became a fighter 9-druid dual class with preference towards healing and water spells (crushing wave, cloudburst). For the first half of the game he has been the main healer of the party, with Leon now catching up as a cleric. Lee can also act as a rear line fighter, poking the enemy with his spear. Notable kills: Challenged and defeated Joril in single combat.
Xander Weiss. He was the unseen hitman of Black Pegasus, known by many as the Angel of Death, considered to be one of the two "blackest of the Black Six". The neatness of his work is actually a signature that gives him away - a paradox of sorts. He has an inner rivalry towards Kendall whom he constantly tries to best in swordsmanship. He wields electricity. In IWD I turned him into a greatsword-wielding fighter 9-mage dual class who mostly uses lighting spells and necromancy. I especially like to assign him touch spells which paralyze enemies, making him a true threat in close range. Notable assassinations: Paralyzed and killed Krilag in a relatively unfair one on one combat.
Gerard Freegard. He was the intel/reconaissance/spy thingie of Black Pegasus. He is in the center of attention in every social event. Charming and shining, yet wicked and deceptive. A tremendously agile and nimble warrior who applied wind to make himself faster in the original story. Thus, in IWD he became a shadow dancer 13-fighter dual class. He is the spokesperson of the party. With the help of shadowstep and hide in plain sight, enemies can lose him easily on the battlefield, only to find him right behind them. Notable achievements: Faced Marketh in a contest of charm and wits, ultimately convinced him to leave Dorn's Deep.
Damien Brimstone. The other "blackest of the Black Six". A fiery one in both abilities and temper. Foul-mouthed. Easily provoked. Yet fiercely loyal to his comrades. In war time, he used to be the mass destruction weapon for Black Pegasus, burning everything and everyone in his path. Thus, he became a dragon disciple in IWD. He likes to apply burning hands, fireball, sunfire, agannazar's scorcher, horrid wilting... He also has formed pacts with fiends from a lower plane. Damien has heard of a dark elf wizard who resides in lower Dorn's Deep. He feels inclined to seek this one out and test his mettle...
So there you go, this is my current party. I must say that after countless replays on core difficulty, I am positively surprised about this particular party. Apart from some trouble with Yxunomei (one party member died), it has been a fun ride so far, regardless of the higher difficulty.
[spoiler=Curufin]
Curufin is the leader of the group. He is the rightful heir to the throne of the ancient-now-fallen Eaerlann elven kingdom. He is a fire spirited elf, and is raising funds in the Icewind Dales to reconstruct his Kingdom someday.[/spoiler][spoiler=Namour]
He is a strong and huge (7,5 f / 2,30m tall) sea-elf Fighter with the fury of the sea in his heart, and he is a sworn knight to King Curufin. Curufin had defended his family from rival nobles in the sea elf court, and now he will follow Curufin and help him to rebuild his kingdom.[/spoiler][spoiler=Ellassien]
Elassien is a younger sister of Queen Ellessime, from Suldanesselar. She hasn't followed her good hearted sister since the fall of Myth Drannor, but Curufin has found in her a talented sorceress and offered her a position in his to be rebuilded Kingdom.[/spoiler][spoiler=Eulyria]
Eulyria is a half-elf/half-dryad druid found by the party in Kuldahar. She had accept to help Curufin to solve the recent anomalies felt by nature in the region.[/spoiler][spoiler=Floki]
Floki is an insane rogue that survived the massacre in Kuldahar Pass. He was accepted by the party, since he could be of help in this foreign unknown towns. What Floki wants is that is a mistery. He is insane and change his mind very often (He's like Loki, the god of mischief).[/spoiler][spoiler=Grimnir]
Grimnir is a dwarf fighter-cleric that the party will eventualy meet. He's a mighty hero from the Nibelungs that has prepared himself his entire life to battle demons.[/spoiler]
Also, Curufin is very inspired in Fëanor, from Tolkien's The Silmarillion, and Namour got the name and apperance from Marvel's hero Namor, The Submariner... But his personality is a bit different. He's like a proud and loyal warrior from the sea.
- Every party member has to have a kit that was introduced or overhauled by a mod.
- Also, everyone has to kick ass.
- And the leader is a monk, simply because I always wanted to try one in this game.
This is what I ended up with:Notes:
- The kits are from these mods:
- MO = Monastic Orders of Faerun
- MG = Might and Guile
- FP = Faith and Powers (currently in beta)
- The stats are balanced for the “Revised Stat Bonuses” component of the Might and Guile mod.
- The weapon combos assume the “Weapon Proficiency Overhaul” component of the Might and Guile mod.
Some explanation of the class/kit choices:At first I had an "Earthwalker of Grumbar" (single-class cleric kit from A Frosty Journey) as the dedicated party priest, but he was not that well integrated with FP, his special summon was too cheesy, and due to FP he could not wear heavy armor as a single-class cleric - and I wanted at least one front-line character who wears heavy armor. So I replaced him with the Alaghor multi-class kit.
Similarly, I first tried to play without a Thief and had an "Elven Archer" (single-class ranger kit from MG) in the 4th slot. But it was too annoying to not have a thief (I was soaking up trap damage all the time, and the monk's 18 STR wasn't enough to bash all locks), and also I realized that archers are kinda boring because they can do only one thing well. (The kit added "called shot" abilities which made it slightly more interesting, but still). So I replaced him with a very cool character made possible by the FP mod: A multi-class Cleric/Thief with a kit that turns her into a Druid/Thief!
She can also hit things relatively well with a bow (so I don't miss the Archer), plus she has much more druid spells, and can take care of locks and traps! Definitely a winner.
I too like to write a biography for each member - it adds to the RPG feel using depth and creativity.
I'm currently writing one for a new team using Forgotten Realms place names and my own its still in progress I might add
Sevaria Darkmourne - Human female Blackguard, Neutral Evil
Beautiful Sylldyth Whyteheart was a paladin of Cragfall, a towering keep above the town of the same name in the mountainous region east of Luskan, the ancestral home to the noble house of Tulln. The Whyteheart's had served the Tulln house since times began often taking posts in the armed forces.
Sylldyth rose to become the High Castellan through merit. In 1275, a large band of marauders had plagued the area; threatening trade by ambushing the caravans, pillaging the outer farms and burning crops and produce. Cragfall could not afford the losses when harvest had been poor due to bad rains, so the militia led by the house troops, marched out and in a stunning move, encircled the brigands and put them to the sword. Sylldyth, in her famous White Swan armour, had led the house men and during the celebratory feast, a soldier known to her as Sparrow informed her that her father had not died of natural causes, but had been in fact poisoned by Brenedict Tulln, now the head of the house. Sparrow gave her a page taken from the nobleman's diary in which he talks about his glee at her father's death and that years of torment had been laid to rest. Sparrow was given this information from inside the house, because Sylldyth's father had been very popular and that Brenedict, known as Bren, was not. During the course of the next few months, Sylldyth began to collect information about her father's relationship with Bren. She discovered that the lord had been diagnosed with a degenerative disease that crumbled bones and had been searching across Faerûn for a cure. A man visiting the keep known only as Jekull was tracked down at Waterdeep who admitted to Sylldyth that Bren had acquired his talents for poisoning. He was richly paid, but contested that he knew nothing about her father's death.
Sylldyth brought this information to Bren who revealed to her that her father had laughed at his form and made crude comments about his condition, he was now nicknamed 'Brittlebones'. He claimed to have confronted her father about this and was cruelly admonished, but then he admitted it had just been for fun and did poison him with ingredients left by Jekull.
Sylldyth had loved her father and could not contain her anger. Bren commented that her father was ailing anyway and that was enough for a grieving Sylldyth to take. She cast off her badge of office and grabbed hold of Bren by his neck and dragged him up to the battlements before throwing him over them. Loyal men to her took key positions and suddenly a civil war broke out. It left Cragfall a burning shell reeking of butchery. But Sylldyth still lived. Her white armour was now scorched and dented by battle and blackened by flame. It soon became known as her Black Swan armour. She rode out with a hundred of her remaining men, turning her back on the place she had called home, but a new fiery spirit that thirsted for slaughter and evil deeds drove her. She changed her name and for years haunted the Sword Coast with brigandage being given the names of 'Mistress of Harm', 'The Black Maiden' and 'Bane's Revenant'. She sailed across the Sea of Swords sometime in 1279 to the Moonshae Isles.
She disappeared from all but name, but now in 1281, alone and still dressed in her black armour, she has arrived in Icewind Dale. For what purpose, no one but her knows.
For a while now I've been planning an adventure party to play through IWD:EE, but I need to finish my current games before I switch.
The party will consist of 4 dwarfs and 2 gnomes. I have a background story for each of them and I'll surely publish it here once it's done.
P.S. Although the portrait of Sevaria looks cool, it doesn't really strike you as evil
The goal is to get to the end of Durlag's Tower (finding ways around all the traps that will kill the character instantly) and then beat the game.
Isi is the Tanky Assassin! She can take lots of hits despite her low health, since she has 99% resistance to all damage types except for poison and magic damage. Anyone who hits her will deal two damage (they'd normally deal one damage but I'm playing on Insane difficulty). She can use any item and can use thief skills while wearing heavy armor. Isi is the only one of the three who has this damage resistance, and I made it so that she is unable to get additional damage resistance (so wielding a sword that gives slashing resistance won't give her any slashing resistance).
Asi hits hard.
Osi is a Dragon Disciple who has Aura Cleansing and can cast quadruple the normal amount of spells. However, I'm not giving her the most powerful spells. In particular, I'm not giving her any good defensive spells like Mirror Image or Stoneskin. Currently her main offensive spell is Shocking Grasp.