Making a New Character

When making a new character, here are some things to consider:

1. ***Your Species:*** The lore for playable species have been supplemented or even rewritten. Please check out Sentient Species of the Grand Duchy in order to choose. Please be sure you do not read the "Related Documentation" at the bottom of the sheet until you are sure you want to play that species! This is a fun little lore document that will help inform you about your chosen species; only one per player.
2. ***Your Point of Origin:*** Check out the little word atlas for an overview of the world, and consider where you were from. This is found in The Structure of the Grand Duchy of Meradyne. Please note that your species may have a traditional or beloved home in the area that you may wish to factor into your choice.
3. ***Your Background:*** Your species and point of origin may also inform your background. Maybe you're an avant-garde tabaxi chef who burned out trying to sell vole pasties in the tough culinary market of Zeltograd, giving you the Chef background. Or perhaps the Baron has dispatched you to gather intel on the Ironpines Incursion, giving you the Investigator background.
4. ***Your Birthday:*** *I* *heard it was someone's birthday!* Please choose a birthday date from the calendar, and let me know which holidays you would most like to encounter during the campaign.
5. ***Your Class:*** There are several new classes you can play in Additional Classes/Subclasses. This would be a playtest, as I have not had opportunity to properly vet these classes, so things *could* get a bit broken. Original classes are, of course, still available.
	* A note for Clerics, Paladins and Warlocks! The Cleric and Paladin list of deities can be found at Gods of the Realm, and the Warlock list of patrons can be found at Demigods, Luminaries, and Lesser Deities. You'll notice Warlock patrons are offered on the Cleric/Paladin list, and Cleric Orders and Paladin Oaths can be found on the Warlock list. If you wish to have a warlock patron for your deity or vice versa, we will need to talk about it at length. This would be a very unusual circumstance.
	* Warlocks enjoy a larger selection of patrons that clerics/paladins have of gods. For this reason, if you have an idea for a patron that is not on this list, we can brainstorm together and hopefully find a good fit for the new patron in Meradyne.
	* If you are playing a Bard, here are where the colleges are located: Creation is located in Yargish Ha-Raani, Eloquence is located in Kabu, Glamour is located in Zletograd, Lore is located in Kabu, Spirits is located in Exabysm, Swords is located in Hexiun, Valor is located in Cielgaard, Whispers is located in Straussendor, Planar Troubadour is located in the Glacial Pass (under the dubious tutelage of Licorice).
6. ***Your Bonds:*** You must have at least one bond with two other characters in the party. Did character B save your life, and you are now bound to them by honor? Are they secretly your half-sibling, and you haven't found the right time to tell them? DO THEY OWE YOU MORE MONEY THAN THEY CAN REPAY?. Just a few ideas. This is intended to get around the "why would I even hang around these losers" problem. D&D is a team game, and I expect us to play as a team.
	* That said, sometimes a character no longer fits the context the campaign has taken on, as the path the party takes may delve into territory your character would reject outright. If you find yourself in this place, do not despair! We can put this character on hiatus (if you would potentially like to play the character again in the future), or have that character leave entirely. In either case, you will be able to create a new character and have them join the party. Just please ensure they would have reason to stick with the party.
7. A***dditional Feats:*** A few new feats have been added, with the goal being celebrating backgrounds, and lesser used ability checks. Feel free to peruse and take these when you reach an Ability Score Increase via the standard method of taking feats.
8. ***The Rumor Mill:*** Word gets around. I heard that kid accidentally summons fey creatures when he cries. And that tiefling over there actually wants to *return* to the nine hells. Crazy huh? The point is, there are assumptions most people have about your character in Meradyne, depending on whether they know you or not. So let's get some groundwork done: What are a truth and two lies about your character that may be circling in the Grand Duchy?

A bit about me:

I am a fan of your characters. I want to see them do well. I want to see them develop as well-rounded characters. I want to see them kick ass! I want to see them make the hard move when it matters most. In short, I will do what I can to facilitate an environment that is safe for the players, challenging enough to be rewarding, and immersive enough to draw you into the game and invest in your characters and the world. And the template has been developed, but we are still very much creating this world together. Your actions can tip the narrative in drastic new directions. *I am excited to play this campaign with you!*