#dndasks

This is a question for you!

My friend is a spiteful DM cause the players he has are a) smart, b) he never thinks through his plans and they get foiled, and c) hes mad that they get creative and throw off his plans for his game. His players have been getting increasingly upset because he doesn't let them do anything character wise and he railroads them everytime they want to do something else.

All he makes are encounters and does 0 RPing with his players and barely gives them any time to roleplay or even talk with each other in character.

He told me last night that he's only a DM so he can kill his players. He will go out of his way to make encounters to kill them. When we read him the PHB definition of a DM, he said that it was boring and said it all with a smug grin on his face.

So my question for you is;

Twiggy:

002. Do they do anything to celebrate their birthday? 

Nothing too much coming from a pretty simple lifestyle. It’s just about the only time aside from festival celebrations that he indulges in sweets or more lavish meals than usual. He’s looks at his birthday more as a “I made it this far, good.” than anything else.

012. What makes your character embarrassed?

Many many things. He’s not quite admitted to himself some of the things that he, *ahem* may have things for and from that he’s not to sure how to misdirect conversation away from the things that embarrass him. He’s also absolutely useless in front of any authority or female figure so the list is long indeed…

022. What is the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen?

Twiggy actually finds the most beautiful things are found in nature or are at least naturally occurring on their own. Finding creeks as he travels, finding pretty stones or flowers. By far though he enjoys sunsets and when he is awake enough to see them sunrises. 

038. What bad habits do they have?

Aside from the forgetting where he hides snacks? He does tend to pick at his hands or clothes or the ends of his hair when he’s stressed or nervous. Not that hangnails or frayed sleeve ends are a real concern with the lifestyle he’s taken up but it’s something that’s definitely stuck with him since childhood.

Esther:

042. What is their greatest achievement?

Up to date probably finishing up as much studying as she could before being she out in her own to do work for the church. She’s mastered four languages through study alone and has worked herself to a level of personal relaxation that she can keep her thoughts clear enough to focus on the tasks given to her. Having a scatter brain and a drive for fighting weren’t really things the church had in mind for it’s clergy members, so she is also pretty proud she beat those things down to a manageable level as well.

062. What sort of legacy does your character wish to leave behind?

She wants to make it known that through dedication and self discipline alone one can change their fate and be accepted into the church of Avacyn with open arms. With all the discussion of the issues within the church Esther just wants to paint what little she can in a good light while she can, and as long as she can after she’s gone.

075. Is your character ticklish?

Don’t you dare. She bites…

083. What is the first thing they say and/or do when they wake up?

Twiggy:

In some ways it might have been better. Having that solid feeling that for once I knew what I was doing was nice but having that nagging feeling that my friends were no longer my friends was something I don’t really want to feel again. 

It was different for sure but I’d rather the reality where I don’t know what will be coming next rather than looking forward to the next meeting or the next stack of paperwork. 

Twiggy:

2. What is the thing they feel the most guilty about?

As much as I don’t wanna turn out like my parents I kinda feel bad about just up and leaving them like I did. But it’s been so long since I left I don’t think I’d know how to go back even if I wanted to. I feel bad since their only child left them high and dry…

6. What is something that never fails to make them feel sick?

I really, really, really, hate fish. I don’t know what it is but their eyes just stare at me. They smell when you cook ‘em. They’re slippery as hell and hard to catch when you have the skills I have… and the gulping they do when you pull them out of the water? No thanks. *heave*

10. What is their greatest mental weakness?

*sigh* I’m not quick witted. I have been told I suffer from “the dumb” on more occasions then I would like to admit… The times where I think I have things figured out I tend to be brash or not think it through all the way. So, going from point a to point b in the same thought doesn’t tend to happen a lot do probably keeping myself on task is the greatest weakness there.

25. Have they ever been betrayed by someone they thought they could trust?

It’s happened a handful of times. Long ago when I was just starting to make my way away from my old home there were times where I would run into old friends or old family members and they would ask where I was going or what I was doing and the next day I would see employees from my father’s business in the streets near where I would be staying at the time. It wasn’t until I got myself on a ship and made my way out of my home province that I found I could start trusting people with my locations and travel plans.

43. Do they wish that they could change their pasts?

Dorwin5. a fun fact about your character?

He thinks he’s a great pirate but in reality he’s probably accidentally (or purposefully) sunk his own ship too many times to count

Zarcis2. a secret about your character no one else in the party knows?

I’m pretty sure all of Zarcis’ secrets are already been told to the party, or at least to Valentine

But i have no idea what i’ve said and what i’ve not said as a secret

Me!3. what race and class are you itching to play but haven’t yet?

I wanna play as a dwarf or a firbolg (for race) and a barbarian for my class

9. do you keep any dnd superstitions? (e.g., dice jail, “charging” dice on the lowest side, etc)

when i play with real dice, if i get too many bad rolls i use the dice jail,, i also have my lucky dice set, that i use for important sessions

15. the most creative solution to a problem / encounter / puzzle that you’ve thought of?

well my party members in Crystal Ravens may disagree with me but drop kicking Strahd into my pocket sized portal to the plane of air so we could drop kick him off Iiad’s giant tree would be ONE way of defeating him ksjdhfskdjhksh

serious answer tho, when Zarcis used mislead in order to make a lich waste her 9th level spell slot was a very creative solution

Thanks for the ask!

Twiggy:

006. What sense do they most rely on?

After all the nonsense from the Magic Compass incident he’s becoming more reliant on being able to physically touch things lately. His other senses are still playing tricks on him but so far being able to touch his surroundings is helping to keep him grounded.

008. What is their favorite fairy tale?

He’s always liked the stories of Peter Pan and Rumpelstiltskin pretty equally. The idea of running away and being a child forever and getting ones self out of a situation that seemed inescapable just appeals to him in a way he can’t quite explain. 

023. What do they consider beautiful in others physically?

Beautiful? Probably a person’s eyes when he gets a chance to get close to anyone whether in conversation or in general. Since he can’t see colour very well he likes getting to see the different hues the most eyes tend to have in them.

The length of a person’s ears is more a sexual/he’s not quite sure why he likes it sort of thing so I went with plain beautiful rather than attractive.

058. What is your character’s idea of a perfect day?

He loves walking through the trees. Seeing birds, or small creatures doing their thing out in the woods. Spending most of the day by himself out in the trees and silence. Maybe ending the day by a bonfire or a small fire pit, still just enjoying the sounds of the crackling wood or quiet of the night before turning in. Just keeping his thoughts to himself as he enjoys the sights and sounds.

067. Does your character believe in fate or destiny?

He used to when he still lived at home but after being able to get away from a life he thought he was trapped in not so much anymore. He believe there’s a path for everyone certainly but we ultimately control the turns we take before we get to the end.

095. Name three things most would not expect your character to be able to do.

1. Cook. He does tend to be forgetful and a little stunned but he has some skills with a spice rack that at least a few people would envy. He does keep this to himself though since he is worried he won’t meet people’s expectations.

2. Sew. After living by himself for so long during what were his peak growing years he had to learn to keep himself dressed and presentable. He can also knit to some degree but he’s rather sew something together from scratch than knit.

3. Pottery. Since he can’t really see colour he likes to work with something tangible that can be used later on. Sometimes he’ll dye the clay with berries or flowers that he knows the colours of to make a piece special but since joining up with his new group of friends they don’t stay out in the woods often enough to need fired plates and bowls so he hasn’t made anything new in a while.

Esther:

007. Is your character an optimist or a pessimist?

Definitely an optimist. She’s very confident and believes in most scenarios that her faith in Avacyn will help her through any situation.

014. Detail one secret shame your character feels.

She wishes she could keep herself together better than her does. She just doesn’t have it in her to keep her hair neat all the time. But when she sees other girls her age seem put together all the time (wrinkle free clothes, keeping her hair in place and brushed)  it does pang her a little knowing that she doesn’t have the attention span to do that on her own.

021. How do they display affection?

She’s a hugger, that’s for sure. She respects people who aren’t huggers but she still has the urge to embrace them.

032. Does your character believe in ghosts?

To some degree yes, but she doesn’t know if that is something the clergy would frown upon for believing in or not so she hasn’t perused the interest too far outside a general curiosity.

078. How emotionally stable is your character?

She’s pretty sound most of the time but when she falls into a funk where her mood dives or her confidence is dashed aside it takes some time to bring her back up to her usual pep-iness.

092. What emotion does your character evoke in others?

Twiggy:

I’m very, very glad! I think I would only ‘cause more work for the crew or throw a cog in their order of things if I had tried any work outside of maybe sweeping the floors, maybe. 

Esther:

Well, I’ve been involved with Avacyn clergy since I was very small. It’s really the only lifestyle I’ve every known so I suppose I was predisposed to join them eventually.