Character Creation in Druskenvald
A guide to character creation for players
Fateweaving
Fateweaving is an optional framework from this adventure book designed to intertwine the characters’ individual stories throughout the adventure of The Crooked Moon, allowing for a more personalized experience that does not require heavy alterations to the broader narrative.
Prior to the Session 0, I'll get you to choose one of thirteen threads that you can use to weave into your character's backstory. If you are unsure, you're more than welcome to ask for advise and/or finalize your choice in the Session 0.
The main goal of this is to connect you guys to the story in a deeper way rather than being passive observers.
For more information and to see the available threads, click on this article;
Character Creation, as Normal.
The Player's Handbook (2024) provides a helpful guide to creating characters, we'll follow this for the most part but this setting does have some unique additions that I'll bring up when relevant!
- Choose a Class. Every adventurer is a member of a class. A class broadly describes a character’s vocation, special talents, and favored tactics.
- Determine Origin. A character’s origin includes two elements: background and species. How did the character spend the years leading up to a life of adventure? Who are the character’s ancestors? You can also choose your character’s languages.
- Determine Ability Scores. Much of what your character does in the game depends on the character’s six abilities.
- Choose an Alignment. Alignment is a shorthand for your character’s moral compass.
- Fill in Details. Using the choices you’ve made, fill in the remaining details on your character sheet.
Step 1: Choose a Class
Choose a class, and write it on your character sheet. The Class Overview table summaries the classes.
Class Overview
| Class | Likes... | Primary Ability | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbarian | Battle | Strength | Average |
| Bard | Performing | Charisma | High |
| Cleric | Gods | Wisdom | Average |
| Druid | Nature | Wisdom | High |
| Fighter | Weapons | Strength or Dexterity | Low |
| Monk | Unarmed combat | Dexterity and Wisdom | High |
| Paladin | Defense | Strength and Charisma | Average |
| Ranger | Survival | Dexterity and Wisdom | Average |
| Rogue | Stealth | Dexterity | Low |
| Sorcerer | Power | Charisma | High |
| Warlock | Occult lore | Charisma | High |
| Wizard | Spellbooks | Intelligence | Average |
A Balanced Party
The classic D&D party comprises a Cleric, Fighter, Rogue, and Wizard. Those four classes have the longest history in the game, but more importantly, they bring a balanced mix of capabilities to adventures. You’re welcome to use that party setup or modify it using these guidelines:
Cleric: Replace with Bard or Druid
Fighter: Replace with Barbarian, Monk, Paladin, or Ranger
Rogue: Replace with Bard or Ranger
Wizard: Replace with Bard, Sorcerer, or Warlock
Leveling
This adventure is designed to start at level 1 and end at level 14 (with some room for post-campaign adventures!); this campaign is also has an emphasis on roleplay and uses milestone leveling.
Note Armor Training
Your class might give you training with certain categories of armor. Note your armor training on your character sheet. Armor training with a kind of armor means you can wear that armor effectively, gaining defensive bonuses from it.
Subclasses
While you won't start this adventure with a subclass, by Level 3 you will have one; so refer to the linked subclasses in the class details articles.
Step 2: Determine Origin
Determining your character’s origin involves choosing a background, a species, and two languages. This setting uses unique species and backgrounds that you can choose from but you may also from the Players Handbook (2024).
Choose a Background
Choose your character’s background from the options below, and write it on your character sheet.
| Background | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acolyte | You devoted yourself to service in a temple, either nestled in a town or secluded in a sacred grove. There you performed rites in honor of a god or pantheon. | PHB (2024) |
| Amnesiac | Some portion of your past has been swallowed up by nothingness. | The Crooked Moon |
| Artisan | You began mopping floors and scrubbing counters in an artisan’s workshop for a few coppers per day as soon as you were strong enough to carry a bucket. | PHB (2024) |
| Charlatan | Once you were old enough to order an ale, you soon had a favorite stool in every tavern within ten miles of where you were born. As you traveled the circuit from public house to watering hole, you learned to prey on unfortunates who were in the market for a comforting lie or two. | PHB (2024) |
| Criminal | You eked out a living in dark alleyways, cutting purses or burgling shops. | PHB (2024) |
| Crimson Aspirant | You have delved into the force that animate all life, even those that counterfeit life such as constructs and ahead. | The Crooked Moon |
| Crossroads Gambler | You've made your bones on games of chance, and one day your games crossed the line into something far more serious. | The Crooked Moon |
| Cultist | You have been inducted into a secret society that venerates or pursues power from some otherworldly source. | The Crooked Moon |
| Druskenvald Dweller | You hail from one of the thirteen baneful provinces of Druskenvald. | The Crooked Moon |
| Entertainer | You spent much of your youth following roving fairs and carnivals, performing odd jobs for musicians and acrobats in exchange for lessons. To this day, you thrive on applause and long for the stage. | PHB (2024) |
| Experiment | You are forever altered in some drastic, physical way, mishappen or even monstrous. A blasphemous fusion of scient, alchemy, and magic changed you, perhaps without your consent. | The Crooked Moon |
| Farmer | You grew up close to the land. Years tending animals and cultivating the earth rewarded you with patience and good health. You have a keen appreciation for nature’s bounty alongside a healthy respect for nature’s wrath. | PHB (2024) |
| Ghostlight Passanger | Once, even before your most recent travel to Druskenvald, you've ridden the deathly train known as the Ghostlight Express. Your memories of that journey might be hazy and dreamlike, or they could be sharp and jarring in their clarity. | The Crooked Moon |
| Guard | Your feet ache when you remember the countless hours you spent at your post in the tower. You were trained to keep one eye looking outside the wall, searching for cutpurses and troublemakers. | PHB (2024) |
| Guide | You came of age outdoors, far from settled lands. Your home was anywhere you chose to spread your bedroll. There are wonders in the wilderness—strange monsters, pristine forests and streams, overgrown ruins of great halls once trod by giants—and you learned to fend for yourself as you explored them. | PHB (2024) |
| Hermit | You spent your early years secluded in a hut or monastery located well beyond the outskirts of the nearest settlement. In those days, your only companions were the creatures of the forest and those who would occasionally visit to bring news of the outside world and supplies. The solitude allowed you to spend many hours pondering the mysteries of creation. | PHB (2024) |
| Merchant | You were apprenticed to a trader, caravan master, or shopkeeper, learning the fundamentals of commerce. You traveled broadly, and you earned a living by buying and selling the raw materials artisans need to practice their craft or finished works from such crafters. | PHB (2024) |
| Night Stalker | Once you were prey, stalked by a monster through the dark of night. Now, you are the hunter, and the things which you once feared will learn the true meaning of dread. | The Crooked Moon |
| Noble | You were raised in a castle, surrounded by wealth, power, and privilege. Your family of minor aristocrats ensured that you received a first-class education, some of which you appreciated and some of which you resented. Your time in the castle, especially the many hours you spent observing your family at court, also taught you a great deal about leadership. | PHB (2024) |
| Reflected Wanderer | You were once whole, but part of you has been separated from your being and now also wanders the world. This aspect of you took your reflection and shadow with it, and it travels about as a mirage that looks identical to you. | The Crooked Moon |
| Rest Warden | In a place closer to the lands of the dead than the living, those who tend the eternal rest and disposition of the deceased are held in a mixture of high esteem and apprehension. You have piled the trade of the gravedigger, the mortician, and the embalmer. | The Crooked Moon |
| Reveler | For a time, you traveled with the Lord of Fools' strange and unsettling revelry. This time revealed the true nature of this Lord to you. | The Crooked Moon |
| Sage | You spent your formative years traveling between manors and monasteries, performing various odd jobs and services in exchange for access to their libraries. You whiled away many a long evening studying books and scrolls, learning the lore of the multiverse—even the rudiments of magic—and your mind yearns for more. | PHB (2024) |
| Sailor | You lived as a seafarer, wind at your back and decks swaying beneath your feet. You’ve perched on barstools in more ports of call than you can remember, faced mighty storms, and swapped stories with folk who live beneath the waves. | PHB (2024) |
| Scholar of the Forbidden | Delving into the brittle pages of ancient tomes and weathered tablets carved with blasphemy, you have unearthed secrets of eldritch beings of unfathomable might. | The Crooked Moon |
| Scribe | You spent formative years in a scriptorium, a monastery dedicated to the preservation of knowledge, or a government agency, where you learned to write with a clear hand and produce finely written texts. Above all, you have a careful attention to detail, helping you avoid introducing mistakes to the documents you copy and create. | PHB (2024) |
| Soldier | You began training for war as soon as you reached adulthood and carry precious few memories of life before you took up arms. Battle is in your blood. Sometimes you catch yourself reflexively performing the basic fighting exercises you learned first. Eventually, you put that training to use on the battlefield, protecting the realm by waging war. | PHB (2024) |
| Wayfarer | You grew up on the streets surrounded by similarly ill-fated castoffs, a few of them friends and a few of them rivals. You slept where you could and did odd jobs for food. At times, when the hunger became unbearable, you resorted to theft. Still, you never lost your pride and never abandoned hope. Fate is not yet finished with you. | PHB (2024) |
| Wicker Weaver | You know the ancient rites kept alive by secretive druids and hedge practitioners in the shadowed groves of the primordial forests. Remedies and hexes woven into wicker charms stave off misfortune and ward away evil. | The Crooked Moon |
Record Your Feat.
A background gives you a feat, which grants your character particular capabilities. Take note of this.
Note Proficiencies.
Your background gives proficiency in two skills and with one tool. Record this information on your character sheet. Your class also gives proficiencies.
The features table in your class description shows your Proficiency Bonus, which is +2 for a level 1 character. Note this number on your character sheet. You’ll fill in other numbers connected to these proficiencies in step 5
Choose Starting Equipment
Your background and class both provide starting equipment.
Choose a Species
Choose a species for your character. The following species options are detailed bellow, record this and your species' traits! Some of these are exclusive to this setting (in red), though all the PHB (2024) options are available (feel free to ask about anything from the 2014 rules though!).
| Species | Type | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aasimar | Humanoid | Mortals who carry a spark of the Upper Planes within their souls. Whether descended from an angelic being or infused with celestial power, they can fan that spark to bring light, healing, and heavenly fury. | PHB (2024) |
| Ashborn | Fiend | Impish creatures who's short lives inspire them to reach for opportunities with fervor and boldness, and drives many to strive for quick success infused with the fiendish energies of the hells | The Crooked Moon |
| Azureborn | Humanoid | Harpy-like creatures who have a strong connection to the divining power of stars. | The Crooked Moon |
| Bogborn | Giant | Troll-like creatures who matters of strength and soul are held in equal respect and reverence, allowing this hearty folk to face any trial of nature, aided with natural regenerative biology | The Crooked Moon |
| Curseborn | Humanoid | A werewolf-like species who have managed to build a civilization of advancement and progress by balancing a wide variety of extremes in equal measure. | The Crooked Moon |
| Deepborn | Aberration | A fish-like species who are immersed in a near constant eldritch presence that emerges from the deep and descends from beyond the stars, this folk manages a state of paranoia by embracing and harnessing the uncanny and cosmic. | The Crooked Moon |
| Dragonborn | Humanoid | The ancestors of dragonborn hatched from the eggs of chromatic and metallic dragons. Whatever their legendary origin is, dragonborn have made homes for themselves on the Material Plane. | PHB (2024) |
| Dwarf | Humanoid | Squat and often bearded, the original dwarves carved cities and strongholds into mountainsides and under the earth. | PHB (2024) |
| Elf | Humanoid | A long lived and naturally curious species for whom an environment subtly transforms them after they inhabit it for a millennium or more, and it grants them certain kinds of magic. | PHB (2024) |
| Gnarlborn | Plant | A tree-like species who's home is forever haunted by the souls of long-dead fey. | The Crooked Moon |
| Gnome | Humanoid | Magical folk created by gods of invention, illusions, and life underground. The earliest gnomes were seldom seen by other folk due to the gnomes’ secretive nature and their propensity for living in forests and burrows. | PHB (2024) |
| Goliath | Humanoid | Towering over most folk, goliaths are distant descendants of giants. Each goliath bears the favors of the first giants—favors that manifest in various supernatural boons, including the ability to quickly grow and temporarily approach the height of goliaths’ gigantic kin. | PHB (2024) |
| Graveborn | Undead | A ghoul-like species, these people are infused with the necrotic and draconic essence of the powerful Drakkonite metal found throughout the province, which has given them a strange taste for spoiled flesh of any variety. | The Crooked Moon |
| Halfling | Humanoid | Cherished and guided by gods who value life, home, and hearth, halflings gravitate toward bucolic havens where family and community help shape their lives. That said, many halflings possess a brave and adventurous spirit that leads them on journeys of discovery, affording them the chance to explore a bigger world and make new friends along the way. | PHB (2024) |
| Harvestborn | Construct | A scarecrow-like species, infused with the vital, green magic that surges through the immensely fertile province, they have a strong connection to the cycle of both the harvest and life, death, and rebirth. | The Crooked Moon |
| Human | Humanoid | Found throughout the multiverse, humans are as varied as they are numerous, and they endeavor to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Their ambition and resourcefulness are commended, respected, and feared on many worlds. | PHB (2024) |
| Orc | Humanoid | Orcs trace their creation to Gruumsh, a powerful god who roamed the wide open spaces of the Material Plane. Gruumsh equipped his children with gifts to help them wander great plains, vast caverns, and churning seas and to face the monsters that lurk there. | PHB (2024) |
| Plagueborn | Humanoid | A rat-like species who are deeply connected to the virulent and deadly plague that afflicts and shapes their society that persists through cunning, ruthlessness, and the sheer will to live | The Crooked Moon |
| Relicborn | Undead | A skeleton-like species, They thrive in a culture of celebration and remembrance, which infuses the very essence of every member of the species. Dancing between the energy of a vivacious party and the serenity of peaceful reflection, this folk holds a deep appreciation for both the living and the dead. | The Crooked Moon |
| Silkborn | Humanoid | A spider-like species, They have a deep kinship and connection with the bejeweled arachnids and insects that have assisted them in building the grandest civilization in all Druskenvald. | The Crooked Moon |
| Stoneborn | Construct | A a gargoyle-like species native, blessed by the divine power known as the Silver Path, these people can call upon the godliness that suffuses their construction. | The Crooked Moon |
| Threadborn | Construct | A doll-like species, the threads that keep their forms together also serve as the bonds made between loved ones to share in a childlike wonder and whimsy, no matter one’s age. | The Crooked Moon |
| Tiefling | Humanoid | Tieflings are either born in the Lower Planes or have fiendish ancestors who originated there. A tiefling is linked by blood to a devil, a demon, or some other Fiend. This connection to the Lower Planes is the tiefling’s fiendish legacy, which comes with the promise of power yet has no effect on the tiefling’s moral outlook. | PHB (2024) |
Imagine Your Past and Present
Let your character’s background and species inspire how you imagine their past. This will inform your backstory, I may also ask you questions in secret so other player's aren't entirely in the know.
Choose Languages
Your character knows at least three languages: Common plus two languages you roll or choose from the Standard Languages table. Knowledge of a language means your character can communicate in it, read it, and write it. Your class and other features might also give you languages.
Standard Languages
The Standard Languages table lists languages that are widespread on D&D worlds. Every player character knows Common, which originated in the planar metropolis of Sigil, the hub of the multiverse. The other standard languages originated with the first members of the most prominent species in the worlds of D&D and have since spread widely.
| 1d12 | Language | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| - | Common | Sigil |
| 2 | Draconic | Dragons |
| 3-4 | Dwarvish | Dwarves |
| 5-6 | Elvish | Elves |
| 7 | Giant | Giants |
| 8 | Gnomish | Gnomes |
| 9 | Goblin | Goblinoids |
| 10-11 | Halfling | Halflings |
| 12 | Orc | Orcs |
The Rare Languages table lists languages that are either secret or derived from other planes of existence and thus less widespread in the worlds of the Material Plane. Some features let a character learn a rare language.
Rare Languages
| Language | Origin |
|---|---|
| Abyssal | Demons of the Abyss |
| Celestial | Celestials |
| Deep Speech | Aberrations |
| Druidic | Druidic circles |
| Infernal | Devils of the Nine Hells |
| Primordial* | Elementals |
| Sylvan | The Feywild |
| Thieves’ Cant | Various criminal guilds |
| Undercommon | The Underdark |
Step 3: Determine Ability Scores
We'll do this in the Session 0 using the Random Generation (Rolled) method.
Adjust Ability Scores
After assigning your ability scores, adjust them according to your background. Your background lists three abilities; increase one of those scores by 2 and a different one by 1, or increase all three by 1. None of these increases can raise a score above 20.
Some players like to increase their class’s primary ability, while others prefer to increase a low score.
Determine Ability Modifiers
Finally, determine your ability modifiers using the Ability Scores and Modifiers table. Write the modifier next to each of your scores.
Ability Scores and Modifiers
| Score | Modifier |
|---|---|
| 3 | -4 |
| 4 to 5 | -3 |
| 6 to 7 | -2 |
| 8 to 9 | -1 |
| 10 to 11 | +0 |
| 12 to 13 | +1 |
| 14 to 15 | +2 |
| 16 to 17 | x+3 |
| 18 to 19 | +4 |
| 20 | +5 |
Describe Appearance and Personality
Ability scores are an essential part of the rules, but they can be more than that. Once you’ve assigned your ability scores, give some thought to what those scores might say about your character’s appearance and personality. A very strong character with low Charisma might look and behave differently from a charismatic character with low Strength.
The following tables of descriptive words give suggestions of how you might describe your character based on having a high or low score in an ability. Note your character’s appearance and personality on your character sheet.
Strength
| 1d4 | High Strength | Low Strength |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muscular | Weak |
| 2 | Sinewy | Slight |
| 3 | Protective | Self-conscious |
| 4 | Direct | Indirect |
Dexterity
| 1d4 | High Dexterity | Low Dexterity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lithe | Jittery |
| 2 | Dynamic | Clumsy |
| 3 | Fidgety | Hesitant |
| 4 | Poised | Unsteady |
Constitution
| 1d4 | High Constitution | Low Constitution |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energetic | Frail |
| 2 | Hale | Squeamish |
| 3 | Hearty | Lethargic |
| 4 | Stable | Fragile |
Intelligence
| 1d4 | High Intelligence | Low Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Decisive | Artless |
| 2 | Logical | Illogical |
| 3 | Informative | Uninformed |
| 4 | Curious | Frivolous |
Wisdom
| 1d4 | High Wisdom | Low Wisdom |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Serene | Rash |
| 2 | Considerate | Distracted |
| 3 | Attentive | Oblivious |
| 4 | Wary | Naive |
Charisma
| 1d4 | High Charisma | Low Charisma |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charming | Pedantic |
| 2 | Commanding | Humorless |
| 3 Hilarious Reserved | Hilarious | Reserved |
| 4 | Inspiring | Tactless |
Step 4: Choose an Alignment
Choose your character’s alignment from the options below, and note it on your character sheet. D&D assumes that player characters aren’t of an evil alignment. Check with me before making an evil character.
The Nine Alignments
A creature’s alignment broadly describes its ethical attitudes and ideals. Alignment is a combination of two factors: one identifies morality (good, evil, or neutral), and the other describes attitudes toward order (lawful, chaotic, or neutral).
The summaries of the alignments below describe the typical behavior of a creature with that alignment; individuals can vary from that behavior.
Lawful Good (LG)
Lawful Good creatures endeavor to do the right thing as expected by society. Someone who fights injustice and protects the innocent without hesitation is probably Lawful Good.
Neutral Good (NG)
Neutral Good creatures do the best they can, working within rules but not feeling bound by them. A kindly person who helps others according to their needs is probably Neutral Good.
Chaotic Good (CG)
Chaotic Good creatures act as their conscience directs with little regard for what others expect. A rebel who waylays a cruel baron’s tax collectors and uses the stolen money to help the poor is probably Chaotic Good.
Lawful Neutral (LN)
Lawful Neutral individuals act in accordance with law, tradition, or personal codes. Someone who follows a disciplined rule of life—and isn’t swayed either by the demands of those in need or by the temptations of evil—is probably Lawful Neutral.
Neutral (N)
Neutral is the alignment of those who prefer to avoid moral questions and don’t take sides, doing what seems best at the time. Someone who’s bored by moral debate is probably Neutral.
Chaotic Neutral (CN)
Chaotic Neutral creatures follow their whims, valuing their personal freedom above all else. A scoundrel who wanders the land living by their wits is probably Chaotic Neutral.
Lawful Evil (LE)
Lawful Evil creatures methodically take what they want within the limits of a code of tradition, loyalty, or order. An aristocrat exploiting citizens while scheming for power is probably Lawful Evil.
Neutral Evil (NE)
Neutral Evil is the alignment of those who are untroubled by the harm they cause as they pursue their desires. A criminal who robs and murders as they please is probably Neutral Evil.
Chaotic Evil (CE)
Chaotic Evil creatures act with arbitrary violence, spurred by their hatred or bloodlust. A villain pursuing schemes of vengeance and havoc is probably Chaotic Evil.
Alignment and Personality
Alignment can shape a character’s personality, goals, and core beliefs. Looking at the two elements of an alignment, you can use the lists below to inspire details of your character’s personality.
Personality Traits by Alignment
Chaotic
| 1d4 | Associated Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Boastful |
| 2 | Impulsive |
| 3 | Rebellious |
| 4 | Self-absorbed |
Good
| 1d4 | Associated Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Compassionate |
| 2 | Helpful |
| 3 | Honest |
| 4 | Kind |
Evil
| 1d4 | Associated Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Dishonest |
| 2 | Vengeful |
| 3 | Cruel |
| 4 | Greedy |
Lawful
| 1d4 | Associated Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cooperative |
| 2 | Loyal |
| 3 | Judgmental |
| 4 | Methodical |
Neutral
| 1d4 | Associated Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Selfish |
| 2 | Disinterested |
| 3 | Laconic |
| 4 | Pragmatic |
Step 5: Fill In Details
Now fill in the rest of your character sheet!
Dark Bargains
Either during Character Creation or during the game, you may be offered the chance to receive a "gift" from an utterly unknowable, unfathomable power...be warned that these may cost your characters more than they realize.
