Player Character Orientation

It can be intimidating to incorporate your character into an ongoing campaign setting, but with a little guidance you can begin to explore the world confidently and even add your own lore as the games progress. This world is called Llyria. This article provides a starting point for understanding the world around your character and the wiki as a whole serves as a reference for the Llyrian lore you discover as you play the game.
Llyria started as a nanowrimo project. My goal was to write a post-apocalyptic story that took place some time after a great calamity, in which people rebuilt everything better and more just than before. My second goal was to write a story that centered queer, disabled, and non-white characters. My third goal was to blend fantasy, horror, and hopepunk to develop a theme of recovery from trauma. I never finished the project, so all this work I put into it was just kinda languishing in the cloud somewhere. That's where y'all come in. Let's have fun with it and tell stories that matter to us by playing my lifelong favorite game.
Below are some questions you'll want to answer after you create your character. A step by step guide to creating a D&D character can be found in the players handbook. I'm writing an article and making videos about character creation. I will also throw together an orientation for dungeon masters who are running their first game in this setting.

Origins:

Where does your character come from? You don't have to be specific yet. Make up the details as you go, but choosing one of these three options will lay the groundwork for having a coherent contribution to the game.

The City of Redstone -

Your character may or may not have been born and raised there but it's the closest thing they have to a home. Redstone is a thriving metropolis with an even mix of races and cultures. Citizens have a lot of leisure time and extra money and a decent education, so the culture is rich and varied. Some of the old aristocracy are still influential, but it's nothing like the power they used to wield. 'Rock bottom' in Redstone is actually not that bad. The urchin background is not possible here as no one is allowed to go homeless or starve. The city is only in touch with the rest of the world in the summer as the roads and seas are too treacherous the rest of the year. This city and its surroundings are the primary location of the ongoing campaign so far.

Kingdom of Audemar

Audemar is something of a relic of this region's colonization. The culture is an amalgamation of the oppressive patriarchal values of the Yorathan Empire with the symbols of the indigenous Dynene. The transformation of the fire goddess Dyn from a fierce warrior of light to a hearth goddess is a good example. Charlet is the kingdom's capital, it is similar to most medieval fantasy cities in terms of its demographics and politics. Isolated villages and hamlets are nestled high in the mountains and some nomadic people move through the area. The mountains are otherwise wild, treacherous, and rife with ancient ruins.

The Diaspora-

You or your family come from the Reach, a war torn continent to the South of Redstone. Although the war ended 100 years ago, it's still not safe to settle the region. People from all races can choose this origin. You may have an heirloom you don't understand, a peculiar accent, physical feature, religion, or other tradition that sets you apart. Use your imagination! Mostly what the people of the diaspora share is the collective trauma of their cultures being destroyed. Exploring the Reach will be a major theme going forward.
Examples of cultures in the Diaspora include the Snow Elves and the Neirinar (a nomadic people). Feel free to make something up.

Somewhere Abroad-

While Redstone and most of the world's cultures are very progressive and have a shared history, there are other people more isolated or repressed that might have culture shock coming to the Reach. Most of the world's cultures are sun-worshipping and materially and culturally rich. I guess the precedent in fiction would be solarpunk settings, but without the technology. Even though the societies are largely utopian there are many threats to their stability. While the average person is less xenophobic and desperate than in our society, evil still exists behind all the beauty. There's room to be creative when talking about your character's distant homeland.
Yorath (or Rouen) ... is the closest thing to a medieval European culture in Llyria. It is on the same continent as Redstone, but North of the Mountains. Its various kingdoms are viewed as backwards, cruel, and warlike by the rest of the world. Disease, famine, war, and inequality are the norm in Yorath. Redstone and its neighbor Audemar used to be Yorathan colonies.
Serenar ... is a Babylon that never fell. This cradle of civilization is also an avant-garde, anarchist utopia. Serenish is the world's 'Common' language from the PHB.

Bonds:

What ties your character to Llyria? Why are they in the Reach? What do they care about? Here are three options to get the thoughts rolling.
This is something you make up that your DM wants to use.

Seeking-

A lost person, item, civilization, the meaning of life, answers about themselves - there are lots of options here and you can work with the DMs so they can bring what your character is looking for into the world.

Keeping-

Protecting a sibling, taking care of mum, keeping your friend out of trouble, holding onto a horrible secret, or hiding an artifact of incomprehensible evil from prying eyes. Sometimes you just gotta hold onto something and your character is no different.

Fleeing/Forgetting-

Will your character's past catch up with them? That depends on how fast and smart and strong and lucky your character is.

Background notes:

You can use backgrounds from any official 5th edition book or make one up, although tweaking might be necessary. Here are some notes for fitting common backgrounds into Llyria.

Acolyte-

The world of religion is wiiiiild, you can literally say anything about the particular religious order you served in.

Hermit-

Almost always your Discovery will be forbidden eldritch knowledge, but hey! Maybe you just found a cool walking stick or a magic spring.

Sailor-

Sailors are famous for their chivalrous attitude toward women, gender non-conforming people, and children. Medusa is a god of the sea and cosmic protector of women, so they try their best to appease her.

Urchin-

Urchins have to be from Yorath, the only socially inept civilization in Llyria.

Faction Agent-

I will write more about the big orders in this setting! Keep an eye out or make one up that's cool too.