Getting Started
Before You Start
Before You Start
Before you create your character, several things need to be completed in order for you to be able to play in the world of Sytheria.
Required software
- Fantasy Ground Unity- As our players are spread across the tristate area, we play our campaign over a Virtual Tabletop (VTT) and in our case, we use Fantasy Ground Unity. Please go to the linked website, create an account there and download the Fantasy Ground Unity software (not Fantasy Grounds Classic). No subscriptions or purchases are required in order to play as the DM has the Ultimate license.
- Discord- Although Fantasy Grounds provides the tabletop, it doesn't provide a communications engine. for that we use Discord. Please go to the linked website, create an account there and download the Discord software. You will subsequently receive an invitation to join the campaign private Discord server. No subscriptions or purchases are required in order to use this service.
Creating Your Character
Character Concepts
Sytherian Legends is a character driven campaign and as such a lot of emphasis is being placed on character creation. Using the resources here, the players are being asked to create two character concepts (race, starting class, basic backstory). The Dungeon Master will then set up a one-to-one session with each player to help create and flesh out their character. Players are encouraged to have characters with existing relationship prior to the start of the campaign if they wish to do so.
Playable Races
Every character belongs to a race, one of the many humanoid species in Sytheria. Your character’s race grants particular racial traits, such as special senses.
- Ashtar- Creatures of one body but multiple minds, the ashtar have lost all their lands and now wander Sytheria looking for the justice denied to them by time itself.
- Drakken- Born of dragons, as their name proclaims, the drakken walk proudly through a world that greets them with fearful incomprehension.
- Gith- The last major remnants of the once great Sezerak Empire. Created millennia ago by Apsis fleshwarpers, the Gith were the loyal warriors of the Sezerak.
- Gnome- A Gnome’s innocent curiosity may be just what it seems- or it may be a well-honed façade concealing a cunning and manipulative mind.
- Human- Humanity is one of the original races on Sytheria. Despite this, humans are generally treated as a younger race due to their shorter lifespans when compared to the other elder races.
- Kesir- The Kesir (elves) are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it.
- Khiasa'Kesir- Warriors seemingly born in the saddle, the Khiasa’Kesir have taken their first steps along their quest to rebuild the empire of their ancestors.
- Nar'Kesir- Exiled from their home, these outcasts believed that the Kesir had forgotten their ancestors and what could be learned from them. These zealous elves strive to be the masters of undeath, joining their master Taeros in lichdom.
- Olith'Dar- The Olith’Dar have carved a deadly existence out of the underground caverns of Tunis. Allied with the monstrous creatures of the Shadow Rifts, the Olith’Dar battle all whom they deem unworthy.
- Rilis'Kesir- From deep within the forests surrounding the great tree Ygg'Drisil, the Rilis’Kesir have stood watch over the planet of Sytheria for millennia.
- Mechanus- The Mechanus were built to fight in the War of Dominion by the warlord Ziegfried Haltharn. An unexpected breakthrough produced sapient soldiers, giving rise to what some have only grudgingly accepted as a new species.
- Morakki Goblin- Goblins occupy an uneasy place in a dangerous world, and they react by lashing out at any creatures they believe they can bully. Cunning in battle and cruel in victory, goblins are fawning and servile in defeat.
- Uradum Dwarf- Once inhabiting kingdoms rich in ancient grandeur carved into the roots of mountains, dwarves are but as shadow of their former selves.
- Wilder- Wilders are sometimes called the weretouched, as many believe they are the descendants of humans and lycanthropes. Whatever their origins, wilders have evolved into a unique race.
Starting Classes
Every adventurer is a member of a character class. Class broadly describes a character’s vocation, special talents, and the tactics the character is most likely to employ when exploring a dungeon, fighting monsters, or engaging in a tense negotiation. Your character receives many benefits from your choice of class.
- Artificer- Masters of unlocking magic in everyday objects, artificers are supreme inventors. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and controlled.
- Barbarian- Barbarians are defined by their rage: unbridled, unquenchable, and unthinking fury. Rage is a power that fuels not just a battle frenzy but also uncanny reflexes, resilience, and feats of strength.
- Bard- Whether scholar, skald, or scoundrel, a bard weaves magic through words and music to inspire allies, demoralize foes, manipulate minds, create illusions, and even heal wounds.
- Cleric- Clerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and the distant planes of the gods. As varied as the gods they serve, clerics strive to embody the handiwork of their deities.
- Druid- Whether calling on the elemental forces of nature or emulating the creatures of the animal world, druids are an embodiment of nature’s resilience, cunning, and fury.
- Fighter- Fighters all share an unparalleled mastery with weapons and armor, and a thorough knowledge of the skills of combat. And they are well acquainted with death, both meting it out and staring it defiantly in the face.
- Monk- Monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does.
- Paladin- Paladins are united by their oaths to stand against the forces of evil, and a paladin's oath is a powerful bond. It is a source of power that turns a devout warrior into a blessed champion.
- Ranger- Warriors of the wilderness, rangers specialize in hunting the monsters that threaten the edges of civilization—humanoid raiders, rampaging beasts and monstrosities, terrible giants, and deadly dragons.
- Rogue- Rogues rely on skill, stealth, and their foes’ vulnerabilities to get the upper hand in any situation. They have a knack for finding the solution to just about any problem.
- Sorcerer- Sorcerers carry a magical birthright conferred upon them by an exotic bloodline, some otherworldly influence, or exposure to unknown cosmic forces (Race Restrictions- Humans and Mechanus cannot be Sorcerers).
- Warlock- Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse. Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular.
- Wizard- Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, and brute-force mind control.
Backgrounds
Once you know the basic game aspects of your character, it’s time to flesh out a backstory and a personality. Your character also needs a name. Spend a few minutes thinking about what the character’s behavior and looks. You will also need to choose a Background for your character.
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
- Software Configuration- Guides on how to configure Fantasy Grounds Unity and Discord for use during the campaign.
- Crap Guide to D&D- a funny, NSFW series of short YouTube videos explaining the basics of each of the D&D classes.
- D&D Beyond- Online resource for Dungeons & Dragons information.
