---

Wherein lost souls find their way toward a light in the darkness

There is a tale to tell.  Indeed, a tale that must  be told.  If only to serve as a warning to others.  Such is the way of these things.  This fiction soon takes on a life of its own, becomes as a beacon in the darkness.  It announces itself to the dreamless void with the insistence of a tolling bell.

Its call will be heeded.

Elsewhere, ideas that were once little more than nameless and half-formed things — beings that floated, endlessly adrift in the aether, without a story to call their own — start to take shape.

These ideas arrange themselves into recognizable configurations.  Archetypes.

Figures appear in the misty void.  An indistinct outline at first, a simple spark containing the barest hint of purpose.  No more than that.

But then we see ... it is heroes that are coalescing into existence from this virtual nothingness.  Knights and champions.  Sorcerers and scoundrels.  Those who would forge their own destiny by use of steel and of wits, of esoteric and mystical arts ... and, of course, not a small amount of courage.

It is they who answer the call.

Soon, however, they'll learn that of all the ways this story could have ended — a simple death was the least of the horrors that awaited them.

---

This tale will use D&D 5th edition, gang.  Non-evil alignments preferred required.  Everyone starts at level one three.

Allowed material:  PHB, DMG, SCAG, MToF, and XGtE.

Edit — VRGtR

Happy Hunting!

(This was an earlier edit, but it remains true)
Hey gang, a few of the submissions have been coming in hot and heavy already and I've noticed a theme.  I think when most folks hear Ravenloft, they use that as inspiration to dust off the evil / semi-evil / dark / brooding / half-undead-half-lycanthrope-killer-who-wants-to-be-a-hero-now-but-it-didn't-work-out-in-the-last-five-games-so-this-is-lucky-number-six-I-guess-I'll-try-again.

It probably works in other tales, but those types of character pitches are not going to be accepted in this one.  In my mind's eye, Ravenloft is a much better fit for heroes that can find themselves being morally challenged.  Along the way, they might slip toward the darkness ... but they cannot start there.

My Ravenloft isn't a good fit for dark, brooding characters that start off bad and then try to creep toward the light.  I might be coming at this from too much of a 'previous edition' mindset, but there it is.

As far as character arcs go, the innocence > corruption scale is sort of a one way trip.  Start off good and hold off the soul-taint for as long as is possible.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:49, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

---

The game is afoot!

Talilah.  A half elf warlock.  Loss drove this Chssentan merchant to make a pact that she now regrets.

Nathaniel.  A half elf wizard.  This noble’s bastard lacks many things.  Confidence, however, is not among them.

Who will join them?
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:49, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

---

Misty.  A halfling paladin.  A heart that yearned for adventure and a minor bureaucratic post in Baldur’s Gate did mesh well ... do she left. She’ll soon find that it’s a dangerous business, going out one’s door. In fact, there’s no knowing where she may get swept off to, once she places her feet upon the road.

The group is rounding out nicely, gang.  There’s room for one or two more.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:50, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

---

Hey gang, as RTJ's come in, please take a look at the folks that have already been accepted into the tale.

I'm not instituting a hard-and-fast quota or anything, but your sales pitch might suffer a bit if you go with something similar to what we already have.

---

Alright gang, the final few are mulling it over.

A few folks announced interest and let me know that they would get character submissions in soon.  After work, etc.

If you already have an RTJ in, you can expect me to let you know one way or the other.

If you have not yet made the initial RTJ post, apologies, but recruitment has officially closed for this tale.

---

Ser Felix.  A Dawnbringer of the Rose-and-Gold God.   An itinerant knight, bringing light to those who need it, this holy man often struggles with the forgiveness his church teaches.

Dawnlight Sheen.  A member of the Or-tel-quessir.  Distant and misunderstood, even among his own people, this copper elf has focused inward ... trying to find an elusive peace.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:50, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

---

Thank you for your interest, gang, but recruitment for this tale has closed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:49, Sat 08 May 2021.

---

For the re-recruit.  Non-evil alignments required (please see the first post in this thread).  Your character will begin at level two.

Allowed material:  PHB, DMG, SCAG, MToF, and XGtE.

Happy Hunting!
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:51, Tue 10 Aug 2021.

---

For the folks interested in the re-recruit (August 2021) …

I will be selecting players by this weekend.  I may or may not hit you up with a question or two in the interim … but if I don’t, please don’t take my radio silence as disinterest.

---

Hey, hey gang.  At least 20 submissions in two days!


I’m going to turn off the ‘looking for players’ light and start sorting through the submissions.

For the folks that already have an RTJ in … here are some guidelines for where my head is at.  As mentioned earlier (I forget which thread, and I’m on my iPhone and don’t feel like looking it up) the miniskirt rule for character pitches is in effect.

Class, race, defining feature … is not enough.

Text wall is too much …

If you already have an RTJ in, feel free to add/summarize as necessary.

For anyone submitting an initial RTJ after the time stamp of this post … apologies, but recruiting has closed for this tale.

---

Rounding the corner on selecting the submissions, gang.

Messages going out today.