Mourning's Aftermath (5e Campaign Setting)/Character Creation
Contents
Character Creation[edit]
Ability Scores[edit]
Characters within this campaign setting use the simplified point buy variant for ability scores.
In addition, characters gain additional ability scores as they progress in level, according to the additional ASIs variant.
Alignment[edit]
Unlike normal alignments, games set in Mourning's Aftermath tend to be much more gray in terms of morality, where creatures make difficult choices and it is often difficult to tell right from wrong. Instead, characters use the alignments by color variant, choosing one colors to be the character's positive traits--that is, the ideal that they strive for, also known as their virtue. The character then chooses another color (even the same one) to represent their vice, the thing that corrupts and drives them towards fulfilling their own needs.
As the campaign and story progress, a character may gain additional virtues and vices from other colors according to their actions and behavior throughout the narrative.
Inspiration[edit]
A character can claim inspiration on their own once per session by sacrificing something to further their virtue; while this doesn't need to necessarily mean sacrificing themselves, it does need to be something meaningful to the character, whether it's revealing themselves while being stealthy to save an innocent, standing out from a crowd being quelled to declare their independence, or putting themselves needlessly in danger to further their virtue.
Additionally, at any time a character may indulge in their vice to gain inspiration. While they do not need to sacrifice anything of themselves like in their virtue, the vice should introduce something that complicates their life such as physically dominating another to prove one's self-worth in battle, belittling another to ensure they remain part of a group, or indulging in narcotics to escape their current emotional predicament.
Races[edit]
As of the great migration, officially known as Diaspora's Ingress, various races fill the streets of Rekkenmark, the city where the campaign takes place for the most part. Almost all races can be seen there, though there are a few that are not suitable as player races. However, what is far more striking is the amount of various bloodlines that characterize the progeny of so many bloodlines, leading to the existence of mongrelmen, a race that is unable to trace its lineage back as it's a hodgepodge of various races.
If you wish to play a mongrelman, use the Custom Lineage rules presented in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.
All of the races presented in the Player's Handbook are allowed in Mourning's Aftermath; however, the following races are not available:
- Aarakocra
- Dhampir
- Fairy
- Ghostwise (halfling subrace)
- Satyr
- Winged (tieflings variant)
- Yuan-ti purebloods
Note that characters who show dragonmarked tattoos tend to be shunned within the city, as often their magical marks can interfere with the technology that maintains the city's well-being.
Classes and Subclasses[edit]
While many people congregate within Rekkenmark, the vast majority do not cast magic spells as they tend to interfere with the technology which allows the city to remain safe and prosperous. However, there are a few who hone their magical talents apart from others, either in relatively abandoned areas of the city or outside of it, braving the wilds in pursuit of power. As mundane technology has advanced much since the Day of Mourning, the firearm-related subclasses featured here are available should players wish to take them.
While all classes presented in the Player's Handbook, as well as the artificer, are allowed in Mourning's Aftermath, the following subclasses are not available:
- Clockwork Soul (Sorcerer)
- Eloquence (Bard)
- Gloom Stalker (Ranger)
- Hexblade (Warlock)
- Mercy (Monk)
- Moon (Druid)
- Phantom (Rogue)
- Rune Knight (Fighter)
- Scout (Rogue)
- Scribes (Wizard)
- Shadow (Sorcerer)
- Twilight (Cleric)
Optional Class Features[edit]
Beyond the optional class features presented in some sources such as TCE, the following optional class features are also available:
- Hunter's Quarry (Ranger)
- Magic-Infused Bombs (Artificer)
