I like to roleplay out backstories. It helps to build the character and connect with them. I made an alternate version of the Heroic Chronicle from Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount to fit with Forgotten Realms, and we’re going to be telling her story up to the part where she meets Gundren Rockseeker or arrives in Neverwinter.



This story is about Desmonda “Lucky” Dragonraised, the Halfling Wizard. According to her story, she is from the Underdark, raised by a Light Dragon (found in the Creature Codex) named Lumina with her many brothers and sisters. Apparently Lumina has adopted several orphans wandering the Underdark including a Ribbitan (cute Tree-Frog race I found on Dungeon Master’s Guild), an Orc, a Half-elf, and a Human. Lucky was the oldest, and took charge of this odd family when Lumina was out patrolling the caverns for monsters, Drow, or Duergar. (For future reference, Desmonda does not know Halfling as a result – She knows Common, Undercommon, Draconic, and Orcish.)



The final thing to note is that to start out with, Desmonda is going to be opening with her defining moment, so fewer mechanics will be in play this chapter. In the words of Theoden King, “So it begins. . .”



Desmonda’s eyes stubbornly remained sealed. “Just a little more sleep Lumina, please,” she groaned, rolling onto her side in her soft bed. But as she did so, she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. Her eyes flew open to investigate this pain.



Her first hint of trouble was that her shirt was not on. Her normally, pristine white shirt was gone. The second was that her shoulder glowed white hot. The symbol of a dragon lay etched on it, almost as if she’d been branded.

Just a quick note here: Yes, its the Aberrant Dragonmark Feat. The aforementioned Heroic Chronicle has a Defining Moment that can give any number of bonuses. My altered chart consists of a random word generator and two words. I then list a spell/skill proficiency, a feat, an ally, or a rival. She got this.

“What is this?” she asked, cautiously touching it. Pain shot through the shoulder. “Why do I have it? Where did I get it?” She began to get dressed, carefully handling the shirt over her mark. “If someone came in here last night the others should have – oh no!” Quickly, she hurried off to the other rooms.



“Croaks! Are you ok?” she shouted, her call echoing through the halls. Croaks lay in his bed with a white mark on his shoulder. Desmonda tried to shake him awake. “Croaks! Wake up!” No response. She checked his pulse – he wasn’t breathing. “Please no – Croaks! Get up now!” But Croaks was dead.



Desmonda rushed to Graneth’s room. “Graneth? Are you alive? Please respond to me,” she begged. The angry orc was gone too, with the same mark on his shoulder.



“Amelia? Please tell me you’re ok!” shouted Desmonda, as she crossed into Amelia’s room. The same sight stood in front of her – the happy human lay dead with a mark on her shoulder. “No. . not you too!”



She hurried into Anseth’s room. “Anseth? Can you hear me? Are you there?” she asked. Coughing could be heard from within. Desmonda saw the black-haired, barely conscious half-elf laying in his bed. “Anseth!” she shouted, hurrying to his bedside. “What happened?”



“You’re so . . . Lucky,” Anseth struggled to respond. “I’m not going to make it, Des. You’re gonna have to live for the both of us.”



“Not you too!” Desmonda cried. “Don’t leave me too!” A well of tears overflowed her eyes, waterfalling down her cheeks.

Anseth put his hand to her face to wipe her tears. “It’s ok, Des. Be Lucky from now on. Promise me you’ll be lucky. Do it for all of us.”



The waterfall of tears grew larger. “Alright,” she agreed, “I’ll do it. I’m Lucky.”



“There’s one last thing I need to tell you,” Anseth replied, “Beware the knife of the godly. Remember it, Des. Be Lucky.” His hand, currently touching her cheek, grew limp, leaving the poor halfling alone again.



When she finally calmed down, she wiped away her tears. “I think the first thing to do would be to either find Lumina or to go find what did this,” she declared. She grabbed some basic supplies, and her magic book. “I swear to all of you – Amelia, Anseth, Croaks, and Garneth – I will see you avenged, even if I have to bring down the Abyss to do it.”



This concludes the introduction. Where will Lucky’s promise take her? Where is Lumina? Why were they all marked? Find out next Sunday!