Counter Culture: Welcome to D&D

Something really cool happened this week at my store. Everyday, I had at least one person come in and tell me they were new to DnD and needed dice, books, miniatures, etc.

They would tell me how they had just played or were about to play in their first game and they were super excited.

I really can't contain my own excitement by this trend. And it's not merely because they are spending money with me, it's great to hear their excitement and to see their interest in my favorite hobby.

I don't know if anyone from Wizards of the Coast will read this, but good job, guys. You are getting it really right this time.

And I thank you as a gamer and a merchant.

D&D 5th Edition: Aarakocra Windstalker

I've been taking a break from running our Thursday game, but our excellent DM couldn't make it. I didn't want to continue our Oakhurst game without him, so I ran the PCs from his game through a small adventure. The group came upon aarakocra and gargoyles battling and wrongly assumed the gargoyles were the bad guys. They eventually benefited from the kindness of a gargoyle, but fell to an aarkocra ambush.

The region around Stormhaven has become embroiled in open hostilities between Bluefeather's aarakocra tribe who worship Wendigo and Granite's gargoyle clan who worship Asintmah. They battle over the elemental node known as Cloudwrought, a powerful refuge of elemental power formed out of petrified lightning. Granite's clan currently holds Cloudwrought and seeks to keep it from Bluefeather's tribe. Wendigo, in the guise of the Windwalker, has promised the aaracokra chieftain the power to slaughter the gargoyles in his domain once Cloudwrought is secured. Granite, warned by the earth goddess, Asintmah, seeks to keep the node from falling into the hands of such a chaotic and destructive being.

The fate of Stormhaven, and all those traveling the trade routes to it, could be decided by war being waged by these winged rivals.

Aarakocra Windstalker
Medium humanoid, chaotic evil
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Armor Class 13 
Hit Points 18 (4d8) 

Speed 20 ft.; fly 50 ft.
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   Str            Dex         Con           Int         Wis         Cha
12 (+1)        16 (+3)        11 (+0)        10 (+0)      14 (+2)      10 (+0)

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Skills Perception +6

Senses passive Perception 16

Languages Aarakocra, Auran
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

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Dive Attack. If the aarakocra is flying and dives at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a melee weapon attack, the attack deals an extra 4 (1d8) damage to the target.

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ACTIONS

Talon. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 

Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) poison damage.

Boomerang. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.

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GameStorming: Xavier's Academy for the Talented

I'm playing a DnD 5E Mystic in a game and I'm enjoying it (though I think it might gain access to too many abilities at a lower level than your average class).

In many ways, I see a light super powers system within it, which got me to thinking about a DnD game where each character had at least 1 level in Mystic or Sorcerer. Obviously it's inspired heavily by the X-Men. 

Maybe the Brotherhood could be a band of Wizards?

The Hellfire Club could be Warlocks and Paladins. 

The Sentinel Program could be funded by the local Empire, maybe they are giants or titanic warforged?

I can see replacing the Shi'ar with Eladrin or Shadar-Kai.

Keep Cytorak and let him empower a dwarven Juggernaut.

Maybe I need to steel a Dungeon idea from Arcade?

I can even see taking ideas for races from the X-Men. Eladrin could look like Nightcrawler. Winged Elves like Angel.

Thoughts?