Meet the Tiefling Druid/Monk with Secrets and a Sweet Tooth in Those Bastards 5E D&D Live Play
Nerdarchy has a new streamed game for you to watch! Those Bastards is a fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign streaming live on Tuesdays 8-10 p.m. eastern on our second channel, Nerdarchy Live. A gaggle of half siblings, all with the same constellation birthmark, search for answers regarding their father, themselves and the mystery of disappearing constellations in the sky. As they venture into deep dungeons and face deadly monsters their destinies converge on more questions than answers. Even if they live to find the answers they seek, will they wish they never had?
The Nerdarchy crew brings their team game to you live! Click the image to check out Nerdarchy Live and subscribe so you never miss Those Bastards or any of the long form or live video content on our second channel.
5E D&D live play
As part of our effort to boost the show we sat down with the players and Dungeon Master to discuss the campaign, their characters and how they fit into the party. Today’s spotlight falls on me!
Who are you, and who is your character?
“My name is Steven Partridge. I’m the author of the comedic fantasy novel, The Mis-Adventurers: An (Almost) Epic Tale. I’m also a YouTuber and I write for Nerdarchy, which is my favorite job I’ve ever had. Ever. I’m not just saying that because I’m doing an interview for them, either. As for my character, Prudence is a tiefling, multiclassed druid/monk. She’s very formal and direct. Some might say she’s uppity or unduly abrasive, but she’s just one of those people who sits quietly in the background, observing, until she wants something, or thinks something should happen, and then she acts.”
What was the thought process behind your concept of Prudence (race, class, story, etc.)?
“When we were making our characters, Dave and Ted were talking about this one shot they loved where Megan was the DM. The concept was that they were half brothers, with Doug as their other half brother. They were all searching for their father, but the one shot was more focused on a theater debacle of some variety or another. So, it was determined that they wanted to revisit these characters, which meant that I must have a human father, which helped me narrow my race options.
As for class, I wanted to do a class I’m pretty familiar with, and druid is my default go to, though I’ve also played monks in recent days and found them fun. When making a character, I always start with their story, then go onto what mechanics I can use to support the story. I wanted to buck the trend when it comes to race/class combos, and I loved the idea of playing a gargoyle looking tiefling, so feral tiefling was my obvious choice, there, because wings.”
How does Prudence view the others in the party?
“Prudence hasn’t had a lot of interaction with people outside of her home, but she learned the value of blood from her mother at an early age, as blood is used in many ancient magics. The fact she shares blood with them may have been the basis of her meeting them, but she’s come to genuinely care for them.
Prudence likes Vent. He’s intelligent (a respectable trait), and he has a strong sense of purpose, which I think she really admires and possibly envies at times. Vent also has a strong sense of trust in others, something Prudence was raised from an early age to guard, and I think that’s left her feeling unable to trust even her own brothers, though I think she likely trusts Vent the most, right now.
Galesin is the oldest, and I think Prudence finds his indulgence in frivolity strangely noble. Sin has made no secret to his siblings about being judged as unworthy by his family, the reverse of Prudence’s own upbringing, and I think that his willingness to be himself and express his interests, even in defiance of others’ judgments, is probably the thing she finds most noble about him.
As for Oonga and Sheldon, Prudence sees Oonga very much as the baby brother. Not only is he simple and honest, but he also seems to possess a degree of untarnished innocence, despite the fact that he probably had the harshest upbringing of the three, in her mind. Prudence tries to protect Oonga the most out of the three brothers, and being a druid, she adores Sheldon. I think Prudence probably views Sheldon almost as an extension of Oonga in many ways, and because he protects Oonga, she likes him all the more.”
All of your characters share a father. Who is Prudence’s mother? What was her upbringing like?
“Prudence’s mother is… a secret. A surprise for down the road. I’ve alluded to clues here and there, but since Prudence keeps so many secrets, I imagine that she’ll likely keep this one for a while. Her mother did train her in magic, though, while it was her village that taught her the martial arts and fighting techniques to keep her safe in the wide world, outside their sequestered forest. Prudence was raised to know her own worth and the worth of magic. She was taught the value of a secret, or a perceived secret, as well as the values of names, blood, and sentiment. But the greatest cosmic values, according to her upbringing are of the spirit, the stars, and dreams.”
How did Prudence come to meet the others?
“Prudence was sent by her mother to find her brothers and ‘help them on their quest.’ She didn’t really understand what that meant, and I don’t think she understands it fully, yet. When Prudence first met them, she did mention that her mother showed them to her, and being that they were in Canopy at the time, it was an ideal meeting spot; being that Prudence is naturally suited to a city built for flyers, she quickly proved her worth and earned their trust, especially Vent’s. LoL.”
What does Prudence want to accomplish during the campaign?
“Prudence yearns for purpose. She was raised to value herself and exert confidence, but without purpose, she doesn’t really have a direction. Right now, her general aim is to develop her companionship with her brothers and to grow strong enough to prove herself worthy of whatever fate finds her, when it does.”
What is Prudence’s greatest flaw?
“Prudence is slow to trust others, and she keeps many secrets. According to her mother, secrets are a form of currency. You wouldn’t throw gold into the ocean aimlessly. The same is true of information. Knowledge is power. I think for Prudence, she struggles to find balance between being open with her newfound brothers and being foolishly exposed or exploitable.”
Is Prudence very similar to or different from the sorts of characters you usually play? How?
“Prudence is similar to characters I’ve played, only in terms of mechanics. I’m comfortable with druids and monks, and I do tend to favor high Wisdom characters, though these are usually bruisers (like Circle of the Moon druids). In terms of character, Prudence is wildly different. I usually play characters that slot into the “big guy” or the “heart” of the 5 token band. I don’t tend to play secretive or loner sorts of characters, and I’ve only played one other tiefling, ever.”
What are three facts about Prudence that you can let the audience in on?
“Prudence loves dancing as a pastime, though she never does so in front of an audience. She’s even proficient in Performance, for this very reason. Prudence treats dancing much like others might treat journaling or poetry. Prudence is also pansexual. For her, attraction is based on who a person is on the inside, as opposed to their sex or gender. Lastly, Prudence has a vicious sweet tooth. She loves sugary treats, and if it were feasible, she’d likely eat a dozen doughnuts for every meal.”
Why should people watch Those Bastards!?
“In a time when the world is plagued by uncertainty and hatred, Those Bastards is a refuge. We’re a bunch of friends, IRL, who play D&D together, because it’s fun, and we want to share that fun with everyone who watches.”
Secrets, secrets, everywhere! Prudence definitely gives off those dark druid vibes
Follow Prudence’s development and catch Nerdarchy’s new streamed D&D game Those Bastards every Tuesday night, 8-10 p.m. eastern with VOD available immediately following each session. Visit Nerdarchy Live to subscribe and hit that notification bell because you don’t want to miss a thing here and until next time, stay nerdy!
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