I have my theoretical reservations on some 5e stuff. But actual play matters. So I shall put up and learn from GM experience.

Campaign Style - Open Table
I encourage others to come in, fashion an old school party, and tackle a quest. As time passes, more quests will appear. Events will bubble up from quests being completed, from NPCs being engaged, and general time passing. These events will generate new quest material -- and all faster than any one party can handle.

Parties are welcome to carouse and dither and separate and reform. I'm pretty laisse faire, except for no camping, killing, and looting brand new players upon arrival of their first Game Week. After that, I'm letting you be and studying RAW in action.

Character Generation - 4d6 drop lowest, or Standard Set
I'll set up a room for open dice rolls, and you can run from there. Not running variant rules yet, as I want to see the RAW.

Dice Site: http://rolz.org/
Dice Room: Livonia's Lament

Location - Time, Place, and Scope
Summer at a Silver Mine Boomtown on the Rain Shadow of a Mountain Range. Think of a small boomtown near the Sierra Nevada peaks, during the silver rush. Bigger lade point cities like Reno, NV or Sacramento, CA are near enough to supply subsistence, but far enough to be the edges of Campaign Scope. Survival, Nature, and Animal Handling are definitely worthwhile as there is considerable wilderness.

Names
Boomtown: Livonia's Lament.
Named for elder pioneer who stopped here, cried she cannot go any further, then died.

"Reno": Onerous.
A cheap play on Reno spelled backwards.

"Sacramento": Last Unction.
Again, a cheap play on the translation of Sacramento, and picking a sacrament.

Demographics
My first break with RAW. Not all races are well represented. Roll d% and equal to or below your roll is an available race to your character.

Human 01%, Mountain Dwarf 25%, Hill Dwarf 40%, Stout Halfling 55%, Lightfoot Halfling 70%, Wood Elf 85%, High Elf 95%

Start
Meet Area: Saloon. Bulletin.
Quests: Bounty - Claim Jumper, Bounty - Mayor Robbed, Investigate - Spooky Mine Shaft, Investigate - Unsettled Graveyard.

good luck to you all.  Real play does matter.

Quote from: LordVreeg;768891good luck to you all.  Real play does matter.

Thanks Lord Vreeg.

You too are welcome anytime, though I do know you don't do D&D anymore. If you change your mind and don't want to futz with a character, there is a bucket of characters in the 5e Chargen topic. Just bring that, and lowered expectations for my GMing, and you'll blend right in.

Wood Elf Rogue, Acolyte Jester
Lvl 1, prof +2. Saves: DEX, INT. Alg: CG
HD: d8. HP: 7.  AC: 14

STR 11  (0), DEX 15 (2), CON 8 (-1), INT 12 (1), WIS 8 (-1), CHA 12 (1)

Racial: Darkvision 60', Keen Sense - perception, Fey Nature, Trance.
sub race: WIS +1. Elf Weapon Train - l./s. sword, l./s. bow. Fleet of Foot 35'. Mask of the Wild

Skills: Acrobatics (exp) +6, Insight (bkrd) +1, Perception (race) +1, Perform +3, Persuade +3, Religion (bkrd) +3, Stealth (exp) +6.

Tools: Thieves' Tools.

Background: Acolyte. Specialty: +2 Lang. Feature: Faithful's Shelter.
Pers: jolly. Ideal: mirth. Bond: misfortune's victims. Flaw: blue moods.
Gear: Holy Symbol, Scripture, 5x Incense, Vestments, Common Clothes, pouch +15 gp.

Wealth: 4d4x10 gp. Roll 8. 80+15 gp. Spent: 65 gp. Left: 30 gp.

Armor: Hide - 10 gp. AC 12+DEX.
Weapon:
20x Dart - 5 cp. +3 atk, 1d4+1, finesse, thrown (rng 20/60)
1x L. Bow - 50 gp. +3 atk, 1d8+1, ammo (rng 150/600), heavy, two-hand
20x Arrow - 1 gp.

Gear: Explorer's Kit - 10 gp, 2x Caltrops - 1 gp, Dice Set- 1 sp, Lamp - 5 sp, 4x Oil - 1 sp

Style/Bio: Celebrates his faith by entertaining travelers. Also tasked with keeping certain sacred groves filled with laughter and positivity. Tries friendliness first, then ranged attacks and run if things go bad. Long range attacks from hiding to known threats, and will use kiting to lure sacred grove threats away.

Durn, I reformatted what you gave me of your character. You can copy and paste in the same topic so you can adjust your own character later.

There were a few bookkeeping things (you get +1 HP sub-race). I have no idea what you rolled for your stat line either; next time use the dice room. And we currently need you to roll Wealth, too. Your s. sword and hand xbow selections are interesting, and depending on your wealth roll might need to be altered.

Player: Durn
Bastian Swinesticker
Hill Dwarf Rogue, Criminal Smuggler
Lvl 1, prof +2. Saves: DEX, INT. Alg: CN
HD: d8. HP: 12.     AC: 14

STR 10 (0), DEX 16 (3), CON 17 (3), INT 10 (0), WIS 12 (1), CHA 7 (-2)

Race: CON +2. Spd 25'. Darkvision 60'. Resilience - Adv save v. poison & Resist poison dmg. Dwarf Weapons - battle axe, hand axe, throw hammer, war hammer. Artisan Tool - Mason's. Stonecutting.
sub-race: WIS +1. Dwarf Tough - HP +1/lvl

Lang: Common (Ute), Dwarf, Thieves' Cant

Skills: Athletics +2, Deception (bkrd) +0, Insight +3, Investigation +2, Perception +3, Stealth (bkrd, exp) +7.

Tools: Masons', Thieves' +4, Game Set - Dice.

Background: Criminal. Specialty: Smuggler. Feature: Criminal Contacts.
Pers: pessimist. Ideal: GOLD!. Bond: owes debts. Flaw: money>people.
Gear: Crowbar, Dark Common Clothes w/ Hood, pouch +15 gp.

Wealth: 4d4x10 gp. Roll 15. 150+15 gp. Spent: 161.1 gp. Left: 3.9 gp.

Armor:  Leather - 10 gp. AC 11+DEX.
Weapon:
2x S. Sword - 10 gp.  +5 atk, 1d6+3, finesse, light
(TWF S. Sword +5 atk, 1d6+3/1d6)
2x Dagger - 2 gp. +5 atk, 1d4+3, finesse, light, thrown (rng 20/60).
1x  Hand Xbow - 75 gp. +5 atk, 1d6+3, ammo (rng 30/120), light, loading.
20x Bolts - 1 gp.
Gear: Burglar's Kit - 16 gp, Dice - 1 sp, Masons' - 10 gp, Thieves' Tools - 25 gp.

Style/Bio:

EDIT: Updated and recalculated. Durn, is it final and ready to start?

Geraldine's
Main Saloon/City Hall/Courthouse/Bulletin Board

Owner: Geraldine. Big, brassy dwarf woman with a heart of gold. Upstanding, established citizen.

Area: Mostly clean, given the customer volume, and the more respectable meeting area among saloons. Large dining rooms in the back, boarder bedrooms above, piano and dais area near bar in the main room. Bedrooms are not for sex trade, though a blind eye is turned on working a room.

Bartenders/servers:
Georgette - Rough and tumble human female who's a charmer, and good singer.
Iodargyrite (a.k.a. Iodar) - Dwarf male with a welcoming reserve. Long on listening, short on words.
Grath - Human male heavy with intimidating glare, which he tries to use rarely. Big softy.

Piano Man: Fontaine, stout halfling male. Current bard in residence, genial, excruciatingly polite — a survival trait — and discreet local gossip.

Tunnels & Shafts
Bordello

Owner: Madame de Zay. Warm, yet calculating and mysterious. Halfling? Sickly, shaven dwarf?

Area: Lush, plush, and kitsch. Area is built like a maze.

-------

Fist of Ingots
Saloon

Owners: Alton & Denise. Human male & female twins, look light night and day, but both hard-nosed in business. Curt and savvy.

Area: Messier, denser, darker, and shadier. But seats and spittoons are clean, with well-priced booze, and some top shelf stuff. Owners don't want to slip into being the local den of thieves.

Bartender/bouncer: Grunner. Cheerful male mountain dwarf, likes to sing (badly) and indiscriminate lover of jokes (does he get them?). Gets morose after he has to crack heads.

-----------

The Honey Well
Dirtiest Saloon

Owner: Toya. Mirthless human female who doesn't put up with shit. Mercifully, usually stays in the back working.

Area: The den of thieves. Press of humanity, lots of alcoves; try to stay alive.

Bartender/bouncer: "Hunk". Enormous human male who has a weird accent and is extremely private. Some people believe his name is actually Hank.

------------

Vaux's Tools & Dried Goods Store
Tools & Dried Goods

Owner: Vaux. Quiet, unassuming, lightfoot halfling. Knows most people in town better than most, but won't readily gossip.

------------

Mayor/Judge "The Duke." Duke Silver. Male mountain dwarf. Embodiment of laissez faire, and perfectly fine with disorder, as long as it doesn't affect him.

Sheriff: Billy Good Legs. Male wood elf. Slow spoken, humorless, dead-eye shot. Avoids socializing and, like a snake, you don't see him strike.

Deputy: Groundhog Joon. Above average size human male. Talkative, nosy, tries to seem like your friend, likes things orderly-like.

Preacher: "Preacher Sometimes." Dispirited human male heading towards the sauce. Barely maintains his bi-weekly services with all the funerals he must do.

Doctor/counselor: "Sister Joyous." Beatific human female, kind eyes of few words.

Thanks for the re-format and the double-check.  I rolled 150gp.

Bastian Swinesticker
Hill Dwarf Rogue, Criminal Smuggler
Lvl 1, prof +2. Saves: DEX, INT. Alg: CN
HD: d8. HP: 12. AC: 14

STR 10 (0), DEX 16 (3), CON 17 (3), INT 10 (0), WIS 12 (1), CHA 7 (-2)

Race: CON +2. Spd 25'. Darkvision 60'. Resilience - Adv save v. poison & Resist poison dmg. Dwarf Weapons - battle axe, hand axe, throw hammer, war hammer. Artisan Tool - Mason's. Stonecutting.
sub-race: WIS +1. Dwarf Tough - HP +1/lvl

Lang: Common (Ute), Dwarf, Thieves' Cant

Skills: Athletics +2, Deception (bkrd) +0, Insight +3, Investigation +2, Perception +3, Stealth (bkrd, exp) +7.

Tools: Masons', Thieves' +4, Game Set - Dice.

Background: Criminal. Specialty: Smuggler. Feature: Criminal Contacts.
Pers: pessimist. Ideal: GOLD!. Bond: owes debts. Flaw: money>people.
Gear: Crowbar, Dark Common Clothes w/ Hood, pouch.

Wealth: 13 gp.

Armor: Leather - AC 15.
Weapon:
2x S. Sword - +5 atk, 1d6+3/1d6
2x Dagger - +5 atk, 1d4+3, finesse, light, thrown (rng 20/60).
1x Hand Xbow - +5 atk, 1d6+3, ammo (rng 30/120), light, loading.
20x Bolts -
Gear: Burglar's Kit, Dice, Masons' Tools, Thieves' Tools

Style/Bio:
Bastian works as a courier, bringing specialized items to out of the way settlements, but he prefers the easy life lounging around the Lake.  He spends as much time as he can there, until he runs out of money.  Sometimes he runs up some debts gambling or drinking and has to venture forth again.  He's probably got a tab running at every saloon.

You are short 9 silver, I get 151.1:
Roll 150 +15 from background pouch = 165. Spent 151.1 gp. Left 13.9 gp.

75 Hand Xbow
25 Thieves' Tools
10 S. Swd
10 S. Swd
10 Masons' Tools
16 Burglar's Pack
02 Dagger
02 Dagger
01 Bolts
00.1 Dice Set

IIRC Equipment chapter, 5e aspires to be closer to base silver for everyday, base copper for impoverished, and base gold is rarer and for bigger ticket items. So that gold and silver will go farther than the perhaps familiar "rich Uncle Moneybags" D&D. And I'm fine with players expressing things OOC in a decimal system for metagame shorthand.

Unless... you want those 9 silvers to go towards servicing a debt somewhere.

EDIT: forgot Leather -10 gp. Sorry!

Perfect!  A debt to Hank!  He bought a "brace of knives" from him.  They're actually drinking buddies, so this minor debt weighs heavily upon Bastian's mind.

I think I just need to work out the bio...

Hanalee Hondo
Human Fighter, Blacksmith Folk Heroine
Lvl 1, prof +2. Saves: STR, CON. Alg: CG
HD: d10. HP: 12. AC: 16

STR 15 (+2), DEX 13 (+1), CON 14 (+2), INT 10 (0), WIS 9 (-1), CHA 10 (0)

Race: +1 all stats
Lang: Common, Dwarvish

Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, Animal Handling (bkgrnd), Survival (bkgrnd)

Background: Folk Hero. Defining Event: Celestial Revelation. Feature: Rustic Hospitality.
Pers: Helpful. Ideal: Destiny! Bond: Childhood sweetheart. Flaw: Weakness for vice.
Tool Proficiencies: artisan's toolset, land vehicles
Gear: smith's tools, shovel, iron pot, common clothes (magenta tunic, black trousers, black cape), pouch +10 gp.

Armor:  Chainmail.
Weapon:
Warhammer
Shortsword
Light crossbow
20 bolts
Explorer's pack

Style/Bio:

I can't get that dice roller to work correctly in the room it's making me take the lowest result anyway I rolled..
18
 9
15
12
12
13

I'll have more detail tomorrow. Is this in order or can you arrange? Because in order that's a fighter if arranged I would go with a wizard or cleric.

Edit: High Elf it is so wizard it will be...
Bright Feather High Elf Wizard Sage

Str 9 (-1) Dex 14 (+2) Con 15 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Int 19 (+4) Cha 13 (+1)
HP 8 AC 12 HD d6 Prof +2 Int/Wis

Alignment CG
Darkvision, Keen Senses , Fey ancestry, trance, elf weapon training
Background Sage specialty researcher
Trait Convinced that people are always trying to steal my secrets
Ideal Beauty
Bond I have an ancient text with terrible secrets that must not fall into the wrong hands
Flaw My duty to protect my students
Languages Common, Elven, Draconic, Dwarvish, Sylvan, Orc
Skills Arcana, History, Insight,
Investigation

Alric Feathersdown
Light foot halfing hunter
Lvl 1 Fighter, prof +2. Saves: Con, Str. Alg: NG
HD: d10. HP: 11. AC: 16

STR 7 (-1), DEX 18 (4), CON 12 (1), INT 11 (0), WIS 14 (2), CHA 14 (2)

Race: Dex +2. Spd 25'. Lucky Reroll ones on Attack, Ability checks and Saves. Brave - Advantage versus Frightened effects. 1/2Ling nimbleness. Move through Mdm creature spaces.
sub-race: Cha +1. Naturally stealth, May hide behind mdm Creature

Lang: Common (Ute), halfling

Fighting style : Archery +2 to hit Ranged weapons
Second Wind 1 / r : Bonus action regain 1d10 +1 Hpts.

Skills: Animal Handling* (+4 ), Athletics* (+1),  Perception* (+4 ), Survival* (+4),

Tools: Woodworking kit*

Background: Folk Hero Feature: Rustic Hospitality   Defining moment: saved people during a forest fire.
Pers: Helpful Ideal: Freedom  Bond: I am one with the woods   Flaw: Overly trusting
Gear: Shovel, Iron Pot, Set of common clothes, Purse of 10 Gp

Wealth: 31 gp 3 sp 4 cp

Armor: Leather AC 16
Weapon:
Short Bow   +8  1d6 + 4 Peircing  80/320
Hand axe    +1   1d6 - 1  Thrown +8 1d6 +4  20/60
Dagger       +6   1d4 + 4    Thrown +8  1d6 + 4 20/60
Short Sword   +6 1d6 + 4

Gear:
Starting 140 + 10gp in pouch
         Cost-Weight
Leather 10-8
2 Hand Axes 10-4
Short Bow  25-2
Short Sword 10-2
Dagger 2-1
20 Arrows 1   -1
Quiver 1-1
   Total   59-19

BAckpack 2      5
Bedroll 1      7
2 Sets common clothes   1      6
Fishing Tackle 1      4
2 Oil Flask    .2      2
Mess Kit .2      1
3 days rations 1.5      6
Tinder Box    .5      1
Water skin X 2  .4      10
Whet stone .01      1
2 flask, nice .1      2
silk rope (50 ft) 10      5
Waxed Twine (50 ft) .2      1
Tarp canvas 8X8      2      18
      Total   20.11      69


Iron Pot  0-10
Pouch  0-1
Shovel  0-5
Woodcarving Kit   0-5
         21

Mastiff 30-195 lb Capacity
Saddle Bags  4-8
Pack Saddle 5-15
3 days feed    .15-30
               39.15-53

Cash left 31 gp 3 sp 4 cp

Style/Bio - While a hunter, Alric is not one that believes that it requires a lonely existence. He is friendly and enjoys what civilization has to offer. He would enjoy a nights rest in a soft bed, as much as, the solitude and comfort of a tall standing oak and babbling brook. Recently he forewarned a town of an onrushing forest fire and managed to save a few people from buildings as they caught fire. He does not consider himself a hero but for some reason others do.

Had same issues Marley rolled each individually.

By RAW you can rearrange 4d6 drop lowest, as well as Standard Set. And don't worry, I flub that die roller thing like nobody's business all the damn time. Do your best, I too had to scrounge around the help files to figure out the functions!

I'm going to audit/format assist PCs now. I'll be setting up IC topic soon, as in by tomorrow (first party stragglers, get your character in soon!). I will repost main NPCs in the topic's beginning -- please follow afterward with your final PC sheets -- and this will serve us as easy reference. Once the IC topic comes up, please give each other about an hour to get our reference material on there before chatting IC. Thanks.

EDIT: A HA! They wrote the example wrong. "L" is for take the lowest. "I" (capital I) is for drop lowest.

repeat 6 4L6 is WRONG.
repeat 6 4I6 is RIGHT.

Hope that helps!

EDIT 2: Whoever Jo is, redo that. You rolled all those numbers only to take the lowest die.

Nice! Taking that Quickstart Equipment is good way to net some costly equipment. Still need to fill in a Fighting Style, which may readjust your weapon readouts.

Player: Mr. Kent
Hanalee Hondo
Human Fighter, Blacksmith Folk Heroine
Lvl 1, prof +2. Saves: STR, CON. Alg: CG
HD: d10. HP: 12. AC: 16

STR 15 (+2), DEX 13 (+1), CON 14 (+2), INT 10 (0), WIS 9 (-1), CHA 10 (0)

Race: +1 all stats
Lang: Common, Dwarvish

Class: Fighting Style - TWF, +mod on 2nd attack. Second Wind 1/rest - Bonus action, 1d10+Lv. HP.

Skills: Athletics +4, Intimidation +2, Animal Handling (bkgd) +1, Survival (bkgd) +1.

Tool Proficiencies: Smiths', Vehicles - land

Background: Folk Hero. Defining Event: Celestial Revelation. Feature: Rustic Hospitality.
Pers: Helpful. Ideal: Destiny! Bond: Childhood sweetheart. Flaw: Weakness for vice.
Gear: smith's tools, shovel, iron pot, common clothes (magenta tunic, black trousers, black cape), pouch +10 gp.

Wealth: N/A+10 gp. Left 10 gp.

Quickstart Equipment
Armor:  Chainmail - 75 gp. AC 16 (req. STR 13)
Weapon:
1x Warhammer - 15 gp. +4 atk. 1d8+2. versatile (1d10).
1x Shortsword - 10 gp. +4 atk. 1d6+2. finesse, light.
(TWF Warhammer Shortsword. +4 atk. 1d8+2/1d6+2.
1x Light crossbow - 25 gp. +3 atk. 1d8+1. ammo (rng 80/320), loading, two-handed
20x bolts - 1 gp.
Gear: Explorer's pack - 10 gp

Style/Bio: Once apprenticed to the top armorer in Livonia's Lament, Hanalee was set to make a good living as the town's prospects increased. One day a great celestial being visited her forge, and granted her a revelation (of sorts): being a smith was not her Destiny. Though the entity was vague on the details, it intimated that to discover her Destiny, she would need to strike out on her own.

Hanalee secluded herself for thirty days and forged a new set of armor and weapons for herself. Against the recommendations of friends she left her secure blacksmith job and went out to discover her Destiny as an adventurer-for-hire.

EDIT: Added TWF and Recalculated. Mr. Kent, are we finalized?