Siberspace: The Apothecary and the Wayfinder (Patreon)

Session Zero continues, and thanks to Matthew Johnson for the first peek at our Captain! This was another close poll, but we've established that our Arbiter (Engineer) is a magebred fairy with the abilities of an Archfey Warlock! Meanwhile, our Aegis (security officer) is a former Royal Eye of Aundair with the skills of an Eldritch Knight.

First of all, we need to work out a few details about these characters. We need to set pronouns for both of them, as I'm going to be working on portraits of them. But also, I want to drill down one more level on our Eldritch Knight. There's three options for them: 

• Human Sentinel. The Aegis is a foundling—though they have no active ties to House Deneith, they have developed the Mark of Sentinel. This is certainly a useful tool that will help them defend the crew, but will House Deneith take an interest in them as their star rises? The Sentinel is young and ambitious, eager to prove themselves on this mission. 
• Elf Steward. This elf has been serving the crown for centuries. They've watched Galifar fall and the Eldeen secede, and they've protected generations of Wynarns; going to space is just the latest twist in a long career. They are calm and capable; they've seen it all before. On the Discord we've been calling this character "Elfred", imagining them as Batman's Alfred armed with sword and spell. 
• Khoravar Loyalist. Neither as old as the Steward nor as young as the Sentinel, the Khoravar grew up in what's now the Eldeen and chose loyalty to the crown over Eldeen independence. If we get a Moonwalker Wayfinder, there could be some tension. 

Now, let's move on two our two final characters! The Sanguine Apothecary of the Sojourn Above is our medic, with the secondary role of studying alien life. Combining origin and class, we've come up with three interesting options: 

• The Preacher is priest of Aureon and heir of House Vadalis. A cleric with the Order Domain, they can offer spiritual guidance and divine healing while using the gifts of their mark to interact with unknown species. 
• The Orrery is a unique construct created at Starpeaks Observatory, designed to chart the stars; when their healing abilities aren't needed, they'll serve as navigator. Mechanically (literally!) the Orrery is an autognome with the abilities of a Circle of Stars druid—though their powers are tied to their unique design rather than to any druidic tradition. 
• The Menagerie is a changeling who's become an expert at physiology, humanoid and otherwise; they can assume animal forms, and use their powers to both heal their friends and interact with animals. Mechanically, they're a changeling with the powers of a Circle of the Moon Druid)

Our final character is the Astral Wayfinder of Realms Unknown. The Wayfinder is the ship's chief scout, expected to take point when exploring alien worlds. Here's our three choices...

• The Moonwalker. A shifter ranger from the Eldeen Reaches, their strong connection to the moons drew them to the Initiative; Magister Wrey believes this connection is important and insisted they be appointed to the position. Can the Moonwalker strengthen relations between Aundair and the Reaches? The Moonwalker is a Monster Slayer ranger; their Hunter's Sense could be invaluable in pinpointing the weaknesses of alien creatures. 
• The Mantis. This enigmatic insectoid is a Thri-Kreen from the Forsaken City of Xen'drik. An encounter with an ancient artifact has left them with images of a Cul'sir outpost in the Ring of Siberys, and the determination that they must reach it before something terrible happens. Their knowledge could give the Initiative a crucial edge over their rivals, and there's no questioning the Mantis's skills. The Mantis has the powers of a Horizon Walker ranger. 
• The Armorer is a warforged Armorer artificer. Though built to serve as a simple soldier, they soon discovered they had a remarkable aptitude for artifice, especially self modification; their infiltrator armor and homunculus scout give them excellent recon skills, and their general skills with artifice make them a valuable asset to the Magister. While it may seem like the Orrery and the Armorer would be redundant, the Armorer is a warforged who has forged their own path, while the Orrery is a unique construct that has yet to truly learn what they could be; they could have a lot to learn from one another! 

That's all for now! Thanks for helping to build this fascinating cast of characters!