Fate's Misfits An epic journey of destiny & friendship
Gather round, you scoundrels and saints!
Our fire’s warm, our ale’s strong, and the night is begging for a story.
And by Cayden’s cup, I’ve got one worth spilling.
You know, I’ve sung countless tales of kings and heroes, of dragons and demons, yet none of that clings to my heart the way this one does.
Why, you ask?
Because this ain’t about crowns, though crowns were broken along the way.
Nor is it just monsters and magic, though gods know there was plenty of both.
No... this is the tale of people.
People who found each other by chance, were bound by fate, but stayed together by choice.
Together they bled, they laughed, they lost, they loved.
They reshaped Varisia beneath their stride.
But more than that, they reshaped themselves.
So raise your mugs, high as the moon!
For this is no ghost story, no polished legend of marble heroes on gilded thrones.
This is a tale of fire, storm, love, craft, and salt.
The journey of five misfits who should’ve fallen apart, but instead, made each other whole.
And that, my friends... that is the only kind of epic worth remembering.
I’ve long wanted to set this tale down, though the pages I’ve already filled with scenes of our adventures are countless. Yet building a world to hold them has been a greater challenge.
This story is based on Paizo’s lore, and for a time I wrestled with how to make something borrowed feel original. The answer, as it always was, lay with the characters. The monsters, the battles, the triumphs - those are all fun. But what lingers from when you read a good story are the stumbles, the scars and the quiet victories. That is why this story matters to me, and why I believe it is worth sharing.
Most of what you’ll read here comes from the voice of Thaddeus. He is one of the many canon NPCs of Paizo, yet in our campaign he grew into a valuable ally and an occassional companion. By a strange twist, he came to know their hearts better than any, and so it is through his words this tale will be narrated.
Still, there will be times when I step forward. Whenever you see a purple box like this one, that is me breaking through the story to offer a detail, a reflection, or a truth that lies beyond Thaddeus’ knowing.
This world is dear to both me and arktouro, bound to years of laughter, heartbreak, and triumph at the table. We share it now with the hope that you may find in it the same fire that kept us returning to it, again and again.
"A table, a handful of dice, and the gate of imagination swings wide open. When I play ttrpg's, I find more than dice and rules. I find therapy. I find my sanctuary. I find the child who once believed everything was possible. And together with friends, I'm blessed to live a thousand lives."
"Eye of the Beholder. Warcraft. Diablo. Morrowind. Baldur’s Gate. My first adventures were digital, until I met enough nerds to dare the real thing. With that came belonging, laughter and new friends. Twenty-five years on, the dice still roll, and we still venture forth."
Fate's Misfits has 27 Misfits
This story is based on a long standing home campaign set in the world of Golarion.
It uses trademarks and/or copyrights owned by Paizo Inc., used under Paizo's Community Use Policy. We are expressly prohibited from charging you to use or access this content. This world is not published, endorsed, or specifically approved by Paizo. For more information about Paizo Inc. and Paizo products, please visit Paizo Inc.
Some material is also inspired by or adapted from Dungeons & Dragons 3.5e adventures and modules.