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The short introduction hopefully gives you an idea of the setting. It is a world quite similar to those of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tales. It's a timeless setting close to the Late Middle Age. Mill technology exists, bringing small-scale manufacturing and extended trade, but most everyday products are produced locally and consumed within a day's travel distance. Firearms don't exist here.

The adventure was written to introduce mostly female teenagers to fantasy roleplaying, so it will show a bit of this and a bit of that, but not much fight or heroism. It's more of a discovery game and whodunnit. I need only the basic stats as laid out in the 2nd edition PHB. All characters are first level, so all will have the maximum HP for their class and a THAC0 of 20. I give a model "character sheet" down below which you can copy in your answer. Please include damage values for your weapons and AC for armor. If not applcable, simply leave out thieving abilities and spells. If it comes to combat, I'll use individual initiative, unmodified for weapons.

Name:
Race:
Class:

Strength:
Dexterity:
Constitution:
Intelligence:
Wisdom:
Charisma:

Weapons:
Armor:
Thieving abilities:
Spells:
Equipment:

The setting is relatively low-magic, the general population is suspicious of mages, fearing they might use their powers to their own ends only or even to do evil.

Clerics don't cast spells, they work wonders. Again, this is handled restrictively. ther is not a big centre of divine healing at every monastery, most work is done with herbs and healing skills.

Oh... just as I read Jen's submission for a character, I realised that I set up the stories for characters who are strangers to the village. Sorry Jen, but a character like you described it and living in the village would know too many things the party has to discover in the adventure. Eloise would not have kept out of the castle while growing up...

She could, however, be from a neighbouring village and have come to Valckenburg a few weeks ago to start working as a barmaid, that would fit the story well.

I'll create a sheet for me in the morning and post it after lunch. Rawr

Yay!

One fighter in zee works...

Oh, good. I was starting to think that it was going to be a cavalier and a bunch of thieves. Odd grouping, that.

They would not have travelled as a group. We have the classic "start of an adventure" setting: An evening in the inn.

Also, don't worry about a "balanced" group, especially about needing a cleric for healing. The adventure is written to accomodate any group the dice may bring. It's a discovery and whodunnit adventure, no hack-and-slay. While careless adventurers may meet their doom, intelligent play makes sure no one needs to get hurt .

I wasn't so much worried about having a balanced party, but rather the party dynamic. One male fighter and three female thieves ends up looking like "Charlie's Angels"

You were all lucky with your dice, folks...

I need to poke IL again who said he wanted to join. Unless I'm too worn out after a weekend of entertaining guests, we can begin to play on Monday.

Sorry for forgetting about this!!! I think I'm torn between two characters; a priest returning from the crusades OR a world-weary constable who decided to do a pilgrimage. Suggestions?

Either sounds great... Who would handle a 15yr old girl better? Lol

@ Ismaels-Legacy: If you want to play #1, I suggest you talk to Stik first, since your two characters have probably come to Valckenburg together.

Sounds good to me. We'll just have to figure out the shared background and the relationship between the two characters.
Are we observing normal D&D blunt-weapons-for-priests rule, or the historically accurate priests with swords?

Even the D&D rules say that depending on the deity, other weapons can be allowed. So of course I would allow long sword and shield here.