Boys and girls...
*Not really...
Wherein you might just find yourselves...
As the other hand...
Thumbs up or thumbs down...
Of course, you might also find yourselves...
Eaten alive and worst of all...
Which will it be?
Find out in...
So please, if I've caught your fancy, read on...
While once news reached the Free Citystate of Gate Pass by weekly teleporting courier, that channel has gone silent, and now news travels by the old routes of rumor — travelers from the outside world. You might be one of those travelers, or a concerned native of the city, but you have heard the rumors.
Emperor Drakus Coaltongue, ruler of the mighty Ragesian Empire which lies to the west of Gate Pass, has been slain in a distant nation, or so the rumors say. Of course, the rumors once said that Coaltongue was immortal. However, no one doubts the tales of armies mustering in Ragesia, with orders to secure the borders of the empire at this time of weakness and uncertainty. And from Shahalesti, the elvish nation east of Gate Pass, the rumors say its ruler seeks to claim the vulnerable Ragesia for his people.
***
It is now New Year’s Eve, and near midnight on this frigid evening a band of heroes gathers in a small condemned tavern in the Free Citystate of Gate Pass. Located in the mountain pass which separates two hostile nations — Ragesia and Shahalesti — Gate Pass has been neutral since the end of their last war, but now from Ragesia a scourge comes for the city.
By now, every magic-user in Gate Pass knows of the Scourge. The Emperor of Ragesia died barely a month ago, and in a move to cement herself as the next emperor of Ragesia, Leska, leader of the Ragesian Inquisitors, has decreed that all disloyal users of magic — arcane or divine — are to be tracked down and killed, to prevent future threats to the empire. To carry out Leska’s command, the Inquisitors, clerics specialized in countermagic, travel with military escorts to the borders of Ragesia. Their first target is Gate Pass, its neutrality long viewed as an insult to the nation’s honor. Those who resist them will have to face the searing power of the Ragesian Empire.
As an entire army marches for Gate Pass, and the people of the city fear that they will not be able to resist the might of the Ragesian military. The city leaders are bowing under pressure, and have barred the exit from the city, intending to welcome the inquisitors that come with the army, for they hope that the Ragesians will reward their cooperation with mercy.
However, a local resistance movement, devoted to keeping both the Ragesians and the Shahalesti out of the city, has gathered vital military intelligence, and they need messengers to deliver the information to allies at a distant wizard’s school. With all their strongest warriors preparing to hold back the Ragesian assault, this vital mission falls to a party of inexperienced heroes — yourselves.
The Ragesian army is nearly at Gate Pass’s doorstep, so time is short. The war is about to begin.
- Ability Scores: 25 Point Buy.
- Wealth: Average.
- Hit Points: Maximum at 1st Level.
- Traits: 1 campaign trait + 1 normal trait (1 drawback can be taken for an additional trait).
- Classes: No guns, no gunslingers, no third party. Anything Paizo can be refluffed as necessary. Also see Alignments section.
- Alignments: Any non-evil. All alignment restrictions for classes and PrCs are dropped.
- Races: Core + Orcs. I might accept one or two of the following exotic races provided exceptional background: Aasimar, Changeling, Dhampir, Fetchling, Lizardfolk, Ifrit, Oread, Slyph, Tiefling, Undine.
- Backgrounds: The campaign will kick off in the city of Gate Pass, as mentioned above, with the players working with the resistance movement to hold back the advancing Ragesian army. As such, all characters should have some sort of investment in seeing either Gate Pass succeed or the Ragesians fail. The campaign traits provided all tie the characters to one of the organizations of Gate Pass and tend to assume that the characters live in or around Gate Pass. If you've got an absolutely smashing idea for some mysterious foreigner, you can go ahead and propose it, but I'd prefer the characters to at least currently reside in Gate Pass.
- Deities: As written, WotBS takes a strangely setting neutral approach to gods, rarely referencing them and then only by generic monikers such as the 'god of revelry.' Thus I've decided to offer any interested players the unique chance to engage in some worldbuilding and help develop the pantheon as they see fit. Those wishing to play any sort of religious types are free to design (or steal) whatever deities they seek to worship, which I will then work into the campaign as I see fit. Note: The citizens of Gate Pass (this adventure's starting location) have public temples for 8 gods (one of which is the god of revelry). Additional Note: The one part of the cosmology that I will impose upon you is the presence of the four primordials who created the world and represent the four elements - the Tidereaver Kraken, the Worldshaper Wurm, the Stormchaser Eagle, and the Flamebringer Drake. A few myths about these four can be found under the campaign info tab.
- Posting Frequency: I'll make a 1 post per weekday guarntee and expect all applicants to be able to do the same. That being said, expect multiple postings from me on most days - hopefully you'll be able to do the same. Weekends are a toss-up - I might be able to post a bunch, maybe not at all - thus no commitment is expected during weekends.
- Game Duration: While I'd love to see this campaign to completion, War of the Burning Sky is a absolutely massive beast and finishing it in PbP format would be a near-impossible task. So, barring any major life changes on my part, I'm planning on just running this for however long it lasts.
- Number of Players: I shall be accepting 6.
- Recruitment Deadline: The deadline for completed submissions will be Friday, October 24th, at 12 PM Pacific time.
Additional information regarding setting, new player options, traits, etc. can be found under the campaign info tab.
THis sound so cool.
Interest!
Interesting, lets see what can I come up with.
Out of curiosity, will you allow the stuff from the new players comp? Also, what sort of environments will we mainly be in?
EDIT: If allowed, I would like to make a mammoth shaman.
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This is quite a task you have taken up GM 5tongue. Is this your first PbP game? If so, you've picked a doozey. It took me 2.5 years to finish this AP with biweekly games. Since this AP is longer and more dense then the standard Paizo AP it will probably take 5+ years by PbP, so everybody keep that in mind.
If you need any help with any of the modules or with running a PbP, shoot me a PM. I know there are definatly some different choices I would have made if I were to run this game again.
Out of curiosity, will you allow the stuff from the new players comp? Also, what sort of environments will we mainly be in?
EDIT: If allowed, I would like to make a mammoth shaman.
Anything Paizo I'm okay with, but if its from a source that isn't on the PFSRD, I ask that you give me a quick description what the archetype does, either now or with your character submission.
As far as environment goes, the campaign will find players traveling all over Ragesia, thus all environments will be included. There is, however, a slight preference in the geography towards hills and mountains, especially in the beginning adventures. Also, the stage is first set in the middle of an unusually cold winter, so don't forget your cold-weather clothes!
This is quite a task you have taken up GM 5tongue. Is this your first PbP game? If so, you've picked a doozey. It took me 2.5 years to finish this AP with biweekly games. Since this AP is longer and more dense then the standard Paizo AP it will probably take 5+ years by PbP, so everybody keep that in mind.
If you need any help with any of the modules or with running a PbP, shoot me a PM. I know there are definatly some different choices I would have made if I were to run this game again.
Thanks for the offer Nebten, I may very well have to pick your brain on a thing or two.
And yes, I do realize the scope of this AP, as mentioned in my recruitment post, I'm more concerned with having fun (and making sure my players do) for as long as it lasts. Ultimately, I really want to run this for my live players, and so I figured a PbP would be a great way to motivate me to get all the conversions done and get a bit of a feel for the early parts of the campaign.
Very interested in the campaign setting in Pathfinder.
Can you tell us about yourself? Because you've only got 2 posts so far.
cheers
Mammoth is a new type of spirit, so I am not exactly sure what to tell you.
Seems like a very cool setting, color me curious!
Right now I'm toying with the idea of a orc pack lord druid. I'm going to keep his INT and CHA scores low and play him as a bit of a wild type. He would live around the wilderness close to Gate Pass and be fiercely loyal to the city, defending it from bandits and wild animals and the like, and always visiting to trade supplies and hear the news. He would be a prime target for those seeking to kill "disloyal" magic users.
I'll start fleshing out the idea. Always love feedback!
Nohwear: Sounds fine to me.
CampinCarl: Certainly interesting. Keep in mind that Gate Pass has been on lockdown for about a week now, so make sure that your background doesn't have your character outside the city during that time.
Very interested in the campaign setting in Pathfinder.
Can you tell us about yourself? Because you've only got 2 posts so far.
cheers
Certainly! I really got into roleplaying ~6 years ago (with the Pathfinder playtest no less!), so while I'm no grizzled veteran from the AD&D days, I have my fair share of experience with plenty of systems and settings.
The boards I've browsed from time to time, although never with an actual account, so I suppose that would make me brand new. I've tried to educate myself on process as best I can (DoomedHero and Painlord's guides have been phenomenal in this aspect), and I'm fully open to any critique from players regarding my handling of the play by post medium once we get into the game.
As far as my DMing style goes, I like a little bit of everything, and have no problem going from intense political intrigue to slaughterfest and everywhere in between. Naturally, I'll be shying from combat a bit, considering its slow pace in a forum environment. As far as players go, I like serious and thoughtful players who are also capable of taking it light and enjoying a laugh at times.
If anyone has any other, more specific questions about me, then by all means ask away!
I have the bones of the druid done. Sheyan.
The majority of the crunch is done for Sheyan, although I still need to make his animal companion. He will be front line with his companion, doing and taking damage. Orc weapon familiarity helps with that, I wanted to start out with a falchion but they're a whopping 75gp! I'll pick one up later, for now I'll stick with a greataxe. Out of combat he's the nature/tracking/survival guy. Eventually with some levels and a few 'Boon Companion' feats he will be able to execute pack tactics to swarm and flank foes. As far as his magic goes, since his wisdom score isn't phenomenal he will be mostly curing/buffing.
Did you know that the orc favored class bonus for druids is +1/2 damage to their animal companion's natural attacks? That's gonna get dirty at higher levels, especially when he's got 3+ companions swarming you. Although their to hit will be lower than normal, so it may be a moot point.
I have to run and get some work done, hopefully I'll be able to get the rest done tonight or tomorrow. Looking forward to creating a deity!
P.S. Don't mind that the alias has a bunch of posts already, I'm just recycling a name from a dead game. Have to make sure I don't get an unmanageable number of alias's.
@CampinCarl9127 Will Sheyan be a good healer, or should I make one?
@GM Crazy thought, but can I be a Snare Setter Rouge? Normally it is for Kobolds.
CampinCarl9127: The orc favored class bonus is fine.
Nohwear: Snare Setter on another race would be fine as well.
@DM
Would you allow slashing grace to work with any weapon? or at least with any weapon in the same weapon group?
Probably, but what weapon did you have in mind? Although poking enemies to death with a warhammer sounds fun, it wouldn't make much sense.
I'm interested. Considering an Orc as well.
Can you give further explanation on how/why orcs would be allowed into the city, let alone defend it? What is the common view towards orc-kind?
Probably, but what weapon did you have in mind? Although poking enemies to death with a warhammer sounds fun, it wouldn't make much sense.
I'm seeing my char using rapier or longswords all the time, it is just that in case a rapier is not in hand his combat abilities would fall by a lot. Perhaps a back up short sword or otehr slashing weapon.
His basic build is already done in this Alias.
What are the campaing traits?
Sheyan is a druid, so no matter what way you slice it he won't be as good a healer as a cleric could be, but he will be preparing a lot of cure spells.
@Elianss See Campaign tab.
I'm interested. Considering an Orc as well.
Can you give further explanation on how/why orcs would be allowed into the city, let alone defend it? What is the common view towards orc-kind?
Orcs, while still viewed as brutes or distrusted by some of the other races, are MUCH more civilized in this setting, much like the half-orcs of vanilla Golarion. The former emperor himself is a half-orc and the bulk of the Ragesian army is made up of orcs. About 13% of the Gate Pass population is orcish as well. That being said, savages still exist.
I have a fair bit of gold left over, and my fluff could use more, but I am other wise finished.
Sounds very interesting. I've got a techno wizard concept I'll flesh out soon (might not end up being a wizard, but a caster anyway)
How will initiative work in this game?
Initiative will be block style, where turn order goes Player Block A -> Enemies -> Player Block B, with players free to act in any order within their block. Unless anyone will enlighten me otherwise, this seems to be the easiest and most time effective method for initiative in pbp.
Also, speaking of combat, I forgot to mention that combat maps will be posted on Roll20, with players responsible for moving their own tokens.
If accepted, would you be using a special token for my traps?
How much impact and RP opportunities would give to belong to one of the organization?
Gusteelus: Certainly.
Elianss Duskflare: I don't want to spoil too much, but the party will be leaving Gate Pass relatively early on, thus the organizations are more quick and easy ties to the city as opposed to ongoing plot threads. Of course, during your time in the city you may be able to call upon your chosen organization for help should you so choose.
And of course I'd be more than happy to let you draft up your own campaign trait if belonging to one of those organizations doesn't suit you.
GM: Are we likely to get any down time for crafting?
Thanks for the introduction. Game longevity really depends on GM time commitment.
Two questions:
1. How much usefulness will mounts have?
2. How well do Eastern classes (Samurai & Ninja), weapons and armor fit into the setting?
cheers
I'm interested in trying this AP. Now I need to think of a character....Is there a player's guide or something for it that gives more information about the setting? I prefer my characters don't feel like strangers in a strange land. Thanks :)
Edit:My initial thoughts are a half-elf dex based, skilled melee (ranger, slayer or something along those lines) who uses a curve blade (or maybe dueling sword?) and whose parents are each from different sides of the border. Elven mother from Shahalesti, father from Ragesia.
I'm bowing out. Too much of a time commitment, I'm afraid. Good luck everyone.
OK. Despite my questions, I'm developing a Human Blockbuster Arcanist. I've got to read the player's guide to develop the backstory, but clearly he'll have the Student of War campaign trait and be very motivated not to be killed by the inquisition.
cheers
Just realized all the info on the campaign info tab. Whoops! I'll have a look at that, and ask any questions I have after.
How much for a small but vicious dog? He will mainly be there for fluff reasons.
Yeah, for your convenience, the campaign info tab actually has all the relevant info from the player's guide (in fact I'd prefer you go to the campaign info tab as there are some pieces of information which I specifically omitted).
Crafting: Remember that the campaign is put on a bit of a clock by the impending threat of the Ragesian army, so don't expect to be taking long breaks dedicated to crafting every magic item under the sun. Of course, if we do end up with the crafter in the group, I will adjust the timeline a bit to provide some downtime, but you'll still need to make careful decisions about what you craft and when. So the short answer is basically yes.
Mounts: Mounts will most definitely be a hindrance in the Gate Pass portion due to the unique cramped architectural style. If you really want a mount, one acquired immediately outside of Gate Pass would be your best bet.
Eastern Classes: None of the regions really have an 'Eastern' vibe to them, but I wanted to keep these options open because they still work with all the Eastern fluff strip away. Think of them as honor-bound warriors and mystical tricksters instead of samurais and ninjas. The Eastern weapons on the other hand would be much more rare, but could conceivably be crafted by various smiths around the land. As such, any interested in playing ninjas may swap their usual weapon proficiencies for rogue weapon proficiencies should they so desire.
Gusteelus:According to this page a size Small guard dog would be 25 gp. If you're looking for something even smaller but no less vicious, a lap dog with a very nasty temperament would be available for 10 gp (5 gp off the regular price because the previous owner was so eager to be rid of such a vicious little thing!).
My gear is now done. My fluff could still use some work.
Adjusted to Wizard (Admixture) still Human Blockbuster. Mechanics in progress.
Q1: Do you allow Windy Escape?
Q2: Languages? Anything the same or different from Golarion?
cheers
Windy Escape is fine, but if you're planning on playing a non-slyph character you'll either need to learn from or have some background ties to the Monastery of the Two Winds.
Languages: Languages are essentially the same in the Worldcrown, with Orcish obviously being more common than vanilla Golarion. The elemental languages (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran) are a little more prevalent among scholarly types/mages. When picking languages I'd recommend using the list from the d20SRD as it doesn't have any weird stuff like Aklo or Protean that won't be in the campaign.
Just popping in to say that I got unexpectedly busy with school so I probably will not get the fluff done on Sheyan until the weekend. Much reading to be done for the new setting.
OK Here's Kallant, a human blockbuster wizard.
Work in progress:
1. Equipment
2. Description
3. Personality
4. Background
Broadly, he'll be socially awkward, child prodigy who has studied with many masters: the Monastery of the Two Winds, Gaben the invoker, etc. Any suggestions on background are greatly appreciated.
He wears a beard to hide a face that looks teenage. I'll keep working him this week. Any target date to close recruitment?
cheers
Up in the original thread I set the recruitment deadline for 24th, so you should have plenty of time. In the meantime, I'm very much looking forward to seeing some fleshed out backgrounds!
Also, note that Kallant wouldn't necessarily have to have journeyed all the way to the monastery - he might have met one of it's traveling members.
PS: I've put a link to a picture of the world map on top of the Campaign Info tab. Included on the map are the locations of all the capital cities, Gate Pass, the Monastery of Two Winds, and the Lyceum Academy in Seaquen.
After reading more about the setting I'm thinking I want to play an orc. That's not always an option, and I have a soft spot in my heart for the green guys. I'll keep you posted with what I'm thinking.
So, Ragesia is LE. Are orcs as violent and chaotic in this world as they are in Golarion?
Physical Description: Powerfully built, orcs typically stand just a few inches taller than most humans but have much greater muscle mass, their broad shoulders and thick, brawny hips often giving them a slightly lurching gait. They typically have dull green skin, coarse dark hair, beady red eyes, and protruding, tusklike teeth. Orcs consider scars a mark of distinction and frequently use them as a form of body art.
Society: Orcs usually live amid squalor and constant mayhem, and intimidation and brutal violence are the glue that holds orc culture together. They settle disputes by making increasingly grisly threats until, when a rival fails to back down, the conflict escalates into actual bloodshed. Orcs who win these ferocious brawls not only feel free to take whatever they want from the loser, but also frequently indulge in humiliating physical violation, casual mutilation, and even outright murder. Orcs rarely spend much time improving their homes or belongings since doing so merely encourages a stronger orc to seize them. In fact, whenever possible, they prefer to occupy buildings and communities originally built by other races.
Relations: Orcs admire strength above all things. Even members of enemy races can sometimes win an orc's grudging respect, or at least tolerance, if they break his nose enough times.
Orcs regard dwarves and elves with an odd mix of fierce hatred, sullen resentment, and a trace of wariness. They respect power, and, on some level, understand that these two races have kept them at bay for countless ages. Though they never miss a chance to torment a dwarf or elf who falls into their clutches, they tend to proceed cautiously unless certain of victory. Orcs dismiss halflings and gnomes as weaklings barely worth the trouble of enslaving. They often regard half-elves, who appear less threatening than full-blooded elves but have many elven features, as particularly appealing targets. Orcs view humans as race of sheep with a few wolves living in their midst. They freely kill or oppress humans too weak to fend them off but always keep one eye on the nearest exit in case they run into a formidable human.
Orcs look upon half-orcs with a strange mixture of contempt, envy, and pride. Though weaker than typical orcs, these half-breeds are also usually smarter, more cunning, and better leaders. Tribes led, or at least advised, by half-orcs are often more successful than those led by pure-blooded orcs. On a more fundamental level, orcs believe each half-orc also represents an orc exerting dominance over a weaker race.
Alignment and Religion: Orcs have few redeeming qualities. Most are violent, cruel, and selfish. Concepts such as honor or loyalty usually strike them as odd character flaws that tend to afflict members of the weaker races. Orcs are typically not just evil, but chaotic to boot, though those with greater self-control may gravitate toward lawful evil. Orcs pray to gods of fire, war, and blood, often creating tribal "pantheons" by combining these aspects into uniquely orc concepts.
Adventurers: Orcs usually leave their tribes only after losing out in a power struggle. Facing humiliation, slavery, or even death at the hands of their own kind, they opt instead to live and work with members of other races. Orcs who fail to rein in their tempers and the instinctive drive to dominate rarely last long once they strike out on their own. Though orcs who do manage to get by in other societies often enjoy the luxuries and comforts these societies can deliver, they still tend to dream of returning home, seizing power, and taking revenge.
Is that all still true? What is the aesthetic of Ragesia (Roman, Byzantine, fuedal/mideval europe)? How prevalent is magic in Ragesian society, and how is it viewed by the orcs (both divine and arcane)?
Another question while I'm at it, would you allow a witch/barbarian or a witch/bloodrager to use hexes while raging?
...While raging, a barbarian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration.
Hexes are Supernatural abilities.
These can't be disrupted in combat and generally don't provoke attacks of opportunity. They aren't subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or dispel magic, and don't function in antimagic areas.
So...do they require "concentration"? Sorry for asking so many questions. Thanks ahead of time for your answer(s)! ^_^
Orcs, while still viewed as brutes or distrusted by some of the other races, are MUCH more civilized in this setting, much like the half-orcs of vanilla Golarion. The former emperor himself is a half-orc and the bulk of the Ragesian army is made up of orcs. About 13% of the Gate Pass population is orcish as well. That being said, savages still exist.
There you go Jelani, he actually answered that a bit earlier in the thread.
GM: Everything fine with my character sheet? I woudl liek to know it before starting to write the background.
DM Jelani: Before the reign of Emperor Coaltongue most of the Ragesian orc tribes were as savage as could be, exactly as the PRD states. However, Coaltongue himself was no savage, as he united/conquered the tribes he forced civilization upon them as best he could. Remember that the Emperor reigned for so long that he was rumored to be immortal, thus any player character orcs would have definitely grown up in a much more civilized manner than Golarion standard. The violent instincts may be there, but they have largely been suppressed by society (even military orcs, despite being encouraged towards violence, have that chaotic streak beat out of them very early).
With regards to Lawful Evil - yes the nation is technically 'Evil' due to it's practices of violent conquest, the Inquisitors, etc. However, when it comes to rulership style, Ragesia is much more Lawful than Evil - even some of the formerly 'good-aligned' nations conquered by Ragesia are perfectly content to be ruled by a LE kingdom. The overall feel would be a medieval society with a very totalitarian spin.
Magic is very tightly controlled within Ragesia, mainly thanks to the presence of the Inquisitors - and doubly so now that Head Inquisitor Leska seems to have taken control. In Ragesia, magic is considered a weapon to be wielded by the empire and only the empire, orcs are taught this though may not necessarily agree. There are cases of orcs with potential being taught magic, especially when being recruited by the Inquisitors.
Lastly, I'll give a tentative yes on hexes while raging.
Elianss Duskflare: Everything looks okay as far as I can tell - get working on that background!
OK Kallant is ready for review. I'll still tinker and need to draft his advancement path.
cheers