Aardvark's "Nothing Venture Captained, Nothing Gained" Shattered Star Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Troy Malovich

I'm probably going to avoid the variant multiclassing, and the automatic bonus progression (though I love it in 4E). If I were running a homebrew, I would include the progression one, but using an AP I'm not certain about how the treasure distribution is across the adventure.

I was already doing background skills before unchained (but I did only 1, if you remember), to indicate the pre-adventuring upbringing. That said, I'm going to include the Background Skills option, now that there are rules for it.

So, are we going to start this soon?

I can start doing some real work on my character pretty soon if we're gonna be ready soon.

Idea beginnings!

LG female tiefling (devilborn) inquisitor of Iomedae
31 years old (or around 100?)
(assuming 20-pt-buy?) Str 14, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 8
Chivalry Inquisition
Hopefully Tagging Along for a "Reason to Protest" and Fed Up Citizen for a Campaign Trait

GM, what do you think about tiefling age tables? I'll need a decision for the older or younger tieflings to see what my concept is gonna turn out like.

Basically the idea is that Cheliax used to be an Aroden-inspired nation and that it's fallen quite a bit. Iomedae is the Inheritor of Aroden's worshippers so it should be her to take Cheliax back under her wing.

Also I was thinking that this character probably hasn't really seen much action and doesn't really want to...until recently, at least. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to make him a nobleman (with Fiendish Facade), a city guard (probably recently fired or quit) or a very discriminated-against regular citizen.

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NOTE: The particulars of my ability scores, especially my Charisma and my PCs role in combat will depend on the other PCs scores and abilities.

We can start anytime soon. Remember, as I said previously, I would prefer all Char Gen done here before we kick it over to the discussion thread.

Also, we'll be using my regular Char Gen rules.

Rolled scores (4d6 drop lowest, 7 times drop lowest, total ability modifiers before racial adjustments can be no lower than +5 or no higher than +12)
2 traits (1 campaign)
Roll for starting cash
Weapon Finesse is a free feat
Background Skills (is there a link or rules somewhere for anyone without Unchained?)

Dareon, I prefer the older age categories.

EDIT: With my comp down, I don't have the Player's Guide, so I don't know what is in it (to include some organization rules or some such).

4d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 5, 3) = 19, drop 3 = 16
4d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 2, 6) = 16, drop 2 = 14
4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 5, 1) = 12, drop 1 = 11
4d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 6, 4) = 16, drop 1 = 15
4d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 6) = 13, drop 1 = 12
4d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6, 4) = 19, drop 3 = 16
4d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 6) = 11, drop 1 = 10 drop this one.

In descending order, total mods: +11

16 +3
16 +3
15 +2
14 +2
12 +1
11 +0

I can build a rogue with that.

4d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 2, 4) = 13 = 12 (+1)
4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 3, 6) = 16 = 13 (+1)
4d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 1, 4) = 11 = 10
4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 1, 4) = 12 = 11
4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 6, 2) = 16 = 14 (+2)
4d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 6, 3) = 15 = 13 (+1)
4d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 4, 6) = 20 = 16 (+3)

Okay, so I have 16, 14, 13, 13, 12, 11.

Wealth 4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 4, 2) = 9 x 10 = 90 gold

4d6 - 3 ⇒ (6, 6, 5, 3) - 3 = 17 (+3)
4d6 - 2 ⇒ (3, 2, 6, 3) - 2 = 12 (+1)
4d6 - 2 ⇒ (6, 2, 5, 4) - 2 = 15 (+2)
4d6 - 2 ⇒ (4, 2, 2, 2) - 2 = 8
4d6 - 3 ⇒ (3, 5, 3, 4) - 3 = 12 (+1)
4d6 - 4 ⇒ (4, 6, 4, 5) - 4 = 15 (+2)
4d6 - 2 ⇒ (5, 6, 5, 2) - 2 = 16 (+3)

Dang. +12 exactly.

So, I'm thinking a human with the following array
Str: 17
Dex: 15
Con: 15
Int: 12
Wis: 12
Cha: 18 (16 +2 racial mod)

Dex and Wis might get flipped as I look at the class abilities more closely, but this is pretty close.

4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 4, 6) = 15 = 14 (+2)
4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 2) = 6 = 5
4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 5, 6) = 20 = 16 (+3)
4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 3, 2) = 14 = 12 (+1)
4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 4, 2) = 14 = 12 (+1)
4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 4) = 11 = 9 (-1)
4d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 4, 4) = 13 = 12 (+1)

+7 total - I guess this is fine. 20-point buy exactly if I'm not mistaken.

Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 7

(racial mods in Con, Wis and Charisma)

I'm thinking that my character's relatively middle-class. Her family had been struggling for awhile, and so they turned to prayers to Mammon to try and restore their fortune. Devotion to Mammon pretty much wasted my character's parents away and made life pretty awful for her and her brothers.

Now, at around 67, her parents are dead and her brothers and sisters are getting there as well. She has nieces and nephews who are young and energetic, and who are interested in the rebellion in a very real way. My PC has never seen anything good happen from acting against the status quo, always having been punished for nothing and barely rewarded for acting within the law. However, she has to look out for her family.

She feels that valour and nobility are good virtues to have, and she knows that diabolism has done nothing for those that she cares about. She's turned to the worship of Iomedae because she sees in the Inheritor everything that she wishes to be.

I think that I want the family to be blacksmiths that were struggling to succeed because of their relatively spartan and non-artistic work. I also think that joining the dottari for a time is the only reason I can think of for why she'd personally own armor and weapons. Hmm.

- - -

Anyone wanna be my character's niece or nephew?

Also, we're gonna have two rogues? And what's Fade playing?

I'm working on my character now and will have an alias with an increasing amount of more refined information on it.

Anyone feel free to message or whatever if you'd like to be my family member! I was hoping to have the Tagging Along campaign trait with another PC, and to have that PC be a younger family member.

Starting Wealth: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 1, 6) = 14 x 10 = 140gp

Exactly average! Nice.

Armored coat - 50gp
heavy wooden shield - 7gp
longsword - 15gp
backpack - 2gp
iron holy symbol of Iomedae - 5gp
The Acts of Iomedae - 5gp
riding saddle - 10gp
peasant's outfit - free!
light crossbow - 35gp
10 bolts - 1gp

total: 130gp

10gp remaining

Here's my new profile, all spruced up and I think, ready to go.

I'm pretty sure that I'm done with this one.

Perhaps we might want to look into not having two rogues.

If I feel like we need it I'm not averse to changing over to cleric, but I like the idea of this character - pulling on the big sis vibe pretty strongly.

I've got most of the work done and an alias made, still need to draft his backstory & personality, figure his gear out and figure out how to do background skills. Apart from that, I've got a buckler of swashes nearly ready to go.

As for being a relative, I'd be down for that, Jinx. Perhaps my dude is a younger cousin whose mother married into a different (and more well off) family? I'm eyeing the Child of Kintargo trait, so long as that doesn't spoil anything you had in mind for being relatives.

I've reworked Ganner as an unchained monk, since that's available. He works either way; this way he's just a little more martial.

Re-done wealth 1d6 ⇒ 6 x 10 = 60 gp

starting wealth: 5d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 5, 1) = 12

120 gp? Gotta outfit this dude from the discount racks it looks like!

As for being a relative, I'd be down for that, Jinx. Perhaps my dude is a younger cousin whose mother married into a different (and more well off) family? I'm eyeing the Child of Kintargo trait, so long as that doesn't spoil anything you had in mind for being relatives.

That's something that works for me. I was thinking that Jinx's other siblings had vastly different lives than the lives of her parents and the sibling who ended up taking care of her.

I wasn't really thinking cousin - that's the son of an uncle. I really did mean niece or nephew, because her siblings' children are who I was referring to. Jinx IS in her sixties.

Nephew works just as well! Let's roll with it!

James/Ganner: I'm flexible on what I play, too. I thought I'd play a scouty rogue, familiar with the seedy undersides, but I'm happy to take on a different class/flavor if that's too much overlap. I was starting from the position of "I'm the guy on point when weapons are drawn". Lots of ways to build one of those.

No worries. With the archivist concept, there were lots of ways to go, and the monk was my first choice until that was briefly disallowed. I'm content with being monk-y.

The relationship with Jinx sparked an idea that I'm hoping to whip up tonight after work. Her being a tiefling gave me the idea to consider some Infernal Bloodline possibilities (initially with sorcerer) but then I discovered the Eldritch Scion magus archetype in the ACG.

A Cha driven magus instead of Int focused who picks a bloodrager bloodline seems like a perfect way to sprinkle in a little bit of arcane magic into the group without giving up the Errol Flynn-style dashing sword-swinger I had in mind from the get-go.

And since starting gold for a magus is 4d6x10, I'll just drop the 5th d6 from my earlier, uninspiring roll rather than reroll and wind up with a fat purse.

starting wealth: 54d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 5, 1) = 12 110gp

The relationship with Jinx sparked an idea that I'm hoping to whip up tonight after work. Her being a tiefling gave me the idea to consider some Infernal Bloodline possibilities (initially with sorcerer) but then I discovered the Eldritch Scion magus archetype in the ACG.

A Cha driven magus instead of Int focused who picks a bloodrager bloodline seems like a perfect way to sprinkle in a little bit of arcane magic into the group without giving up the Errol Flynn-style dashing sword-swinger I had in might from the get-go.

Especially if you grab the Arcane Deed and Flamboyant Arcana magus arcana! :D

Also, it gives some nice symmetry - two 2/3rds spellcasters of opposite types who are related.

Yeah, I was looking really hard at those two arcana. I won't get to select any until level 3, so we'll see how things unfold up to that point, but I've definitely got my eye on them.

Any room in your roster of feats to consider taking a teamwork feat with your nephew?

And on that note, given Aard's love for party-wide stealth, maybe we should all consider this feat? =)

Well, inquisitors get teamwork feats every 3 levels, so...there's lots of room. Every 3 levels. I haven't really chosen any of those yet, though.

My 1st, 3rd and 5th level feats are all taken, unless you'd rather have a teamwork feat at level 1. Fiendsight, Weapon Focus and Disciple of the Sword are gonna be my first three regular feats by my own plan.

Also at level 5 my summons start getting a teamwork feat that I have.

Ok, so Tanjvats is going away (the poor, crazy bastard), and is being replaced by Larenti Rabia, another half-orc trying to make his way in the world. His primary strategy is to pass for human as often as possible, which he can do, being more handsome, thinner and a bit less toothy than most half-orcs.

Larenti helps manage security for a minor noble house, or perhaps a rich merchant...anyone who needs help navigating the difficult political climate of Kintargo and might benefit from someone who knows how to find things out, get things done, and take care of himself. Sometimes you just need to look in the other guy's safe (Any suggestions, Aard, on a possible employer?)

He's also good at keeping secrets, and his most precious is that someday (some magical, wonderful day) he is going to meet, fall in love with, and marry the performer Shensen. She doesn't know, yet, how perfect it's going to be. But she'll see, and they'll be happy together. She'll still be a big star, and he'll be running her security as well as being a Spy Master a major noble house, and she'll wear that dress that she wore that one time at the Opera....

I've taken Acute Darkvision and City-Raised as alternate racial traits, giving up Orc Ferocity and Orc Weapon Familiarity. I've taken Reactionary and Star Struck as my traits.

Larenti Rebia
Half-orc rogue 1
CG Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 90 ft. (from Acute Darkvision replaces orc ferocity); Perception +8

Statistics
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Str 11, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 16
Feats Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Traits reactionary, star struck
Skills Acrobatics +7, Bluff +7, Disable Device +6, Disguise +7, Escape Artist +7, Intimidate +9, Perception +8, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Intimidate
Languages Common, Draconic, Orc
Star Struck (Shensen; Charisma, 1/day) Once a day roll twice on a kind of skill check depending on celebrity you are obsessed with.

Let me know if any of this is a problem, and I'll change it. I'd like to have proof of concept before buying gear and writing a full background.

Alright, I think I've got Bardigan Cain situated and statted out. Still need to dibble dabble with his backstory and personality and such, but the mechanics should be done now.

Just throwing this out there...maybe Larenti works security for the Cains, in some capacity? That gives me a connection to Bardigan and through him to Jinx?

I dig it, though it's worth pointing out that Bardigan's essentially been tossed out on his Duff by his house (it's hard coded into his campaign trait, after all). Totally up to you if you'd care to still be on the payroll or if you were swept up in the antiestablishmentarianism drama that got Bard booted. =)

Does Bardigan need a roommate?

Oh, I didn't see the "kicked-out" aspect of the trait. (Still don't, actually.) But it matters not! Let me know whether or not you're in good standing and I'll make something up. Maybe I was Bardigan's valet/Man Friday/etc.

Same could be true for Jinx, if folks see that as a better fit. Don't want to start mucking up anyone's backstory.

After reading ubertripp's take on the campaign trait I picked, I went back to the player's guide and I think my impression was muddied by an earlier idea I'd had which I didn't run with: one in which I'd planned to take the noble scion feat at level 1 and have Bardigan come from the Tanessan house.
mea culpa!

Happily, or perhaps unhappily for poor, roommate-less Ganner, Bardigan is still a Cain and in good standing with his family. Though I think his affection for his radical aunt and her Iomedaen faith probably earn him some sideways glances. I'm gonna work on his background a bit now and hopefully have his profile fully completed this evening.

Jinx is less radical than she is... just an outsider. She has beliefs that are different, but she's still all into the safety and lawfulness that Asmodeus advocates.

Jinx could probably use a roommate. She's pretty poor.

Ganner would love to room with Jinx. I figure we're all pretty much working at the peasant scale of the pay-chain.

Yeah, I guess the real question is... how prejudiced is your character?

He's a secret Irori worshiper, whose secret society was recently wiped out by the ruling powers, and his job requires him to work for the same people who just wiped them out.

Let's go with mildly prejudiced for now.

I suppose I had meant towards Jinx herself, as she is both a tiefling and a secret Iomedaen.

Yeah, I'd meant radical in terms of religious beliefs and infernal heritage: neither of which are socially acceptable. =)

I've got the first draft of Bardigan's backstory and personality up under his profile now.

Well, since Ganner is a secret Irorian, I think the only prejudice he wold have would be the tiefling thing. I like the idea that he over-compensates for his prejudice by being way too polite.

Sorry for my continued absence, but on top of my computer being out of commission, I'm in a class for work all week. So, I am unable to post from there either. I should be back to it by Sunday.

Yes, sorry, my broken computer has really bogged all of this down for me. I'm trying to get things sorted, and ideally will be able to use the upcoming (US) holiday to get the new threads started.

Posting so you know I found it; rolling in a moment.

Roll 1: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 2, 4) = 12; 5+2+4=11 bonus: 0
Roll 2: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 2, 1) = 15; 6+6+2=14 bonus: 2
Roll 3: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 3, 2) = 12; 5+3+2=10 bonus: 0
Roll 4: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 5, 2) = 12; 4+5+2=11 bonus: 0
Roll 5: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 5, 5) = 14; 5+5+3=13 bonus: 1
Roll 6: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 5) = 14; 4+3+5=12 bonus: 1
Roll 7: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 2, 5) = 14; 5+2+2=9 bonus: -1 DROPPED

Total bonus: 0+2+0+0+1+1=4 Fails.

Roll 8: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 3, 6) = 17; 6+5+3=14 bonus: 2
Roll 9: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 2, 2) = 10; 5+2+2=9 bonus: -1
Roll 10: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 5, 4) = 18; 5+5+4=14 bonus: 2
Roll 11: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 5, 3) = 12; 5+3+3=11 bonus: 0
Roll 12: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 1, 2) = 7; 3+2+1=6 bonus: -2 DROPPED
Roll 13: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 4) = 10; 4+3+2=9 bonus: -1
Roll 14: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 6, 3) = 18; 6+5+4=15 bonus: 2

Total bonus: 2+-1+2+0+-1+2=4 Fails.
Shocking that this is soooooo bad.

Roll 15: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4, 6) = 14; 6+4+2=12 bonus: 1
Roll 16: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 4, 6) = 15; 6+4+4=14 bonus: 2
Roll 17: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 3, 6) = 15; 6+3+5=14 bonus: 2
Roll 18: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 4, 2) = 13; 4+3+4=11 bonus: 0
Roll 19: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 5, 1) = 14; 4+4+5=13 bonus: 1
Roll 20: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 6, 2) = 14; 6+4+2=12 bonus: 1
Roll 21: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 4, 2) = 13; 4+3+4=11 bonus: 0 DROPPED

Total bonus: 1+2+2+0+1+1=7 Success.

Now that I've got numbers, I'll take a look at the campaign traits etc. and see if I come up with a concept. I'll try to pick something that heals; but a motivation and personality are mostly what I'm thinking about. (Who this is and why they care about Kintargo).

Fairly well-rounded scores, but nothing jumps out as exceptional. 2 14's, a 13, 2 12's, and an 11.

I'm glad that the concept, the why do they care, is a priority for your character.