Howdy folks. Thanks for the invite. After being talked up by Monkeygod, now I'm all anxious about being a good enough horrible devil worshiping cultist...
I'm seeing a Summoner and an Inquisitor, so caster/support and scout/skill/face roles are covered.
Would an Antipaladin be appropriate for this game (with Tyrant archetype for lawful instead of chaotic)? Warpriest is also an option for a similar feel and more spellcasting oomph.
Or I could play a Necromancer. They're my favorite.
I have skill/face covered, as I'm also an investigator, and have the talents to get the extra 1d6 to pretty much all skills without using a point of inspiration.
Are you thinking about playing Anaxian light? :P
Every necromancer is Anaxian-light. :)
No, though. If I go that route I'll mix up my themes and focus.
I'm kinda feeling the idea of an Intimidate focused Antipaladin with a Succubus companion. Seems to fit the game's themes pretty well.
Animate Dead is on the Antipaladin spell list, so I could still dabble in necromancer if I want, but it would be more of a hobby.
I'm seeing a Summoner and an Inquisitor, so caster/support and scout/skill/face roles are covered.
Would an Antipaladin be appropriate for this game (with Tyrant archetype for lawful instead of chaotic)? Warpriest is also an option for a similar feel and more spellcasting oomph.
Or I could play a Necromancer. They're my favorite.
Saying Yaos is caster /support is only half true. She is a master summoner, so just give her a couple of rounds and you have an instant army.
Any of the character ideas you floated could work in well. If you are interested in optimizing the party I would think a full caster, which we don't have. That might mean the necromancer, which sounds like your favorite character type. That could be kind of fun, you with an army of undead, me with a summoned army.
I am happy with any of the characters you mentioned. Play what you want to play.
Welcome to the campaign and I hope you have fun.
I've boiled my ideas down to two concepts. I'd love any feedback or preference-
1) Tyrant Antipaladin: Hits like a truck and hands out Debuffs like candy. Has a Succubus girlfriend. Smiles a lot. A very charming fellow without a shred of empathy.
2) Exploiter Wizard: Classic Diabolist with an Imp familiar. He'll do a little bit of everything, but primarily focus shutting down enemy casters, and battlefield control. A lawyer. Very clever with contracts and loopholes.
Either would fit our group. I have a slight preference for the Exploiter Wizard, full caster good, but it is your character...
Incidentally, how are you going to get your Anti-Paladin to have a pile of undead minions?
Either of those would be good, tbh. The tyrant can fill a tank like role, which I won't really be able to do till later on. Plus more straight combat damage is always a good thing.
However, the exploiter does fill our non full caster role, and I know full well what your devious mind can accomplish as a caster :)
I have a moderate preference for the wizard.
We don't have a huge amount of combat. And I can summon tanks given a couple of rounds, and you add undead... I see the full caster as filling more of a need.
Let's go ahead and move this to our Recruitment page, if y'all don't mind.
And we'll keep Discussion for parallel dialog to Gameplay.
@ Yaos,
Let me know if you want to keep talking to Lady Emilia (or Varrin). If you have a specific question for her, obviously, regarding this-or-that House in Corentyn, perhaps House Charthagnion, you can ask her now. ....More likely, I think, she can just be a good contact in the future -- when you guys do have a specific question or need for intelligence -- you can contact your "asset" in Corentyn, Lady Emilia Spartaco-Aranovitch.
If y'all are ready to go to Westcrown let me know. I'm looking forward to your search for the Bellflower Agents.
Obviously, if you want to do anything else this day in Castle Spartaco, post it in Gameplay.
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Once in Westcrown I believe we can join searching for contact with the Bellflower Network with selling your loot. You guys can meet with some local merchants to sell your wealth and use that as an 'in' to ask for a contact with the Bellflower Network -- or of course, if you have another idea, there are plenty of other things you can do.
Assuming we don't need to help Alfred set up the theive's/spy guild, I think Magnius is ready to go. That would be the only thing that would delay their departure.
I concur exactly Magnius.
DM Ray- Yaos has essentially finished with any important questions for Lady Emilia and Varrin. Yaos will likely chat pleasantly with them for a time, but that is all.
Finally, shouldn't you create a Cruitment page before you create a Recruitment page?
Sorry about such a long delay; in addition to the regular work grind -- and the fact that I'm now adding crypto-currency and digital currencies to my gold investing (which is taking a huge amount of research) -- I've had this tremendous stress headache trying to sell my Super Bowl ticket. Truth be told, I'm not really in the right mind for gaming right now, so much money-stress and hustling, but last week I said it'd only be a week so I'm a'coming back.
I'll get to Recruitment today but first, let me go take a look at Gameplay and try to post....
Ray, it's cool, take your time, get your head in the right space.
I'm in the New England area, maybe I could ask around if anybody is looking to buy the tickets?
If you want to post in Gameplay prior to my introducing Westcrown, do it soon. I'm going to try to reveal Westcrown Wednesday (or Thursday at the latest) in Gameplay.
For my part, I might well invest in gold. But crypto-and digital currencies... I don't have the IT skills to navigate the area. Aside from that, the online money could prove very good or very bad. Well, that is how it seems to me.
I've been trading in gold for over three years now; it's a really tight market, buying & selling. But it's a good activity that will hopefully help me retire earlier. If I can hit it in digital currency, though, I dunno I think it's gonna be like the dot.coms of the late 90s: plenty of black holes where your money goes away forever, and a couple that turn out to be Google or Yahoo.
But mostly I'm just trying to sell this damn Super Bowl ticket.
....You know, and keeping up with my work-load at work.
Alrighty folks,
I'm flying out to Minneapolis tomorrow early morning for the weekend.
I'm going to try to get a good intro-walking-into-Westcrown post in Gameplay today but my schedule is insane right now.
Wish me luck selling the Super Bowl ticket -- I've got a guy who wants to meet me Saturday to buy the ticket; hopefully that will pan out.
Good luck with the ticket sale Mr DM.
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Holy cow what a great mimi-vacation!
The flight (south FL to St Louis to Denver to Minneapolis) was long but the hockey game at the end was GREAT! The Wild tore through Las Vegas from start to stop and they were suppose to be the hottest team in the NHL. More importantly, the game's only fight was ten feet away from my seat! I've been to many, many games over the years, and had seats on the glass several times, but never has a fight been so close to my seat.
Then, tonight, the Timberwolves absolutely destroyed New Orleans! Never in the whole game were they within 10 points of us.
I have the option to sell my Super Bowl ticket, still, but honestly a bigger and bigger part of me is starting to want to go. I'll decide tomorrow.
Talk to you all when I get back to Florida.
Remember everyone, I'm avoiding Spoilers from Council of Thieves. My handle on Westcrown is, I hope, only from information from before that AP takes place.
How went your Sunday? Did you end up going to the Superbowl?? What a crazy game that ended up being!! (though I legit only watched the last 30 seconds).
Glad you got back safely!
As for Westcrown, sounds good. That means House Arvanxi is still in charge. I think the mayor would be Magnius' uncle?
The weekend was Awesome!
The hockey game Friday night was great, our Wild tore through Las Vegas like a bunch of chumps -- and the best part was the fight early in the third. I've been to a great many NHL games and seen dozens of fights, and I've had seats very near the glass many times -- but this was the first time where the fight broke out right in front of my seat on the glass.
The NBA game was great too. The Timberwolves destroyed New Orleans from start to finish and there were so many celebrities, from Sting to Tony Gonzalez to Floyd Maywether to Stefon Diggs to that famous chef with the blonde spikey hair to some R&B singer I'd never heard of but all the kids were just going bonkers for.
The pre-game party and all the accouterments before the game were great, lots of new pictures & videos on my phone, and the Super Bowl itself was fantastic! I sold my ticket for profit and bought a seat about as good for less money. So I ended up with a great seat and a small profit.
Westcrown, sounds good. That means House Arvanxi is still in charge.
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It's statements like this, perfectly innocuous-sounding, that make me slap my head. Because of that pesky adverb "still," I'm going to wonder if the Mayor loses his position in CoT at some point in the AP and wonder if it is a big plot element or small. It'll be that little metagame bit in the back of my mind whenever he's introduced as an NPC or something around him is going on. (assuming I ever do get to find someone to run CoT for me, which is not assured, sadly)
But don't fret, it's (hopefully) a tiny plot element and something that a Player might guess considering the Player information about the Arvanxi -- indicating he's a worthless mayor with very little knowledge or skill. A Player wouldn't be too surprised -- depending on what or how it happens.
Still, if it's at all possible, let's try to avoid those kinds of statements. Meanwhile, I'm going to try to get us out of Westcrown asap.
The Lord Mayor of Westcrown is, of course, related to Magnius Arvanxi, most likely a Great-Uncle or Second Cousin -- but you the Player should feel free to design that how you'd like. I have a strong framework of how House Arvanxi exists but only a handful of specifics already built in my design.
It's a powerful and old House, but suffers from a few recent generations full of weak and stupid members, that is only just now starting to remedy. Queen Ileosa from Korvosa is new. Lady Dresarosa is new. Magnius is new (and not my character). They are trying to turn things around for the House -- but still have to deal with the patron who is this weak and kinda dumb Lord Mayor of Westcrown.
Hope your weekend went well.
Looking forward to seeing how this all moves forward, and hope Vulpus has a part in it!
Westcrown is a great setting. I really loved the setting for CoT, but the AP itself has a lot of issues. I felt like it needed a lot of work to live up to the promise the setting and the premise put forth.
I've added a tab in the Campaign Intro with a map of Westcrown that is really well done as far as getting an idea of what part of the city is what.
That's pretty cool, any chance you can tell us what the different Regos are? lol
Since I'm currently running CoT:
The Regos are the smaller sectors. They're grouped into the larger Paregos.
Parego Dospera (Despair's Altar) - Rego Crua (Blood Sector), Rego Cader (Dead Sector)
Parego Spera (Hope's Altar) - Rego Scripa (Scribe's Sector), Rego Pena (Coin Sector), Rego Sacreo (Priest's Sector)
Parego Regicona (The Floating Palace) - Rego Corna (Crown Sector), Rego Laina (Blade Sector), Rego Aerum (Treasure Sector)
That should more or less give you an idea of their specialties. The Blood Sector is the slums, and the Dead Sector is the area north of the city's walls ravaged by fire during the civil war and is now officially abandoned.
Just a very high level view.
I'm liking where all this is heading.
The various Rego won't matter here; I'm just focusing on the larger Parego. Just think of the three Parego listed in both Gameplay and the Campaign Info tab. That will be sufficient.
I know you want us to get out of Cheliax asap, but it should really happen organically. Please don't rush/push us out of Westcrown, as that's kinda unfair to me. As this is my hometown, I would like a chance to spend some time here, building up some rep/connections.
In fact, due to it's importance, we can easily go right right from Westcrown to Egorian and then out into the wider world.
Sounds good.
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Hopefully the wait was worth it -- after Magnius' request for me to make The Twilight City come alive with possibility it took me a while to develop some material.
But now, in addition to the already designed Dusk Market and the Pleatra, both in Parego Dospera, I have quite a bit more for you should you wish to roleplay your way through any of it.
There are plenty of NPCs described, in both districts, from which you can choose to meet up with and do some roleplaying, getting some information or making contacts.
And never forget that this is a true sandbox -- go wherever your fancy takes you. If you want to find a guy for a thing to run a gambit or conspiracy, you can ask to look for the guy to do your thing and I'll introduce him. (after your Gather Info check and 1d4 hours roll)
Remember that this is Westcrown, many, Many powerful noble Houses dwell here and it ought to go without saying that they have spies and informants everywhere, all on the look-out for bits of information they can trade to their Lord-&-Lady masters for favor. ....Be careful.
Or, if you want to have taken a minute or two to have halted your rush to get to the Arvanxi condo by full nightfall in order to observe or parley with one of the NPCs, the bird woman or the kids or the Gnome & Wayang or the Phandros-that's-not-Phandros or the Tiefling woman or the Lord & Lady of House Oberigo or Cpt Black, or any of them -- we can go back and briefly roleplay those encounters, keeping in mind that all of them are in a hurry (with varying urgency) to get into shelter from the Shadow.
It would be easier, though, if you just waited the next day to go after one -- you can find them pretty easily.
In any case, you have a plethora of options, both introduced and of your own imagination, with which you can further explore Westcrown.
But again, your best bet to find any contact in the Bellflower Network, in order to hunt down the assassins of Francesco Phandros, are in Parego Dospera: the ever-transient Dusk Market and the Pleatra (slave market).
Just posted my listed of people of interest.
Having lived in Westcrown, Magnius knows better than to linger outside at night, and wouldn't dream of interrupting and slowing resident's trips home.
Hey guys, I had a free half hour earlier and decide to go back and read our Gameplay posts from stat to, well, to the end of page four. It was really fun to read!
If you have a little time, go back and read our Gameplay; I think you'll love reading what we've been doing here this past year.
@ Yaos,
Let me know how you go about your business in Westcrown. Are you going to the Bath House -- and likely the fencing arena -- as Lady Yaos the Red Widow? Or are you going to go in any kind of disguise? What kind of personality are you putting forth? Are your Eidolon and Familiar with you and how do they act? Do you want to make an attempt at keeping your presence in the Arvanxi condo secret?
Anything else you can think of or want to add....
Ray, what knowledge would the Bellflower Network fall under? I think you told us before, but I can't recall.
Society (Geography, History, Nobility, parts of Local)
@ Yaos,
It's funny because I built Kylian Phandros a certain way and liked the dynamic of a fencing arena where not much fencing goes on -- and the first thing Yaos says, OOC, is she wants to get the boys running around like puppy dogs or something.
When I saw that I did a little LOL to myself -- Sorry Girlfirend, that stunning 26 CHA is going to be wasted on Kylian's friends! But he himself is Bi so it can still work on him, just maybe not as much when his friends are right there.
Anyway -- think of a cool way to roleplay the conversation from casual to intriguing; I LOVE this NPC and hope he becomes something.
@ Magnius,
These Halflings are a reasonably thorough source of info on Parego Dospero, and you're half way there to getting them to talk to you.
@ Yaos,
It's funny because I built Kylian Phandros a certain way and liked the dynamic of a fencing arena where not much fencing goes on -- and the first thing Yaos says, OOC, is she wants to get the boys running around like puppy dogs or something.When I saw that I did a little LOL to myself -- Sorry Girlfirend, that stunning 26 CHA is going to be wasted on Kylian's friends! But he himself is Bi so it can still work on him, just maybe not as much when his friends are right there.
Anyway -- think of a cool way to roleplay the conversation from casual to intriguing; I LOVE this NPC and hope he becomes something.
It is kind of amusing.
Yaos's charisma is quite enough to make having young men running around like puppies at obedience school quite realistic, or I think so. Just not this bunch.
At first blush Kylian seems like a cool PC. Did he notice Yaos adressed him by name w/o being introduced? At least I think that was what happened.
And it looks like the new PCs are showing up. There are 3 yes?
There are two new PCs that will meet the current PCs whenever it happens.
This PbP format has given me yet another fun surprise, different from over-the-table, in PbP I can introduce new PCs when the time is right while the Players participate in Discussion and (maybe) vicariously in Gameplay. In an OTT game you can't have a new Player sitting around for a few hours waiting for his new PC to be introduced to the party; you gotta shoehorn him in immediately somehow -- no one wants to go play D&D only to have to sit at the table watching everyone else play while waiting to join. But here Azlain can start looking for what he's looking for and when the PCs finally encounter Lucius Difax, well, I don't have to rush it. It'll happen.
@Yaos,
Kylian Phandros noticed the Red Widow called him by name but that isn't uncommon. Being a Phandros bastard and a well known socialite it makes sense that strangers will know who he is -- and in many instances -- where he can often be found.
But keep keeping me on my toes. I'm certain to miss certain other details.
@ Magnius,
I'm working on a new tab for the Campaign Info section that will detail information about the Bellflower Network based on your DC 36 result.
It will be up asap.
(I assume you want to wait to get that info before continuing with the Halflings in Parego Dospera.)
@ Azlain,
You can post in Gameplay at your convenience.
Azlain is in the Parego Spera, standing in a small park square between some beautiful ligustrums and a statue of Asmodeus. Across the cobbled street is Delvehaven -- from where you just came -- and a few other local businesses. The Delvehaven post in Gameplay is yours.
.
Remember this is a true Sandbox.
There's not much in the way of a MacGuffin. Ever.
I'll send another PM to remind you of what you may be looking for but it's up to you to come up with a plan of action.
If you have any question or are unsure of how to start, Discussion is exactly meant for these kinds of Metagame situations where we can talk it out.