DM Darkblade Giantslayer Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master GM Darkblade

The Giantslayer Adventure Path begins in the fortified town of Trunau in the southern part of the Hold of Belkzen. A series of strange events trouble the beleaguered town. At the town’s request, the PCs must uncover the source behind these events and step in to save the town from forces which seek an end to Trunau and it's peoples.


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If I had to pick, crusaders of lastwall would be OK, that or even the.. Pathfinders.

But mostly and most likely the crusaders. Though he would probably work for any/all of the factions.


Finished some tweaks on Dundin. I wanted to add an item with character to his equipment. I think it is consistent with ninth battalion mentality.

Dundin's shield:
Dundin's most prized possession is his heavy metal shield. His shield is dented and the handle has been reforged as Dundin uses his shield as a surrogate sled in the winter time. Battered in a few places, but fully serviceable, it has the motto of the Mountainblood Clan. 'Dwarves are capable of dishing out punishment, but they are truly prized for the punishment they can take' Below that is inscribed the words many a dwarven mother put on her son's shield when he went off to battle. In this case the words were inscribed by Dundin's grandmother when she gave the shield to Dundin's father: 'Return with your shield or on it'


Dundin Larringfass wrote:

Finished some tweaks on Dundin. I wanted to add an item with character to his equipment. I think it is consistent with ninth battalion mentality.

** spoiler omitted **

"Smashmouth destroy your little shield, little man!

Smashmouth:
It is made of a three foot long thick metal handle that looks as though it has been beaten into shape by hand. Atop the handle reside two spiked metal rounded objects attached to the handle each by a thick metal chain. On the grip of the handle a orc face has been carved and there are tick marks above the face. Each one representing the death caused by Smashmouth.


Quote:
If Diego is the companion of a dwarf with membership, and that dwarf vouchsafed for Diego, then I imagine he could become somewhat of an adjunct member of the group, provided he can grow a bit of a beard and vows not to steal any eligible Dwarven ladies from the other lads. Especially so if he can help fashion a few bombards or long cannon to counter giant boulder tossing foes battery to battery.

Diego can do that, especially the cannon part.


Interested and working on finishing up my character for submission.


Nobwin Underbelly wrote:
Interested and working on finishing up my character for submission.

Added to the list.

Deadline is drawing near for those interested, not much over 24 hours remaining.


My excitment is building!!!


Just waiting on review :)


Same with Diego.


eeyup


As well as I am. :-) Hope everything is good!


Same with us just waiting.


crosses fingers


I feel I should point out I am going to be built as an Oradin, so I'm not going to have lots of spells and buffing ability. I'll be using Life Link and Shield Others alot though.


Shhh! I'm trying to use my mind powers on the GM


Mind powers? Is that what you call staring at the GM with big innocent doe eyes hoping they don't see the big sword hanging from your back? :)


*Waves his hand horizontally with fingers partially bent* This is the PC you are looking for. :)

Good luck everyone and congrats to those who are selected!

Liberty's Edge

. In the small farming town of Trunau, we find a small ragged tent near the city's farmers market. Outside the tent is a crude sign labeled "Fortune Telling". Inside sits a tiefling named Akvius Syrthos. He passes time between the few patrons that seek his insight, by shuffling a Harrow Deck and occasionally flipping a few over on yop of the barrel in front of him concealed with tablecloth decorated in moons, suns, stars and the like. Obviously an attempt to add credibility to the promised services.

. As he turns over the 1st card, an energy showers over him. More so than the occasional "vision" he receives from the mysterious patron that, depending on your perception, either curses or blesses Akvius with his abilities. It signifies a king! As soon he sees the card a picture forms in his head. It's that of the Storm Tyrant. The 2nd comes with a higher intensity of energy. It signifies an army. A different sight comes to focus in his mind. It's a vast collection of warpainted Orcs. Akvius flips card after card over, and each continues to provide increased intensity. A cloud castle. Several powerful giants. A mystical orb. Each card he turns shocks him with a higher intensity of power, followed by a single "photograph" imprinted in his head. He flips each card over faster than the previous. Finally he grabs one last card and as he goes to flip it over, he's struck with such a powerful blast of energy that he is propelled off the small wooden milking stool he was sitting on... unconscious to the ground. When he wakes up, he struggles to grab the barrel and pull his head high enough to see a single card sitting in the center of the table. The card of DEATH!

. Knowing this prophecy must not be allowed to manifest, Akvius begins a journey to find the right group of "heroes", with the skills to thwart this future from happening. Willing to lend his gifts of magic, intellect, languages, and social skills... he only hopes whatever being controls this world will grant him the opportunity to help mold an alternate reality than the horror he has predicted.

race/class:
I know you asked for "core" and standard races. I hope this provides enough to validate a Tiefling, de-buff witch. I know it's more of an "event" than a complete backstory, so I can certainly add more about the character if requested.

The race is easy to change if needed (to either elf or human), tiefling just seem to be perfect for the stigma and mystery of a witch and tarot card reader to fit the archetype (Cartomancer). I've only recently tried out the witch class and really enjoy the "make the rest of the party look good" aspect of the buff/de-buff classes. If I can help the fighter make that exciting final blow that brings down the enemy; or, make it possible for the magic user to have that "cool" spell... not to be lost to an unexpected saving throw, then I have made a valuable contribution to the party AND the player

backstory:
Having miscalculated the cost of living and travel expenses, Akvius ran out of resources shortly after arriving in Trunau. While the town is very accepting of outsiders, not generally giving in to stereotypes or concern about life prior to arriving, currency is a constant in every town. Akvius was entralled with the acceptance of the town. Acceptance that is, as long as each person is willing to contribute to the town's defense.

Not particularly skilled in combat, he contributes whatever he can when called upon. Akvius sees it as a small price to pay to avoid persecution for one's physical appearance (tiefling). This small "utopia" to discrimination, has come to hold a special place in his heart, and he would like to help preserve this not only for himself but anyone else who may appreciate this town's mentality.

Perhaps fate brought him to this town. While he originally found a small income performing services as a fortune teller to pay his way on to a larger city, every day seems to give him more reason to call this place home permantly.

Thank you for your consideration


Still watching.

Dark Archive

submitting for consideration:

Fronar Gossamar - Fighter 1st, but will go rogue on remaining levels. 2-weapon fighting.

character description:
Typical human. Dark, shoulder length hair, blue eyes, average height (5'10"), toned slender physique (high dex, std str)

personality:
Fronar is generally friendly and helpful. He does have contemtment for the upper class. He feels you should earn your wealth, not be given it. He is a bit of a jokester, skilled in sarcasm. Daring when it comes to dangerous actions.

background:
Looking for excitment and adventure, wealth and fame. Fronar joined the military thinking this to be the easiest route. Unfortunately military life was not to his liking. The constant routine and chain of command, seemed to steal his freedom. One day while out on training exercises, Fronar took the opportunity to move on and deserted his military responsibility. In trying to get as far from the town as possible, he has managed to hitchhike his way to his current location, Trunau. While he has put a long distance from his home town, he still tends to stay "under the radar" to avoid the possibility of word getting back to the military. Deserter carries STEEP penalties. Earning a living on odd jobs and occasional "quick buck" may not always fall in the legal category, but it's a means to an end. Fronar is still in search of his excitement, adventure, wealth, and fame.


Jarek's backstory completed - pretty much ready to roll/role if selected.

Character Backstory:

Before...

Jarek's family called Brevoy home before they arrived in Trunau. The Rostlanders were somewhat standoffish, but quickly earned a reputation for hard work and blunt honesty. His father's background was in lumber and he taught the young Jarek the skills of working wood to provide the barrels, crates and occasional coffin required by the folk of their new home.

Chief among their customers was the Meeson's who ran the local store and apothecary. Their daughter, Doona, was near the same age as young Jarek, and when not toiling under his pater's tutelage he and Doona become a inseparable duo. And as the years pasted and they grew from children to citizen's presented with their own "Hope Knives" the couple became more than just friends, and romance blossomed...

Then...

4 years past Jarek's life was dealt its first hammer blow. His traditionalist parents made the ill considered decision to return to Brevoy to bury Jarek's grandfather and tend to his affairs. By then Jarek was a craftsman in his own right, and was charged in their absence in running the family business and continuing his trade. However they never completed the journey - joining instead his grandpater in the next life. Orc raiders targeted their caravan and although no proof of their death was ever found, that farewell was the last time he saw his parents.

The quiet giant threw himself into his work and the defence of the new life his parents had blessed him with. That was their legacy to him, and he was honoured to keep them alive in that manner. Through the tragedy he and Doona became ever closer, becoming valued members of the community through his doughty strength of arm and valued skill and her alchemical guile and keen mind. Eventually Jarek was granted the blessing of her hand in marriage by the Meesons and the headfolk of Trunau.

The following autumn the couple were married and swapped Hope Knives in a traditional Trunauite blessing.

Doona was his everything and folk saw she was the light that made the reserved artisan smile and laugh. So it was that when tragedy struck Jarek's life for a second time, the whole of Trunau mourned with him...

The orc attack came when she was taking her place on the defence wall. Doona was, like her father, a dabbler in things alchemical and raiders had learned to fear the accuracy of her fire pots. So when he learned Doona had been felled by a rain of arrows as she had rushed to repel the sneaking orc sappers, an anguished Jarek had to be held back by many lest he leapt the wall to exact suicidal vengeance.

For his own good the mourning and guilt addled barrel maker was kept in a state of sedation by his father-in-law, who himself was barely coping with the loss of his blessed daughter and only child.

Now

As they have mourned together Gorkis Meeson nursed his son-in-law back to health, but also showed him how alchemy could provide the scrapper with the physical change to challenge the brutal orcs and their champions. Tinctures and elixirs were tested and imbibed, often in the field against the raiders until a final recipe settled upon...

"Meeson's Mutaugmentive Libation"- transforms Jarek into a more driven and physically powerful version of himself. His thoughts and speech become more simple and direct, as does his thought patterns - however his prestigious physical strength is near that of a giant and his form is more robust and primitive to behold. Driven by revenge and a need to protect the legacy of his dead wife, the symbol that is Tranau and those he holds dear, the brawling barrel maker has embraced this new tool and seeks to become an master artisan in its use.

Character Description:

The heavyset man wearing mourner's black stands before you impassively. Dark cropped hair and darker eyes crown features displaying the trademark nicks and bruises of a scrapper. Across his barrel chest is stretched a jack of leather reinforced with strips of lacquer-hardened barrel wood. Carpentry tools and a worn apron sit at his waist offering a counterpoint to the various close quarter weapons displayed upon his person. In one thick, ham fist he holds a broad-headed axe - perhaps once a craftsman's hatchet, now clearly refashioned for warfare; and with the other he beckons you stand behind him for protection...

When he imbibes his Mutagen, Jarek grows even larger and bulkier. His frame and features become more primitive, and his eyes and teeth exhibit a feral quality. The quiet barrel maker becomes more sullen and brooding... May well create a "Mutagen Alias" if selected to run with this "Mr Hyde" of sorts (not evil but much less charitable to his foes lol)

Character Personality:

Jarek is a once happy man, now he slides between melancholy and obsessively protective toward kith and kin. Since the death of his wife and childhood love; Doona Meeson, he has become more focussed then ever on protecting Trunau and its people - to the extent that he now willingly imbibes his father-in-law's experimental mutagen to make him physically the equal of the town's orcan foes.

The huge barrel-maker is a man of few words, and maintains an impassive calm whether he is practicing his craft or butchering orcs. Jarek has also found solace in Pharasma's faith, and will pray to the Lady of Graves for every friend or Trunauite felled and placed upon the Flame of the Fallen. As such he has taken to openly wearing Pharasma's symbol of the spiralling comet in place of the town's traditional deity Iomedae.


Raise your hand if you are constantly checking this thread for some kind of a hint at who has made the cut?

*raises hand


raises both hands

This is really bringing out my CDO...


Some great submissions - don't envy Darkblade's job!


I will say that these have been some great applications. Even the worst of them was still fairly good. If only real life would allow me to run a larger party or a second team, but alas it does not.

I have a few candidates left to add, those mentioned today, then I will shuffle through the grades and try to pick the best six member team to take on the giants. At this point I am looking at how well the players match key positions for Arcane, Combat, Divine, and Skilled, then of those candidates, which look to best be able to work together for the common goal, defeating the future Storm King.

To everyone that entered, thank you. Any GM would be lucky to have you share their table and spin your tales together. They would be interesting indeed.


My neither. It is going to be hard and it seems more and more people are dropping in with character ideas, wow.

Admits to this and raises hand


Raises hand

Liberty's Edge

RL is interfering with posting.
Karl Lawbringer wouldn't really fit with any of the factions. The Crusaders of Lastwall seem the best fit, but even with them there would be some disagreement.

The Ninth Battalion is way more in line with his vision of how the orcs should be treated, but there is a little problem: he is not a dwarf and they are not humans.

So he will try to please the Crusader as much as possible as a way to gain allies. He will hope they are pragmatic enough to accept his ways.


Raises hand. Hoo-boy. Kain is trembling in his saddle.

Kain will be taking natures soul through boon companion for his mount. Not only is it great RP potential between a man and his horse, but it let's him have a Mount that wont get one shoted! Lol.


Tiny dinosaur arms wave rapidly

Grand Lodge

Decides to be contrary, so waves his tail


Shi raises two hands, and two paws? :)


Creed aka The Dragon wrote:
Mind powers? Is that what you call staring at the GM with big innocent doe eyes hoping they don't see the big sword hanging from your back? :)

Yes.. As I'm an archer that is perfect.. thanks for that idea....

Raises hand


Just for you Adir...

Sloth facts


GM Darkblade wrote:

I will say that these have been some great applications. Even the worst of them was still fairly good. If only real life would allow me to run a larger party or a second team, but alas it does not.

I have a few candidates left to add, those mentioned today, then I will shuffle through the grades and try to pick the best six member team to take on the giants. At this point I am looking at how well the players match key positions for Arcane, Combat, Divine, and Skilled, then of those candidates, which look to best be able to work together for the common goal, defeating the future Storm King.

To everyone that entered, thank you. Any GM would be lucky to have you share their table and spin your tales together. They would be interesting indeed.

How could a player/character not match a key position? Players can make bad sorcerers or bad fighters?


DoubleGold wrote:
How could a player/character not match a key position? Players can make bad sorcerers or bad fighters?

Well, yes they can... but I think what he meant was that if he goes through his list and 5 of the top applications are all melee guys he's going to have to cut some of them to make sure there's a divine caster and an arcane caster and someone with some decent skills in the party...


Okay, everything is finished up.

Description:
With a head topped by sandy-colored locks and a face creased with a few more frown lines than ones made by smiles, and though the right height, Nobwin possesses little in the way of the bearing of your average halfling. His sense of style is more akin to a dwarf with durability and practicality given more emphasis then flare or comfort.

Personality:
Nobwin has little of the joviality of your typical halfling though possesses plenty of the reckless abandon to his own safety that is a common trait amongst his race. He has a sense of humor like a dwarf, which is to say little unless it pertains to funny ways an orc can die.

Background:
Nobwin’s tale begins in far off Taldor, a land choking upon the glory of old and filled with frivolous nobility. Born the only child of Wenton and Jilara Underberry, Nobwin’s parents were simple folk of strong moral character. Wenton trained in the Taldan army in one of its phalanx legions but was constantly overlooked for promotion because of his size and race while Jilara served as a housekeeper for a minor noble lord. When Nobwin was only a few years old, his parents, having stomached enough of their present situation, moved the family to Lastwall.

In Lastwall, they found a land that appreciated their contributions but tragedy would strike when their village near the Kestrel River was overrun by an orc raiding party from across the river in the Hold of Belkzen. The defenders gave it their all but eventually succumbed to numbers. Most of the buildings of the village were looted then razed along with similar circumstances for most of the non-combatants.

Barely old enough to be off his mother’s apron; Nobwin was trapped in his family’s root cellar by the wreckage of their home above. After a day and a half, dehydration began to take a toll as his cries for help started becoming a croak. As luck would have it, however, just as his voice was turning into a raspy whisper, a dwarven merchant caravan, returning down the river to the Mindspin Mountains after selling their wares in Vigil, came upon the wreckage and one amongst them heard his pleas of aid.

With no family left within hundreds of miles, a dwarven couple took the young orphan into their home, raising them with their own children. Growing up in a dwarven community, Nobwin began to mimic the attitudes and habits of his adoptive family. As an affectionate joke, they called him ‘Underbelly’ as a play on his real surname and his habit of always being underfoot or in the case of the more rotund members of the settlement, underbelly.

Nobwin learned to hate orcs and the other monstrous creatures that proved an ever present danger in their slice of the world. This hatred was reinforced each time he contemplated the last bits of his old life rescued from the wreckage all those years ago; a very long sword-like polearm that a family friend from the other side of the world had gifted to his father and his mother’s soot-stained scarf. He trained with his ‘fellow’ dwarves, learning the art of war at the hands of battle-hardened greybeards and years later when the chance presented itself, Nobwin joined up with a friends to guard a caravan making a supply trip to a small settlement called Trunau in the fringes of the orc-infested Hold of Belkzen.


DoubleGold wrote:
How could a player/character not match a key position? Players can make bad sorcerers or bad fighters?

BTW, thank you Morgrim, that is somewhat in line with my thinking and my process for evaluating for the positions needed.

As I stated in the Creation notes, I preferred more traditional fantasy style character tropes, races, and classes for this AP. Exotics or unusual options were not banned but the concept needed to "grab the imagination" to be worth the extra effort to incorporate such "unusual" types into Trunau." Some did, some did not, most were intriguing but may have lacked that little extra oomph to put them to the forefront.

That said, in testing each applicant I went over the crunch, the adherence to guidelines, the nuts and bolts of the character. This created a base grade, the multiple choice/true false part of the assignment. Then I looked at the creative side, the short answer and narrative side of the application. I took each applicant assigned to a group and compared it against the others. I looked at how this applicant would look when standing beside the next, a lineup if you will. I asked questions such as what does the applicant offer that betters the position over the next? What might the applicant lack compared to the next applicant? Does the applicant embody the theme or spirit of a Conan, a Legolas, a Snarf? Does the applicant wield their power like Morgan le Fay, Gandolf, or the Wizard of Id? Is the applicant as devout and dependable as Sir Galahad, Piffany, or Father Guido Sarducci? Does the applicant share the flair for adventure of Dread Pirate Roberts, Malak, or Tasselhoff Burrfoot?

Those characters illustrate how each filled a role in the cast of their respective stories, and melded well together with their fellows. Could you simply toss Conan, Gandolf, Piffany, and Tasselhoff together and get the same story, or would the group go flying off the rails when trouble first starts? Maybe, maybe not. Would the story be worth the telling, or is there maybe something better to watch on the TV.

I don't expect any character to fill the shoes of Conan or Gandalf, but each must be able to walk the road together with their peers to share in the burden. The highest grade may not indicate the best choice to work well with one another. Sometimes it is the littler things that matter more, and a B student can still achieve greatness if given the chance, just as Albert Einstein.

This really is a hard decision to make, I hope everyone understands that and knows I really appreciate the efforts each of you has taken in applying. Paizo definitely has some of the best creative fans out there, hands down the best.


GM Darkblade wrote:

Just for you Adir...

Sloth facts

Haha, thanks! I love that guy. He did the Sad Cat & Sad Dog Diaries, too.


Does nothing grab the imagination more then a man brave enough to use weapons that can explode in his hand? Who is willing to get close up and personal with the giant for that perfect headshot? ;)


Does anyone else think that DM Darkblades evaluation while informative did not help break the tension at all.. in fact I think it made it worse as everyone who's still following will be going over his criteria in their heads now and trying to match it to their toons?


I Just checked my alias... just making sure hahaha... Besides, why am I worried? Nothing beats the glorious charge against the giant and being able to hit them without provoking! Me and my Valiant (eventually Animal companion) Steed shall sweep them away like flies!

why? Because not only are we paid to do, we have a few bones to pick, and family to "hopefully" find.


Zokon Santyev wrote:

Does anyone else think that DM Darkblades evaluation while informative did not help break the tension at all.. in fact I think it made it worse as everyone who's still following will be going over his criteria in their heads now and trying to match it to their toons?

Guess that means we aren't the only ones ^_^


Creed aka The Dragon wrote:
Zokon Santyev wrote:

Does anyone else think that DM Darkblades evaluation while informative did not help break the tension at all.. in fact I think it made it worse as everyone who's still following will be going over his criteria in their heads now and trying to match it to their toons?

Guess that means we aren't the only ones ^_^

+1 :)


LOL

It would be nice to get Shi into a game again. However, I have him, and if I'm not selected, I'll keep submitting him. He's too fun a character to leave on the table. I tend to prefer finding new homes for characters rather than creating new ones for every game, if possible. So while there's some tension, I at least have the new search to look forward to if he doesn't get into this one.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

The other recruitment picked no dwarves!!

How can you go after giants without dwarves?? I am tempted to run an all dwarf recruitment. I may allow one hobbit burglar.


I'd say they missed all you because they didn't look down, but the smell would have given you all away anyway. I can help with that. Heats up big iron tub of water using kinetic blasts


Dundin, if I'm not selected here I'd 100% apply for an all dwarf party.

Dwarf Pride!

Liberty's Edge

DB when you said you'd have choices made by the 3rd were you implying you might have finished choosing before then? The anticipation is killing me!


Best of luck, folks.

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