DM Doctor Evil's ROTRL - Group C

Game Master DM DoctorEvil

Strange things are afoot in the town of Sandpoint. After the Late Unpleasantness, the town has turned a new page. However events are brewing which will make this Varisian backwater the centerpiece of a power struggle dating back millennia. Will the PC’s save themselves, Sandpoint and the rest of Golarian? Or will they succumb to the rising power of the Runelords? Time (and a few lucky dice rolls) will tell.

As I think you can tell, I will be running Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition as PbP for level 1 characters. I have two other groups running this campaign currently, and since all the maps, plot points etc are already made, I'm willing to take on a third. I am especially interested in those that are new(ish) to PbP format or to RotRL AP.

I hope to begin Monday, June 24 at the latest. If we get quality & qualified applications quick enough we can start sooner.

About the GM: (I think this is important info, but I have a vested interest, sue me):
I have done some PbP as PC, and have extensive (if a little dated) GM/DM experience in RL, going all the way back to 1st Edition. I have GM’ed the first parts of this AP for live group in the recent past, although they are a little bogged down in Book 3 now. As mentioned, I have 2 existing groups running this campaign; I think I would get a positive endorsement from any of my players (especially given those sweet magic items I dangled for them...)

I am in US Central Time (Houston TX metro area, yee-haw!), and usually do most posting between 9-12 PM (after my girls are asleep), but will check throughout the day. If it’s really interesting, I will post when I should be working (but I may also work when I should be posting, so it evens out). I am a card-carrying Republican, have an MBA, and am employed by a Fortune 500 healthcare company in a Corporate (yes, that’s suits and ties, folks –even on Friday’s) role, and travel frequently. I also have 2 girls and associated familial responsibilities that I put before gaming. Sometimes there will be a hiatus as a result, but it will be brief and noted in advance whenever possible.

I am a fan of the traditional Core rules, classes etc, and that highly intriguing Goblin Ninja Oracle with some exotic weapon you’re dying to play, just isn’t that cool to me. Let’s do bread and butter, but do it really well.

I am committed to your game playing enjoyment and plan to run this AP through to completion even if takes several months/years to complete. I am open to and welcome feedback and constructive criticism. I hope you will welcome the same.

Character Creation Guidelines:
RotRL is geared for 4 PC’s covering the major classes types (melee, divine, arcane, and skills) and that’s what I’ll be looking for. I may expand the number to 6 to account for the eventual (and apparently certain) dropouts. Only complete applicants will be considered with Deadline of 10PM on Monday June 24 (sooner if the response is overwhelming). A complete application includes the following:
1. Characters are level one to begin
2. Good Alignment preferred (you are heroes, right?); I can live with Neutral; but Evil probably won’t make the cut. Chaotic, Lawful, what do I care???
3. 150gp starting wealth (spend wisely my friends)
4. Max HP 1st level (we’ll roll for subsequent levels)
5. Classes from Core are preferred; APG will be considered but given lesser priority, future multi-classing is okay provided it fits the story or build.
6. Standard races preferred. If you want to play something unusual I may allow it based on background, but will likely choose a Core-built player over you, if all else is equal.
7. NO third party publishing sources allowed
8. 1 normal traits, plus 1 from RotRL Player Guide (link below)
9. 20 point buy with no stat above 18 or below 7 before racial adjustment (obvious Min/Maxing will likely result in not being selected)
10. Plot appropriate Character background including reason you are in Sandpoint.
11. Full stat-block on your character, including link to character sheet. I am happy to transfer your build to Hero Lab if you need help with a formal character sheet.
12. Extended details on their Character Settings in their Class/Level field on the forums here. Details: Class Level | AC XX T XX FF XX | HP XX/XX | F +X R +X W +X | Init+X | Perc+X. Please keep these updated as the game progresses.
13. Give me an OOC run-down of your PbP experience, and your exposure to RotRL AP as player, GM, or both.

RotRL Player Guide – please familiarize yourself if necessary, and create a suitable background and reason for being in Sandpoint. Long time citizens of Sandpoint, or relatives, friends, enemies, lovers, or stalkers of main NPC’s will be moved down in consideration, behind those without such attachments. Sorry, if your PC is Ameiko’s long-lost conjoined twin, you’re probably out. (Exploration of the town is part of the game, so living there and having a pre-conceived relation takes away some flavor).

Expectations of Players:
1. Drop-outs can be replaced, but it can cause delays so I would prefer individuals that can stick around for the whole AP
2. Prefer minimum posts of 1/day for weekdays, 1/weekend, more if at all possible, especially during combats (or when I’m bored).
3. I am all too familiar with RL distractions, and would appreciate the courtesy of a note if you need to miss chunks of time – you’ll get DM-PC’ed to keep the game moving. Hopefully, you’ll survive…
4. Use appropriate language, formatting, behavior, and decorum. I am all for having a good time, but let’s be respectful.
5. Ability to separate IC from OOC knowledge – if you’ve played or GMed this AP before, don’t worry you’re eligible, just don’t give the game away for others. Please don’t read private spoilers etc as they are marked private for a reason (usually to enhance your game play).
6. Understanding that role-play is more important to me than “roll-play”. Dice don’t always determine things like Diplomacy or Bluff, especially if you sell it!
7. Be prepared to play your alignment. This has always been a pet peeve of mine. (Does that make me Lawful? -- you decide). Lawful Good still gives you a wide range of options and behavior choices in situations, but ultimately your PC’s ethics, principals and mores (or lack thereof) need to win out.
8. I am NOT a stickler for RAW and may (from time to time) deviate in the interest of a better game (usually to the players benefit, but not always) or for what I think is more plausible in a given situation. Feel free to call me on it and to post your favorite rule references to back up your case, but GM’s rulings are FINAL (unless my wife walks in). If you want to get into a rules argument, go to the Message Boards…we’re here to have fun.
9. If you have unique spell or ability, please link or cut and paste via spoiler the PRD version so I don’t have to research to understand the power, range, duration, et al. I readily admit I don’t have all the rules memorized and you speed up things for everyone by this simple courtesy.

Good Luck with creation, sorry for boring you to tears, and hopefully I’ll see you in the game soon.

I'm raising an "Interested" flag here.

Just a heads up: I have no prior PbP experience, but I do have prior free-form forum roleplay experience, and plenty of tabletop pathfinder. I have not, however, had contact with RotRL. Please let me know if any of that is an issue.

I'll start drafting up a character.

Edit: Most likely some kind of unusual bard.

I'd like to submit this character for your consideration. Spears is a spear fighter and he would love to run this AP. I've GM'd the first few encounters, so I don't have a lot of experience.

I'll work on his story and such tomorrow.

dotting, will you be giving out PFS chronicles?

I've played a a few sessions of ROTR, but didn't get even halfway through the first book. As far as PBP, well I'm in a Jade Regent right now, and have been in a few other PBP that all seem to end abruptly. I have general PBP roleplay experience from several years ago in a rules agnostic setting however.

Dotting, I'll put up a cleric for consideration sometime tomorrow

Dotting for interest.

Cydrius - ok to be new to pbp and RotRL; don't make your bard too strange. Remember to try to stick to core.

"Spears" - ok on first blush.

Dylos - sorry no PFS credit, unfortunately that's the fate of many PbP's; I'm trying to get some dedicated folks together.

Cydrius here.

I'm sticking to core. I think "unusual" might have been a bit of a strong word. I'm just having fun with making something a little different than "Charming young man with a lute and a divine voice."

Edit: I have a full character sheet up right here.

Note: For simplicity's sake, I've used the bard's kit from Ultimate Equipment to gear up. If this is a problem, let me know and I'll do it the old fashioned way instead.

Expect some character background and descriptions, as well as the abridged character sheet on this alias's profile this weekend at the very latest, and most likely before that.

I've been wanting to play a Lissalan cleric seperatist (revisionist) in Runelord for some time. My plan was to play them LN with LG tendencies.

I honestly don't know if the Lissalan thing is appropriate for Runelords though - I've got the book but haven't read it.

Interested. Definitely interested. Been interested in actually playing RotRL for a while.

Interested in running a non-magical martial character. I tend to do badly with full caster classes. Fighter probably, though I'm not averse to Paladin, Barbarian or Urban Ranger. Probably a standard Human.

Will do up a character when I get off work.

Should have said

Doctor Evil: Is a revisionist LN-LG Lissalan cleric problematic for Runelords?

Dotting. Been in a ROTL campaign that didn't last past the first encounter. It was a witch, so I won't be submitting that.

Question: Do you allow non core options, such as subdomains, subschools, archetypes, etc.? If so, are the setting books (ISWG), etc. allowed?

I could play a battlefield control wizard opposite Harakani's Cleric. Interesting dialogue, that.

Dotting for interest. I'm thinking about a CN rogue or ranger with the possibility of multiclassing for some arcane spells later. I'll post more information this evening after work.

Dotting for interest - looking at a Wizard/Cyphermage concept.

I saw the Eager Performer trait which twigged an idea that's been mulling around in my head for a Bard. It's a fluff rather than crunch idea, so sticking to the core should work fine (although I suppose the Court Bard archetype would fit too, I'll put it together without that to see how he looks).

Corporal Aleksander Kramer, City Guardsman (Urban Ranger 1).

Fluff and character as attached. Slightly miserable sod.

Just checking in with the GM:
"In addition to the following campaign traits, the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide has a selection of campaign traits from James Jacobs’ “Shadows under Sandpoint” campaign that would also be appropriate for use in this campaign"

I'm using the 'Exile' trait from the APG to represent Alek's banishment to the boondocks. Is that okay with you?

I've never played pbp. I been tryin to get into one for like 2 weeks. I am playing this AP at home with a group but I came in super late at 11th lvl so I missed lots of it. Id like to roll up a magus for this pbp game. I don't have time to read all the deatail right now, I'm at work, but ill bookmark this page and read it later tonight or tomarrow and create a toon

I had time to read at lunch. I'm gonna make a magus sometime this weekend. I'm new to pbp so I'm unframiliar with uow people are supposed to format

Just popping into answer a few questions, will be back later for more detailed looks

Harakani - I am afraid the Thassilonian ties of Lissala probably DQ her from my game, basic knowledge of your deity would give away much of the mystery of this AP.

Dark Netwerk - non core choices are fine, as long as you can link the associated rules. Just remember the more exotic your build, the less likely I'll pick you. Keep it simple(ish). I have a Court Bard in one of my games now and it works well - although there is a Bard submitted already...

Dies Irae - Shadows Under Sandpoint traits are fine will look at Kramer in more detail tonight.

Jimibones - you can post your guy in the profile section or link to a character sheet like Mythweavers etc. Good Luck figuring it out.

Thanks for the interest. Will BBL to give more thorough look at submissions so far.

Oh, lol, so there is. I guess the image threw me. And I was thinking of a "Charming young man with a lute and a divine voice.", lol. I don't see to many of those these days with all the archetypes.

Ok. Maybe I'll think of something else and save "The Scarlet Minstrel" for another game, lol.

I too am interested. I haven't done much PbP, but I've been reading some current games to get a feel for the flavor of it.

I also haven't played RotRL before, and would be very interested. I am submitting my character, Oswin Durnhelm. He's a straight-up human cleric of Iomedae.

I need to pick traits, but all the other details are on the profile.

Aleksandr - for backstory are you saying he's now posted in Sandpoint? That day job might get in the way a little. You can have him be mustered out if you like better...

Oswin - just to be clear; no PFS credit for this game just for fun.

Here is what I have submitted as concepts so far:

Melee
"Spears" Friggens - Human Fighter; double spear wielding

Divine
Oswin Durnhelm - Human Cleric of Iomedae

Skill
Alexandr Kramer - Human urban Ranger; from Magnimar Watch (I know Ranger could fit in Melee too).
Baroch of the Scarsong - Human Bard, no backstory yet.

Arcane
none

Lots of dots; we'll see if they form into characters or not.

Actually, Spears is a single spear user with a shield.

I'm not sure what way I'd go with him, but I'd like to try a sorcerer for the arcane role. I'm on my smart phone right now, so it'll be a few hours before I have something posted up in that category.

"Spears" - so he is; my mistake.

Shadowy Fox - you have time not planning on starting/choosing until Monday unless I get knocked out by submissions.

For the sake of keeping your list up to date, since I probably won't have time to backstory up until tomorrow evening: Baroch is coming in from the Eager Performer trait, and comes from distant rural regions. (I'll need to figure out where in the setting.) He's pursuing some personal ideals that past events have given him doubts about. In short, he wants to prove to himself that he can accomplish something important with his deep voice and his big heart.

Also I'm building him as a melee-capable bard.

Perhaps an Elven Spire Defender... Sent to Sandy Point by his superiors based on some prophecy or vision he's not privy to.

Perhaps waiting for years, with nothing until...

Could be a Wizard if that fits better.

Hardish Swift, presented for your approval. All stats and a brief background are in the profile. I prefer to keep all of my information in one location where possible, please let me know if you would like this formatted differently.

I'm ok with no PFS credit, I just was adapting the character to the campaign setting.

Btw, I live in Utah, so I'm only one time zone away and I also can post most at night after the kiddos are asleep.

Baruch look at players guide for a little nudge. Possible shoanti roots?

An elven wizard sent to Sandpoint makes sense. But he'll need to be on the way to make it play right. Portents and omens foretell something...

Harakani - I am afraid the Thassilonian ties of Lissala probably DQ her from my game, basic knowledge of your deity would give away much of the mystery of this AP.

Thanks for being straight with me.

you've got time

Background's up.

I've not got the sheet done, but I was considering (just because I like the sound of the bloodline) a starsoul sorcerer.

Aleksandr - for backstory are you saying he's now posted in Sandpoint? That day job might get in the way a little. You can have him be mustered out if you like better...

Well... I just had Aleksander discharged.

Hope that works better for the campaign.

Applying with Luciene Seren, a Human Ancestral Oracle. We'll see how he goes.

OK. I think I'll go with a dwarven monk with the Monk of the Sacred Mountain archetype.

I'll stat it up today and hopefully have a complete submission ready by tomorrow.

I finished adding traits, and have cleaned up my background to be more consistent with world lore and the campaign.

I have changed Spears to a Neutral Good alignment, didn't make sense for him to have a background of city guard and be Chaotic.

I'm putting his background in the alias, but the site reset on me and I lost the history I had typed, so I am putting it in Notepad now. Should be up by end of the day.

As for player information:

I own a copy of the original Pathfinder 1: Rise of the Runelords. I played in a campaign that spanned approximately 2 sessions, then went kaput. We didn't get much beyond the first 3 encounters. I'm a regular to PBP campaigns, though I have not played one recently. My last game on the Paizo Forums was the now defunct CthulhuTech campaign, The Screaming Sky where I managed one to two posts a day, barring outside interference such as business trips.

My style of posting tends towards the 'introspective', with a major focus on character personality and thoughts.

Also, in case of emergency, Aleks can be rapidly rebuilt from a skill focused Ranger to a stock 2H Fighter with minimal hassle while keeping the same back story.

Player Information from me.

I have not played Rise of the Runelords. As for PbP games on these forums, I have participated in a few, though most have them have gone t+#~ up. The ones that didn't that I participated in, I had to drop out as my house was hit by lightning.

However, I have been participating in a couple other PbP games offsite, which have been going on for the better part of 8 or 9 months now. I can typically post once a day, possibly twice if the game is a little bit faster, but erratically in terms of time of the day, as work puts me on shifting schedules.

OK. Here is a link to Dolgrin Hammerfist. Let me know if you need something more regarding his crunch or his background.

As for me, I've done PbP games for about a year, all on this site. I've been playing Pathfinder, D&D, etc for many years (with a few years hiatus in the middle). My RotRL experience, as mentioned previously, was a PbP campaign (original edition). It lasted about two rounds into the first encounter before it fell apart.

Just an update on submissions so far:

Melee
"Spears" Friggens - Human Fighter; ex-guardsman from Magnimar
Dolgrin Hammerfist - Dwarf Monk of Sacred Mountain

Divine
Oswin Durnhelm - Human Cleric of Iomedae
Luciene Seren - Ancestral Wandering Oracle; speaks with dead

Skill
Alexandr Kramer - Human urban Ranger; from Magnimar Watch (I know Ranger could fit in Melee too).
Baroch of the Scarsong - Human Bard, wants to be a star of the stage; melee capable
Hardish Swift - Half-Elf Rogue with Shoanti ties

Arcane
none

Still no Arcane submissions. Usually those fill up quick. Will continue to see who else drops in.

Probably tonight, Arcane all the way... How are you with crafting?

Crafting magic items? I'll need to brush up a bit, but as long as it's in the rules I can find a reference and make it work. If you want to start out with crafted items, then you'll probably get less cash to start, ok?

No need to start out with... Just, by the book. Some people don't allow it, or make it difficult, always rule against the player, etc...

Ring of Sustenance would be nice along the way... More waking hours crafting.

Offered for your review, Zindelo, Cleric of the Drunken Hero.

As far as my PbP experience, I've played in a couple of games which didn't get too far along. I also am running a 1ed Temple of Elemental Evil Campaign that I ended up taking over when the original DM dropped out. I'm Eastern time zone, and posting 1+ times a day isn't difficult for me.

Wasn't there a Thassilonian Scholar Trait?

Also you warned about obvious min/maxing... I could min/max more if allowed.

So... I've been doing some thinking, and I'm just... not feeling this character. I don't think I'd be motivated to play him.

As bad luck would have it, I won't really have time this weekend to come up with another, so I'm going to drop out of the running for this one, before it begins. (I definitely wouldn't want to drop out in the middle of a campaign.)

Thank you very much for the opportunity, DoctorEvil, and good luck to everyone in the running!