I never really took note of the difference between bardic performance increasing and arch luck being static. Having the rounds increase with level does make sense, I'd be happy either way.
I'm not particularly attached to the longsword or the shortbow but all things being equal, yes. I figure that though Felliped has had some training with the sword it's not something he ever loved or focused on before he decided to run away from his home and country by joining the pathfinder society. It seemed prudent to take arms with him to such a distant land I imagine he pinched the masterwork longsword from his families armoury.
- You should have a wayfinder in your missing gear, from the Seeking Adventure trait.
- Looks like there are two copies of the Noble Scion feat; one from the Pathfinder Campaign Setting, and one from the Inner Sea World Guide. The PCS version has the names of the Chelish houses, which is very cool, but it's 3.5 material, whereas the ISWG version is updated for PFRPG. The ISWG also gives you +2 to Knowledge (nobility) no matter which house you choose. Go ahead and take it, though it will probably only help you once or twice in the campaign.
- Add the bonus from Noble Scion in to your skill stats.
- Change the name of the avatar to Felliped Leroung. Or Felliped Leroung of House Leroung, if you want to. I hate to take the exact name of an NPC from an adventure path on the forums.
- Perception at the top of your stat block needs to reflect your archaeologist bonus.
- Still need a written backstory, up until the point you join the Pathfinders.
Here's where we are after that point. I may have already given you some of this; feel free to personalize your reactions however you want.
Your voyage across the Inner Sea to Osirion is blissfully uneventful. You are traveling with one other Pathfinder, a cleric of Abadar. (I'll try to get a player recruited for them by the time you actually join the campaign, so we'll know their real name/gender.) Your mission is to travel to the mysterious ghost town of Kelmarane, which was abandoned in mysterious circumstances a few decades before. Of particular interest to the Society is the Temple of Sarenrae, which may contain valuable and interesting artifacts. However, unraveling the mystery of the town's abandonment is also a goal. The two of you are both well suited to this kind of work, but travel across the desert, through potentially hostile gnoll territory, is not really either of your fortes, so you hire a local guide/bodyguard in Ipeq, the last city in Osirion before you reach the Brazen Peaks and their associated wastelands, which form the border with Katapesh. This is another PC, probably a ranger.
The three of you successfully cross the Brazen Peaks and make your way into Kelmarane, heading first for the Temple of Sarenrae. The ground floor is severely damaged and thoroughly looted, and the stairs to the basement are magically sealed. As you are trying to decipher the nature of the spell, you are set upon by a large number of gnolls, who capture the party.
Over the next days, you find that the intelligence of the Pathfinder Society, and of your local guide, are out of date, and the town, far from being abandoned, has been taken over by a group of gnolls known as the Kulldis Tribe. They are led, not by a gnoll, but by a towering human-like creature named Kardswann. The tribe mostly lives in a large round building called the Battle Market, which they run as a gladiatorial ring and meeting place for slavers, smugglers, and other unwholesome characters. You and your companions are stripped of your gear and placed in tiny cells, where you are given scant water and food. You do not know if you will be sold as slaves, forced to fight on the Battle Market stage, or eaten by the savage gnolls and their hyenas. You finally manage to escape your cell (improvised lock picks, charm person, whatever) but you are almost caught, and do not have time to spring your companions. You can vow to come back for them or not, that's up to you.
That's basically the story as it stands. Depending on how Valik goes about things, you will be hiding in an abandoned building in Kelmarane, or some other nearby landmark. I'll also give you some retroactive knowledge checks for information about Kardswann, the Kulldis Gnolls, the spell sealing the temple, etc.
Just checking in to say I'm working on the backstory. It's beginning to come together, though tonight I have to plan for my local star wars game. Sorry it's taking so long :)
I've been thinking about the other three players we had before. They weren't bad players, but I don't like how they disappeared without saying anything. I think that by doing that, they gave up their spots. So I think I'm just going to open up a recruitment thread for the other two characters that are coming up. I think that rather than first come first serve, I'll give it a few days and see who the best applicants are. You guys are welcome to help me pick which submissions you like best.
So here are three options:
- Upon his escape, Felliped flees to the west, and is encountered wandering in the hills.
- Felliped is at the guard post, either because he went there by himself after his escape, or because he was brought there by its inhabitants. (As guest or prisoner, I will leave as a surprise.)
- Felliped is picked up by the giant bird and brought back to its nest as food for its young, so he arrives directly at the monastery.
Any preference?
Just how big is this giant bird? I do kind of like the idea of being dragged into the monastery half delirious with heat exhaustion. Sounds like fun roleplay :)
Works for me!
Its going to be interesting seeing what people come up with when they have to make a fixed character set.
New recruitment thread is up.
I also updated the Campaign Info page. There are a few minor changes to house rules there. Two I specifically want to call out are the change to using hero points from the GMG, and flex-time. You guys are already in, so if you have issues with any changes, we can talk about it.
When you say you like the idea of being dragged in weak with heat exhaustion, is that by the bird, or by the party?
As a young boy he would spend hours sitting at his father Rodrigo's feet in the massive family library listening to dry old pages crackle as they were turned. His father would read to him from the some of the oldest tomes, teaching Felliped the history of Galarion of Taldor and of the greatest nation (in Rodrigo's opinion) Cheliax. He learnt of Aroden's death and how the noble house Thrune turned to Asmodeus to keep control of the Empire and the nations standing on the world scale.
In the evenings before bed his mother Jovana would teach him how to work small magicks through with rhymes.
He had a happy childhood and he loved his father and mother, but as he grew he began to realise that the power the noble families received from Asmodeus came at a heavy cost. He started to notice the slavery and oppression of the other races, and how not only did the clerics of the church accept blood and flesh as offerings but how the worship of devils always brought pain and destruction to someone. These truths burnt him to the core and when he tried to share them with his mother she would shrug and try to explain that it was just the way the world was and when he brought it up with his father he would rationalise it away saying that the Noble families would have been wiped out in the civil wars had it not been for Asmodeus.
Felliped's view of his Family, people and Empire began to change, he began to despise what he was and what had been done to the peoples of Cheliax.
At Felliped's request Rodrigo hired a Tutor for him as he no longer wished to study with his father. Rodrigo hired an unassuming native Chelish scholar named Nevio Mancini.
Nevio broadened Felliped's studies teaching him of other lands and peoples from all over Golarion and even other planes of existence. Nevio often mentioned the Pathfinder Society in their studies adding new things the society had discovered into the sometimes dry text of the history books. Felliped would end his days dreaming of signing up and seeing all the places he had learnt about first hand.
It wasn't long before a hint here and there revealed to Felliped that Nevio thought as he did, that the cost of devil worship was far to high but it took several years before Nevio revealed that he was part of a resistance movement against the Noble houses and the worship of Asmodeus.
Felliped was thrilled to have such a friend and yet Nevio cautioned him against getting involved. Felliped found his own way of helping however, sneaking around and obtaining information from his father about the Noble Houses movements that he thought would be useful to the resistance and them subtly dropping it into conversations with Nevio. It didn't take Nevio long to work it out and after that they would often spend almost as much time exchanging information as they did studying. So began the years that Felliped would remember as the best from his youth, feeling he was making a real difference to improve Cheliax.
Seven years were spent carefully passing information to the resistance and really Felliped was lucky to avoid detection that long. Queen Abrogail II was beginning to suspect House Leroung of treachery, Rodrigo was being left out of councils and was left uninvited to annual ball. This made him suspicious and he began to look around himself for who was to blame, he never expected to find it was his own son and the Tutor he had personally hired.
The rage that came over him was horrific and sent him charging up to the library pulling down a sword from the family crest displayed next to the library doors he charged screaming across the room Felliped fell of his chair trying to escape, Nevio leapt up pulling a small dagger to defend himself. Felliped watched on as his father fought ferociously Nevio backing away barely blocking the worst of the blows. Tears streamed down Felliped's cheeks, he new that it was himself that had brought this fate upon his only friend. He ran to the crest and drew the other sword, he had been trained in the basics of swordplay as most of the other nobles were, He raced across the room to Nevio's aid screaming at him to escape, clashing swords with his father feeling the blood spray from his forehead as his father made a glancing blow. Felliped was no match for Rodrigo, a much better swordsman and far stronger than his son. It wasnt long before Felliped was knocked off his feet flying back and hitting a free standing bookshelf, it rolled back and then began to topple forwards. Felliped rolled out of the way as his father charged in to finish him off. The bookshelf fell and landed on Rodrigo as Felliped raced from the room still clutching the family blade and chased by his fathers screaming.
Felliped didn't stop running for miles. What would he do now, he couldn't go home, it probably wasn't even safe to stay in the city anymore. He stopped in the slums swapping his clothes for something less conspicuous and some stitches for his head. Wrapping his sword in a cloak he hitched a ride out of the city heading south with a merchants caravan. The first few days were spent in sullen silence feeling sorry for himself but before they reached Westcrown he had made up his mind. He would join the Pathfinder Society and live out his childhood dream. When they reached the city he thanked the merchants selling them his rings in return for armour and supplies then made his way to Delvehaven where he met 'The Lawyer' and was assigned his first mission an archeological trip to the distant wilds of Katapesh.
Yup, all of that is fine for Valik to see too. It's a darker background than I was imagining for Felliped, but it fits well and I like it. Well done.
Nice. I like it. Chelaxians can be hard to make heroic characters for, there seems to need to be a rejection of the nation's values for it to work properly.
Quite well thought out and balanced I think.
You had never heard of the Kulldis Gnolls before being captured by them. You gather that most of the gnolls in this area owe allegiance to the "Carrion King," who you understand to be a particularly large and ferocious gnoll that lives in the mountains somewhere, a sort of overlord for all the tribes of the Brazen Peaks. Most nights at around midnight, the gnolls of Kelmarane communicate with the Carrion King through long-distance howling, which incorporates elements of the Gnoll language.
The existence of a large-scale organization, however rudimentary, is a little unusual for gnolls, as is the fact that the Kulldis tribe is ruled by a non-gnoll. However, the thing that really seems unusual about the Kulldis Tribe, and, based on the contents of the howled messages, the entire domain of the Carrion King, is that they do not worship the Mother of Monsters, Lamashtu, as do most gnolls; instead, they seem to favor Rovagug, the Rough Beast. Both are dark gods, whose followers revel in slaughter, so from the perspective of a prisoner, there is little difference between the two. From an academic perspective, however, it is noteworthy.
The stairwell in the temple of Sarenrae ends at a door, on which there is a metal plate carved with irregularly spaced lines, which emit a red glow. You think you recall having heard of such a thing, though you have never seen it before: it is an interdict seal, a rare magic item used, to your knowledge, only by the Pactmasters of Katapesh and their underlings. It acts like a very powerful arcane lock, sealing doors against intrusion. It is proof against most magical attempts to remove it. The only way to open it is usually to use the matching interdict key, though very powerful magics can also destroy the seal.
Gah! Freaky scimitar!
Gah! Freaky scimitar!
Like I told Valik when he got swallowed by the slime mold: things just got interesting. ;-)
I don't know if you guys have been paying attention in the recruitment thread. We currently have 2 more-or-less complete submissions for "the Lawyer", and 3 for the "the Hunter." All of them get my approval for meeting the assigned concept, although the two Lawyers are very different, and I think the party could succeed with any of them. I'd like to get your input about which ones you'd most like to have in the party. The submission cutoff is in about 20 hours (talking about days and times with you two is confusing and pointless), and I'll try to choose relatively quickly after that. PM me your opinions before, or shortly after, then. I'd also like to hear which one of the two roles you would like to have join the party first. The default would be Lawyer, then Hunter, but it's pretty arbitrary.
Something I was thinking might be fun, if Kip84 and the applicants are in to it, is having Felliped and whichever "lawyer" is chosen roleplay through their attempts to hire a guide in Ipeq; all of the sumbitted characters could be there, hanging about, and we could see how they play their characters. It would also give the new characters something to do until they are encountered in the "present" timeline, which will be a little while, since Valik and Felliped haven't even met yet. (Soon though!)
Edit: For your convenience:
Lawyers:
Theodric Stavian, Human male cleric
Cybele Hellscape, Aasimar female oracle
Hunters:
Zahir Arshad, Suli male ranger
Ali Al'Zahrid, Human male ranger
Vonna the Huntress, Human female ranger
Reading the entries, I think that Thodric will probably work the best. The Hunters though....I can't get a good feeling for any of them. Probably Ali.
I'm also a fan of what Theodric has going on. Though the final decision is yours Magster. Roleplaying hiring the guide does sound fun I'd definetly be up for that
Two more submissions came before the deadline:
Hunter:
Ghostclaw, Gnoll male ranger.
Lawyer:
Dekur d'Traab, Human male cleric of Abadar.
Ali Al'Zahrid also filled out his backstory quite a bit.
Zahir moves through Ipeq to the place where his contacts told him the Pathefinders were located. A chance to help rid Kelmarane of gnolls seems a worthy cause.
He asks around the area he was directed to about if the Pathfinders are around.
He finds a shady spot waiting to meet and hopefully can make a good impression.
A Pathfinder mission to Kelmarane. How surprising would that be for Sivanshakti to guide me back to the Brazen Peaks? The scarred gnoll pulls hood a little closer as he moves deftly through the Ipeq markets on the way to the meeting location hoping to escape the notice of any ruffians. The Osiriani are not always known for their openness to his kind.
Okay, I have to warn you that it's about to be a very trying couple of weeks for me. I'm trying to get my master's thesis finished up, and due to some disturbing events over the last few days, I'm filing for a change of custody of my daughter. I'll still try to keep up with the campaign, but I may be a little slower to respond than I have been. Now here goes:
Languages: The assumption for this campaign, at least at the moment, is that everyone is talking in Kelish unless otherwise stated, because it is the local language. During the guide-interview scene in Ipeq, Osiriani or Common are more likely.
Humans all get their local language for free; for the hunters, that's probably Kelish, or maybe Osiriani.
For Felliped, it's Chelish, and is already be on his sheet.
Theodric doesn't get the extra language, because Common is already Taldane, but he does speak a more pure form than most other characters. One or both of you may want to change one of your known languages to Kelish. You haven't had time to learn Chelish since being assigned to a mission in Katapesh, but it makes sense that your Venture Captain would pick people for the mission that speak the local language. It's not an absolute necessity; you can speak in Common and most everyone will understand you, and that could actually be fun roleplaying. A point in linguistics at the next level is another solution.
Zahir, since you were raised among humans in Katapesh, go ahead and take Kelish for free. Your elemental language can be something you barely remember, spoken to you by your mother while she rocked you to sleep as a child; like your other Suli traits, it is dormant for the moment. I do recommend Terran or Ignan instead of Aquan or Auran.
Ali, you have Gnoll and Common on your sheet. You get Common and Kelish for free, but Gnoll would require either a +1 Int modifier or a point in Linguistics.
Vonna, add Kelish.
Ghostclaw, languages are fine.
Some background information:
As of the recruitment scene in Ipeq, you do not know that the town is inhabited by gnolls; you only know that the Brazen Peaks are host to gnolls and other bandits, and that the arid environment can be dangerous.
You may have heard of the Carrion King, a powerful gnoll who is becoming overlord of the local gnoll tribes, but none of you except possibly Ghostclaw have ever seen him. His center of power is at Pale Mountain, in the heart of the Brazen Peaks, several day's travel through rough country from Kelmarane.
Both of your character backgrounds show that you are very familiar with the Golarion campaign setting, and you have done a good job weaving your backstories into the world. That is good, and it gives me a lot to work with. I do want to make sure though... You haven't read this AP, have you? I was expecting to have to tell any gnoll PCs all that stuff to put into their backstory!
The Ipeq market scene is all roleplaying, so you guys can mostly handle it yourselves. If necessary, I can do a post setting the scene later today or tomorrow, but since I have a lot on my plate, you guys can get started without me if you want. I haven't really looked at Ipeq at all, and it's not going to be important later in the adventure, so set yourselves up in a tavern, marketplace, or wherever seems best. Felliped and Theodric, interview the hunters, give them a chance to make their characters shine, but don't make a decision; I will take your opinions into account, but I do still want to make the final pick.
Put your posts in spoilers that say "Ipeq, 22 Desnus 4711," in the gameplay thread. That puts it about two weeks before the "current" date in the campaign, 7 Sarenith.
Checking in.
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Ali slipped though the wind-blown streets of Ipeq, slapping the grasping hand of a pickpocket away. Another dusty city with the poor in their hovels and an aura of desperation in the air. This is the last stop before the desert wastes. Time to move on Ali... Moving towards the sandstone walls of the local caravan guild Ali paused to size up his situation. Your gold is running out, and the dry season is about to start, with the hotter weather the oasis waypoints along the route to Katapesh will start to dry out. Better to leave now then chance the dunes during the height of summer.
"Unique and obscure wares! Fine and rare from the four corners of the world." bellowed the fat merchant.
Striding upto the stall Ali hesitated for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "Hamid, spare me the peddling. I'm looking for another job. Do you know any caravans leaving the city soon?"
"Ali my friend! A thousand, thousand apologys my friend, I did not see you there." Clasping Ali about the shoulders the fat merchant gave Ali a kiss first on the right cheek and the on the left. "Praise be unto the gods my friend. It's been months since I have see from your last trip."
Deserts preserve me, but he gets more grandiose by the year. "And the many blessing of the gods upon you as well, Hamid. Like I said, I'm looking for a job, heard anything as of late?
"Sadly no caravans my friend, the dry season will slow everything down, you ofcouse should know these things." Chucking the merchant wipes his brow and continues. "However, just this morning I learned that two Pathfinder's are seeking a guide though the brazen peaks. I believe they are staying at the Red Lion, you might want to seek the out."
Great post, Ali, but it should go in the gameplay thread, in a spoiler. ;-)
Tips for IPhone/IPad users ( like my self) in the settings section select general then keyboard. From there, there should be a section called shortcuts. You can add your own! For example when I type bo auto correct will add the code for bold text to begin and when I type xbo it adds the symbol for bold text to end. I've down it with most of the code required for roleplay and my goodness it saves alot of time switching bettween letters/numbers/symbol keyboards.
Regarding Theodric's post: that should actually be a different flex-time; Felliped and Theodric would have met at Delvehaven in Westcrown, about a month prior. Roleplaying that too is a good idea, though, proceed.
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Thanks, Ludi. Fixed it, and changed the time line in text.
Tip #2 for iPhone/iPad users, but not restricted to such:
ALWAYS copy your posts before submitting. You never know when the site goes down.
Also, if you're using Chrome, wait until the site comes back up, and then hit back on your browser. It always recovers my lost text if I forgot to copy.
edit: Also, swapped out Kelish for Osiriani. Given the poetic, scholarly and historical use, and it's influence on Taldane, I think it makes perfect sense.
Languages - Kelish added. Liking the test drive.
I have the AP. Read the first two books when it first came out. While I would love to play, if this causes any concern, I'll withdraw.
I have been experience at keeping player/character knowledge separate (and its been a long time on this one). Best example I can offer up is I'm both running and playing Skull and Shackles here (though the one I'm GMing is on hiatus).
As for Ghostclaw's background specifically, I recalled the Gnolls of the Brazen Peaks article. Started at the back and thought the Wormhollow tribe was perfect for him.
Updated the campaign page with posting guidelines, where it used to say "more coming soon."
If I were Zahir, I might not want to give away all my advice for free before being given the job, anyway.
Will have a post for Valik tomorrow probably. It will be a long one, and I spent the day today in court/talking to lawyers. Blah.
I have a long drive today and a rehearsal dinner for my sister-in-law's (wife's sister) wedding. I may not be able to post until late.
More responses coming tomorrow for Ali and Zahir. It's midnight here time for bed!
I am sorry that things are sucking right now. I am good with a slooooow posting rate while you get everything organized. I am also good with helping you relax and taking your mind off RL for a few minutes.
Cheers, good luck, and you have my prayers going out for a very successful conclusion.
Yeah, it's going to be a hard choice for Magister Ludi :)
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So I know that I am blatantly ripping off the story's from 1001 nights but I couldn't resist. Years ago, I played in a Al-Qadim campaign and I came up with an idea for a character that was a lore keeper for the stories from 1001 Nights. I never got to play him before my group moved onto something else so since then he has been sitting in the back of my mind waiting for the right campaign. =)
Oh and if you are ever looking for some cool character/RP flavor, check out this site: Al-Qadim Its got a lot of great idea for Arabian / Pathfinder based character development.