Grit & Gore (Inactive)

Game Master Brian Minhinnick

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Hey guys, I've invited you here in preparation for a game I want to run here on the boards. I've played with all of you before, and you're all great players. I think most of you know each other already, but if not I'll hope you'll get to know each other soon. The game I'm wanting to do is a Sword & Sorcery setting using modified Pathfinder rules. I'm calling the ruleset and the default setting Grit & Gore.

Here is a document with all the rules and the setting stuff so far:
Grit & Gore

If everyone is willing to play, I'm hoping to do the rest of the world building cooperatively. You guys can either ask me questions about things you'd want to know and I'd write them, or you can make suggestions and I'll take them under strong consideration.

I'm writing an adventure to start the campaign called Jewel of the Wastes. It's still a while off yet, but I want to put this out there to lock down interest and get some world building done if possible. Please let me know what you think. Questions are welcome, thanks for considering!


Checking in!


Heya, super excited. I'm in.


Dotting!


In order to help me build the adventure's encounters to the right strength it would be nice to know what characters I'm going to be working with.

I'm thinking 2nd level, 30 point buy, and 400 GP. You are up and comers in the city of Ahgradin. Your character should have a dirty secret that could be used to blackmail them.

If you have any questions about details of the setting, or suggested additions please let me know.


The two concepts I'm playing with right now are:
A. spell-less skald (knowledge, buffs, 2ndary combatant)
B. maybe seeing if (with the extra feats/house rules) I can make a viable thrown weapon specialist (rogue? urban barbarian? ranger? multiclass?!?)

...So, OK, that doesn't narrow things down much. Knowing our pt buy and starting wealth, I'll start to play more with actual builds over the course of this week.


I'm thinking about doing a Dex based fighter type. How can I get Dex to add to damage?


Thron: two ways:
With a scimitar: Dervish Dance (a la Zoli), OR
With another specific slashing weapon Slashing Grace

Either way, if you're going DEX fighter you should totally go Swashbuckler. It's probably my favorite PF class now.

Jelani, started toying with a Skald today. Are you familiar with the Super Genius Games archetype packages? They're archetypes that can be applied to many classes (listing what they trade for in each case)...and in the case of Ranger and Bard they are replacements for casting, thus making them nice possible fits for Grit & Gore. The ones I think might fit are:
* Blacksnake (whip specialist)
* Harrier
* Physical Exemplar
* Weapon Champion

I was thinking a Skald who uses a whip for control (tripping and disarming) might be an interesting build.

EDIT: Ooooooh, just realized free skill focus + free intimidating prowess == a very nice base for dazzling display. Liking this Skald.


I don't like the SGG archetype packages, sorry.

You could get enforcer combined with Dazzling Display to make an demoralizing/buffing Skald.

The whip automatically does nonlethal without taking a penalty to-hit, and it has a 15' reach. It'd be perfect for that. Some kind of overseer or something. Whenever he/she cracks their whip, people cower in fear.


OK, thought I'd ask. No worries.

Enforcer's an interesting possibility.

Since Blacksnake is off the table, any other ideas about how to get Whip proficiency (other than using a feat on Exotic Weapon Prof)? I notice (unlike Bards) they don't get it by default. (They also get 2 less skill pts / level. Bah. I like their flavor, but they feel more like a nerfed Bard than a Bard-barian. Do the Rage Powers really make up for all of that?)


I would approach it differently. If what you want is a whip user that is good with intimidate, go for that. If you want them to be charismatic or skilled, fine, go for that too.

You need whip mastery. Serpent lash would be nice. Both those should be doable. You've got two levels to work with. List of feats needed:
Level 1:
EWP (Whip) (Human feat)
Weapon Finesse (Free if Dex 13)
Weapon Focus (Whip) (Level 1 feat)
Enforcer (Fighter Bonus Feat)
Level 2:
Whip Mastery (Fighter Bonus Feat)
Level 3:
Serpent Lash (Level 3 feat)

So you need two levels of fighter to get all that going on. I'd take the lore warden archetype to get two additional skill points/level (knowledge local will be useful). Also take favored class fighter and get two more skill points from that. Point buy would be something like...

Str 16 (+2 human for 18), Dex 16, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 14.

Then at third level switch to slayer and continue in that class for a bit for some skill points. Eventually take a 3rd level of lore warden for the +2 to CMB/D.

At least, that's how I would do it. Once you take a slayer level at you grab medium armor prof and switch to a breastplate. Then you've hit AC cap for G&G and you're good to go. Would have good skills, lots of options with the maneuvers, free debuff with every attack. Plus you're fighting from 15' away which keeps you out of harm most of the time.

At least that's how I would do it.

Edit: Or alternatively switch out Enforcer and Serpent Lash. You could also do favored class Slayer and delay those skill points if 7/10 levels are going to be slayer.


Also, guys we haven't heard back from Dien. Since she's posting in other places I can only assume that she's not interested. How would you feel about running with just the three of you? Your characters will all be pretty strong and I can tweak the encounters to match. That and the likelyhood we'll all be on Roll20 together is high. Meaning progress would run smoothly.


Interesting build! I've got a draft skald build here that'll do less damage (and worse CMB) but a powerful dazzling display, and presumably a touch better with knowledge skills. I'll keep tinkering...

A couple more questions:

1. How does Community Minded interact with a Skald's raging song? My guess: It extends the things that're explicitly morale bonuses (+2 str/con, +1 will). It *doesn't* extent anything else (rage power, AC penalty, skill use limitation). The extended morale bonus effects the skald as well. Whaddaya say?

2. You mentioned reskinning campaign traits was cool. What about racial traits like chain master?

As far as the 3-person party, I'm open. In a game like this, I don't think there are many bases to cover. No spells, and everyone has the feats to switch hit. Make sure we collectively have someone with (stealth, disarm device, heal, some knowledge) and we're probably set. Of course, a 3 person party is a strong incentive to play a build other than the skald, since buffing increases in power with more allies (and since Thron probably doesn't use STR to hit or for damage).


Quote:
1. How does Community Minded interact with a Skald's raging song? My guess: It extends the things that're explicitly morale bonuses (+2 str/con, +1 will). It *doesn't* extent anything else (rage power, AC penalty, skill use limitation). The extended morale bonus effects the skald as well. Whaddaya say?

You are correct.

Quote:
2. You mentioned reskinning campaign traits was cool. What about racial traits like chain master?

Yeah, sure, why not? A bit powerful but if we're rolling with 3 that's fine.


Male Huuuman. I think Expert 2

I'm fine with just the 3 of us. I'll have a companion horse at least, which would help.

I'll start working on my character today. 400 gp, 30 point build, level 2, aye?


Traits? How many traaaaiits?


I'm 99% sure it's 2 + the bonus culture trait in Jelani's house rules guide (+ optional drawback).

BTW, I noticed that there are a few archetypes that grant EWP:whip, including:
* fighter (vengeful hunter)
* cavalier (huntsmaster)

I'm quite likely to go with one or the other, at least to start my build...so I guess I hunt stuff. Probably people.

Not sure of overall plan. Maybe Slayer. Maybe Hunstmaster. Probably NOT going far into Skald...although it's possible I'll splash a level of it...especially if I go for a Huntsmaster and get a pack of dogs to go with Crusty's horse-riding character.

/me dreams of the possibilities...


OK, I think I'm close to a build:

1 Fighter (vengeful hunter) 1 -- bonus:EWP (whip), human:enforcer, fighter:weapon focus(whip), level:whip mastery, culture trait: skill focus (intimidate)
2 Slayer 1 --
3 Slayer 2 -- trick: trap finding [if we need it, or else another trick], level: serpent lash
4 Slayer 3
5 Slayer 4 -- combat trick(feat): greater serpent lash, level: improved whip mastery
6 Slayer 5 --
7 Slayer 6 -- combat style: whirlwind attack, level: shatter defenses


Thron wrote:
Traits? How many traaaaiits?

What Gyrfalcon said.


gyrfalcon wrote:

OK, I think I'm close to a build:

1 Fighter (vengeful hunter) 1 -- bonus:EWP (whip), human:enforcer, fighter:weapon focus(whip), level:whip mastery, culture trait: skill focus (intimidate)
2 Slayer 1 --
3 Slayer 2 -- trick: disable device, level: serpent lash
4 Slayer 3
5 Slayer 4 -- combat trick(feat): greater serpent lash, level: improved whip mastery
6 Slayer 5 --
7 Slayer 6 -- combat style: whirlwind attack, level: shatter defenses

Looks like a sweet build. I might pop in a second level of fighter in there somewhere for another feat and the VH's bonus to diplomacy (GI)/Track. Other than that looks perfect for what you want.


Thanks!

Yeah, I could see adding another fighter for track+feat... And maybe another yet to be able to move at full speed in medium armor.

...on the other hand I can't take whirlwind attack until Slayer 6... At which point I can attack all foes within 20' (including free lunge feat) + free intimidate vs all hit, and any that get demoralized are shaken for a length of time=damage dealt. Then next round I can do the same + deal sneak attack to all due to shatter defenses.

As I go, I'll have to weigh both options in practice...


That sounds nasty....very nasty.


Well, we all need something to strive for... ^_^

Gotta get combat reflexes in there somewhere too, at least once I get improved whip mastery.


Thron / Crusty, either of you planning to have any CHA / face skills?

Jelani, does burned trigger off of holding a torch? I kind of like the flavor but expect I could be using a torch a *lot* of the time.


Male Huuuman. I think Expert 2

Diplomacy, yes, but he only has a +6 or so. Also got Sense Motive.


gyrfalcon wrote:

Thron / Crusty, either of you planning to have any CHA / face skills?

Jelani, does burned trigger off of holding a torch? I kind of like the flavor but expect I could be using a torch a *lot* of the time.

Yes, it would trigger. Also, yes, you will probably be around torches/candles a lot.


Here's a rough draft of my whip-using, tracking, intimidating slayer (crunch only).

Name (and backstory) TBD. Jelani, for backstory, can you say more about what will (or won't) be a good fit for the campaign. E.g. an ex-slave on a mission to end slavery might be an awesome character for some campaigns..but not fit well in others.

Started to think about what he can be blackmailed about though...


I was thinking about backgrounds last night. Unfortunately I have had responsible RL things to handle today. I will try to post some more about this tonight.


HP: 5/14 | Stamina: 0/4
Stats:
(AC 17, T 13, FF 14) | CMD 16 | Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +0 | Init +5 | Percept +5

This is my alias, still a work in progress but mostly complete.

Bluff +6
Sense Motive +6

She's no professional, but better than your average Joe.

Edit: As far as a background, perhaps our two slayers could either be related, lovers, or partners in crime? Rarely get to intertwine backstories in advance (aside from Hoots and Groog). Crusty is going to be very knightly, and Sarah is gonna be a sort of roguish type and a flirt.


Okay, stream of consciousness thoughts on character fluff, go!

I want you guys to have robust backgrounds, because your backgrounds are going to be a large part of the world creation. You are already second level, and have really high ability scores so you are exceptional people. This campaign will take place in and around Ahgradin (at least to begin with) so your character should be living there and have some manner of reputation in the city.

I'm going for Conan on the morality scale. He was often a thief, pirate or blade for hire. While not evil on the alignment grid, he's certainly not good either. That's what you should go for. Keep in mind there is no alignment system whatsoever. I want realistic people who sometimes do good things and sometimes do bad things to help themselves. Shades of grey.

RE:Slavery specifically, it will be very very common. In a world without magic and/or fossil fuel mechanical labor, slavery is what supports civilization. Anywhere there are towns, cities, armies etc, there will be slaves in this world. Just like in Earth's classical and pre-classical history.

The hook for the first adventure is blackmail, thus each character having to come up with something that could be used to blackmail them. Your motivations should be human motivations, sex, money, power, love, etc. The world is dark, so your past should reflect that.

All that being said, I'd like you guys to do the ten minute background and see what you come up with. Like I've said before, I'm hoping that you will ask questions about the world and/or suggest some things yourselves.


Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged!

1) Sarah will do anything to survive. ANYTHING.

2) Sarah is a very beautiful young woman from the mountains of the Southlands (dunno proper name, the region down near the ice), where she was a fiery spirit that many in their village jokingly boasted about being unable to be tamed.

3) When she was younger, herself, mother, and father were in the lowlands doing some trading when slavers attacked, killed her parents, and enslaved her. Next thing she knew, she was on a slave ship headed north.

4) After eventually being sold into the Sultan's gladiatorial arenas, she thought she had finally found herself a means to escape in the most unlikely of places, the sultan's own taskmaster. She noticed his appreciative looks and seduced him into helping her escape and running away together.

5) Despite hating where she has ended up, Sarah has no actual desire to return home.

Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.

1) Sarah wants to "live the good life" that she feels she deserves now that she is free. She thinks the time spent being beaten, whored, and mistreated has earned her enough of a "debt" that life owes her that she should get what she wants from now on.

2) Eventually, I'd like for Sarah to maybe establish a sort of medieval mafia, running blackmarkets, information trading, and blackmail rings to maneuver her way into some power.

Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!

1) Sarah was the one that killed her father. It was a complete accident that happened during the chaos of the slavers attack, but she still carries the guilt with her, and refuses to talk about her parents or her homeland to anyone.

2) In their escape, Sarah (if Jelani allows it) killed one of the Sultan's sons!

Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.

1) Al'Jigahn was a slave that Sarah met while held captive on the slave ship bringing her north. She befriended the boy, but the two were separated as he was sold a couple of ports before Ahgradin.

2) Magda Stormcrow was the seer of Sarah's home clan. The woman had no children of her own, but doted on Sarah much like a grandmother would.

3) Mit'rak, captain of the Sultan's guard, has made it a personal vendetta to retrieve the insolent escaped slave and bring her back to the Sultan for proper punishment for murdering the Sultan's son.

Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.

1) Sarah has memories of the smell of pine needles that grew only in her homeland, but has given up on ever actually experiencing that sensation again.

2) Sarah is very flirtatious, and uses her silver tongue and feminine charms to convince people to do what she wants on a regular basis.

3) She frequently has nightmares of her time in captivity, causing her to wake in frightened fits. It is a quirk that some of her lovers have found unsettling, if they happen to stay the full night.


Commentary:

Step 1, 2) The Southlands is the proper name. I see no point in making complicated names for everything. I guess the people you and Crusty's characters are from are called the Vanir (nod to mythology/Howard).

Step 2, 2) There's already a lot of gangs and stuff, all under the general umbrella of the Family (an organized crime group). The Family gets a piece of all the crime that happens in Ahgradin and is nearly as powerful as the government. It will feature prominently in Jewel of the Wastes.

Step 3, 1) How did she accidentally kill her father? Does her brother (Crusty) know about this?

Step 3, 2) She wouldn't have had access to his sons, but perhaps she killed one of his prize gladiators or concubines?

Step 4, 1) How about, he was sold to different masters in Ahgradin?

Step 4, 2) Remember magic is evil and dangerous. Magda otherwise sounds fine, but she probably won't be involved in the campaign if she lives in the Southlands still.

Step 4,3) I like this.


Step 1, 2) Okay.

Step 2, 2) Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

Step 3, 1) In the defense of his wife and Sarah, he was disarmed and forced to grapple with one of the slavers. Sarah ran over to try to get her father his sword back, but the slaver broke free and pushed him away, and he tripped and landed on top of Sarah and the blade, which pierced his heart. I highly doubt Crusty knows about this.

Step 3, 2) That works, prize gladiator.

Step 4, 1) That works too.

Step 4, 2) It wasn't actual magic. It was an old hag getting high in the mountains and making very general statements that could be interpreted a thousand ways.


Step 2, 2) Definitely. Just going to have to eliminate the competition and people who are already in that position.


HP: 5/14 | Stamina: 0/4
Stats:
(AC 17, T 13, FF 14) | CMD 16 | Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +0 | Init +5 | Percept +5

Sarah is basically done, combat gear and stats wise. If you see something I missed lemme know.


Hey to clarify, are we saying my slave thievery happened in Ahgradin, or an outlying arena?


I was suggesting that you were an overseer at the Sultan's arena in Ahgradin. You freed Sarah from there (the slave thievery), for whatever reason. Now you're on the lam with her and her brother (Crusty).


OK, thanks. Another question. Would you allow Larger than life to be changed to work with a whip (or with a weapon one has weapon focus with)?


Heya. Crunch is done (though if you allow Larger Than Life for me, I'll sub that for Dominator).


No to Larger than Life. Doesn't seem like you'll have trouble intimidating anyone with a +14 to demoralize considering the DC is 10+HD+wisdom mod.

Crunch-wise just waiting on Crusty to name his character, make an alias and finish off his stat block (weapon, horse, gear).


Good point! In fact I think I'm going to switch Dominator and Chain Master for Bred for War and Sargavan Guard.

Made it half way through my "10" minute background. I'll post it all at some point this weekend when it's complete.


Okay, sounds good.


Male Civilized Human Cavalier (Emissary) of the Blue Rose 2

Post. :D


I need me a proper name for Sarah that fits the Norse theme. As well as a name that she likely was given by the slavers. Sarah is neither very Norse or Arabic...


Katja

Britta

Sonja

Renate

Agathe

Gunilla

Marna

Birgitte

Martina

Ragna

Agda

Lena

Camilla


Whoa! I'm glad I'm doing a playtest, you guys are wiping the floor with what I thought might be too hard encounters. Finished the first one in three rounds without taking a point of damage. Time to beef up the baddies!


Thron, here are some women's names and some color words (since I thought a pale skinned redhead might be given a name that referenced those features).

Of course you may just make something up (or pick purely based on sound) but if you want inspriation based on meaning, here are a few to get you going (with my best guess at pronunciation):

Rima /ree-MAH/ -- white gazelle
Abal /ah-BAL/ -- wild rose
Hamraa /kham-RAH/ or /kham-rah-AH/ ? -- red
Qrimzi /qreem-ZEE/ -- scarlett (I wonder if this is related to the English word crimson?

By the way Sarah comes from Hebrew but is used in Arabic too (since both cultures draw lineage from Abraham/Ibrahim and his wife Sara), pronounced either sah-RAH or alternately sa-RAI (as near as I know).

Thelgrave on the otherhand sounds very European.


Male Civilized Human Cavalier (Emissary) of the Blue Rose 2

Sarah is a northerner like myself. Use this page, which is the female-version of the one I used for mine.

Gudbrandr dropped his family name when he became one of the warrior-priest-monks, so whatever Thron chooses as his last name would have been Gudbrandr's old last name.


...Except that by Northerner (in this world) you mean Southerner.

BTW, I could totally see Samir referring to the-character-formerly-known-as-Sarah as Wild Rose or White Gazelle.


Yeah, I can see her having an arabic (Ahgradish) nickname. But her given name should be something nordic. I think ancient norse names sound kinda weird/dumb compared to the more modern ones I posted, but the choice is yours Thron.

I beefed up the baddies and ran the first fight again, and it was too hard. Need to find some middle ground now. I also thought of another encounter for the end of the adventure that makes it better (IMHO).

Right now I only have the artist formerly known as Sarah's ten minute background to pull NPCs from though. It'd be nice to get some really personal rivalries going between the PCs and NPCs.

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