The Deepest Shadows Lie Longest (Inactive)

Game Master Dreaming Warforged

Carrion Hill Module


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(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

First off: Congrats!

Second: Homeworks!

  • HP are max at first, then d6=4, d8=5, d10=6, d12=7 per level.
  • Starting cash is 10,000 GP, max 3,000 on any single item.
  • Read the other's background and discuss possible connections between players.
  • Ask any question you might have.
  • Make suggestions if you have some.

When things are nice and ready, we'll head off (pun intended?)!


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

Thanks and will work on same


Taking the liberty of posting character backgrounds over here to have them all in one place as we find connections. (Already looking forward to the relationship between Windle and Iozef!) Thanks for the opportunity, Dreaming Warforged!

Windle Thetra:
The nation of Andoran is not known for religious heresy to match its political unorthodoxy. However, it does happen, and that's where people like Windle Thetra come in. A tall, slender, distinguished-looking man of apparent middle years (his hair is prematurely gray), Windle's amiable good nature hides a fierce loathing for the enemies of the Lady of Graves--and for those he sees as perverting Her teachings. He prefers to impose Her will through persuasion rather than fear, but will not hesitate to turn to force in Her service should the situation demand it. He has traveled extensively around the Inner Sea doing Her work, and has occasionally served as a liason between inquisitors of Pharasma and Sarenrae in dealing with outbreaks of the undead, because his personal philosophy aligns well with theirs.

His present career is not one that would have been obvious in his youth, although he had always paid reverence to Pharasma--his birth was a difficult one, and he survived only by the skill of the Pharasmin midwives. He's the only child of two merchants, and as a boy he was taken along on many of their trading journeys. They specialized in setting up long-term agreements with nations around Lake Encarthan and down the Sellen--olives from Andoran, salt from the mines of Ustalav, horses from Lastwall, and (unfortunately) rivals and enemies from Druma. The Thetras' success was ultimately their undoing; the rumor (though baseless) that they had managed to broker a trade deal with Kyonin roused the jealousy of the Kalistocracy, who bought them out subject to the condition that no member of their family would become a merchant. On the way back to Almas, the trio was staying in a small village that fell prey to a group of worshipers of Urgathoa, who infected the townsfolk with a virulent plague. Again, Windle survived thanks to the timely intervention of a priestess of the Lady of Graves, but his parents succumbed to the diseases spread by the cult.

This left young Windle in need of something to do with the rest of his life. At first he thought to become a priest of Pharasma, in gratitude for their role in saving his life twice over. Then he learned of the role a particularly venal priest of the Lady of Graves had played in spreading the rumor about his parents.... His travels had taught him much of the need to guard against corruption everywhere, even in the clergy, and thus his vocation was made plain to him. In addition he discovered a love for scholarship that grew to eclipse his young love for mercantile pursuits. He thought nothing of spending hours in a scriptorium, laboriously copying ancient texts in a dual effort both to preserve their contents and learn them for himself.

The time spent traveling in his youth was a great advantage to the fledgling inquisitor, as he was already familiar with many of the cultures and peoples of the nations around Lake Encarthan, and through his parents knew many wealthy and influential merchants. Time and time again he was drawn to Ustalav, though. The many problems that the people of that haunted nation faced called to him--the plagues of undead, the inability of the nation's nobles to protect their people, and worst of all (from his point of view) the Pharasmin inquisitors like him who perverted their mission into a way to blame the victims of the terrible supernatural forces afflicting the land for their plight.

He is presently in Carrion Hill after dealing with one of the latter, who had been about to burn all the children in a pair of nearby villages alive for being ensnared by evil spirits that only he could see. In this he was assisted by the scholar Arlend Hyve, whose knowledge of the area's history proved invaluable in answering the renegade inquisitor's accusations. As it turned out, he already had a pair of acquaintances in Carrion Hill--a trading partner of his parents, Rupman Myre; and Marshan, one of his parents' old caravan guards who'd gone into adventuring before retiring from the trade. This has meant a lot of time listening to people talk about how he's grown, but the time spent with them has been a reminder of happier times...when his future held a long career as a merchant, instead of being what seems like a never-ending battle against ignorance and darkness. He's been staying near the Ossuary Church (the clerics get nervous when a moderately accomplished inquisitor comes calling, for some reason) for a couple of weeks now, visiting, doing research in the church archives, talking with worshipers, and the like. Even though he's unfailingly polite, and helpful in the archives, the longer he stays the more anxious the priests of Pharasma get about finding something other than them to keep him occupied...preferably something that will take him far away, or offers a risk that he'll go on to his no doubt well-deserved reward at the Boneyard. Not that they have anything to hide, of course!

Grigore Vachkov:
The Vachkov family, long residents of Carrion Hill, have a tradition stretching back generations... they are a family of Watchmen. For the last 5 generations (and further back no one is sure but family lore has it stretching back beyond that), at least one Vachkov son has served.

Grigor is no exception. Raised on stories from his grandfather and father and assorted watchmen who periodically drank with them, he prepared himself to also enter the family trade. All things considered, this was easy enough - all that was really required was an opening and the right introductions.

Despite his youth he did very well. He'd accumulated a lot of experience before his feet even touched the cobbles and was known to be a diligent albeit slightly zealous agent of the law, such as it was in the small city.

Overconfidence can be deadly.

When word came from Caliphas that they were looking for experienced Watchmen to take up a large number of recently vacated positions (which later turned out to be a more often than occurance than was thought), he sought a recommendation from Commander Garus and then councilman Heggry, both friends of the family. It was hard to leave the family home but the bonus money was a big incentive and Grigor hoped for better opportunities but he did take with him a personal memento - his Watchman's badge.

He was hired without reservation.

Work in Caliphas's constabulary proved to be very much different from anything he'd done on Carrion Hill but he proved just as skilled in Caliphas as a watchman... but sadly his brusque personality with those he considered unworthy to be 'on the strength' made him few friends, and his myopic world of 'watchmen and criminals' squeezed out any other relationships. A few chance arrests brought him to the attention of some powerful patrons - a recovered valuable amulet, a captured rapist guilty of defiling a member of the wealthy family and return of a run-away bride landed him a promotion to 'Inspector'.

And at that point Grigor learned that with powerful friends come great obligations.

Inspector is a special role, rated as a sort of speciality Sargeant, their job is to take responsibility for those cases that require special attention or investigative skills. As an Inspector on the Watch he was given responsibilty over the crimes that were both high profile as well as those crimes that certain people made it known would be resolved quickly, quietly, discreetly and with a certain disregard to the actual evidence. It didn't help that much of the pressure came from Captain Boverde Hoptler, Commander of the Watch and someone who had developed a dislike for Grigor as an arrogant upstart - particularly when Grigor ignored or misinterpreted orders and suggestions when he felt best to do so.

When a case of missing persons whose families were marginally wealthy enough to make noise over the issue Grigor was given the case but told it was likely some sort of sets of random disappearances (again, more common in Caliphas than he'd originally thought) and should be closed as such.

What he discovered instead was a nightmarish cult involved in the worship of beings so perverted as to strain sanity itself. Disregarding suggestions, then instructions and then direct orders he continued with the case. He was driven to open tomes of blackest lore, to study Foul Languages, ancient and arcane lore and finally, to learn to use magic himself. In the end the trail of corruption led to one of the sons of Baron Meier. Just when he was readying to strike and to bring down the head cultist, he was bought before Captain Boverde Hoptler, stripped of his position and jailed for a month.

It was in that month that Captain Hoptler captured a few members of a small cult who had sadly been responsible for the earlier murders... and Lukas Meier quietly disappeared from society, rumoured perhaps to be delicate of health and in need of a brief period of hospitalisation.

The loss of position and the injustice of it was more than he could handle. Friendless, Grigor took to drink, and for around 3 months drank away such funds as he had until news reached him of his Fathers death.

Too late for the funeral he still managed to make it back to Carrion Hill to fufill the duty to support his mother as the oldest Son of the family. Taking pity on Grigor, Commander Garus had him re-installed in the watch where Grigor has been for the last two years, and now holds the position of Senior Watchman. He still has a drinking problem, who wouldn't after what held experienced, but it is under control for the moment indulged off duty for the most part. Married to the sister of a merchant, Rupman Myre, whom he doesn't love and Father of a son of his own, he has become resigned to his life in Carrion Hill.

Where Grigor was once diligent and driven, he now goes through the motions, only fully focusing on such cases that temporally kindle his passion. In his youth he was idealistic and zealous of obedience to the law, he is bitter and sees the law as merely a framework and something that can be exploited by those with the wealth, position or talent to do so.

The one thing that has meaning in his life is that he's a Watchman, of a family of Watchmen. He can't give up the job that has been central to his whole life. His one hobby outside the job that he has retaken up is fishing.

Valiard Tessar:
Valiard is a local. The owner of a small apothecary known as "True Tonics", a tiny shop wedged between the temple of forgotten Ba-istava a tree goddess from somewhere in the south, and a temple to the decay aspect of Gozreh. A painted sign of a golden mortar and pestle, with rays of light (and some lightning bolts for good measure) surround the mortar and pestle. Valiard counts the Councilwoman Dimyian, Rupman Myre and Arlend Hyve among his clients. (the council woman for health tonics, Arlend Hyve for digestive aids and Rupman Myre to treat a case of gout. As both a respected and knowledgeable person in the arts of herbology as well as one of the last people to see poor Arlend alive, it makes sense for Valiard to be summoned. Valiard is also a good person to assist in the investigation. He has many contacts in the local community through his work, and may more easliy make inquiries.

The majority of the stock that Valiard sells comes from a yard garden behind his house, that he weeds and tends with fastidious attention. The remainder he buys or orders from traders and recieves in dried form.

Valiard gets bored easily, so he breaks into people's houses. Wait, that didn't sound right. Let us start over from the beginning.

Valiard had the normal upbringing of any merchant's child in the city. Lots of work learning his future trade with his father, Oril Tessar, and plenty of time, running through the streets of the city with the other children. His mornings were always filled with lessons, sums, chopping, weeding, grinding, mixing, making poultices and unguents. But in the afternoon he was one of the wild children, climbing walls, running on rooftops, chasing stray dogs and generally being a nuisance. On one particular afternoon he found himself in the Crown and when a patrol of Ravens was coming down the street, he scurried over a wall into the Cobal family compound. Scared out of his mind, he hid in the eaves of the house. Curiosity overtook him while he was there and he became fascinated with the life that he heard and saw before him. The speech patterns, the mannerisms, the activities of the household, they were a fascinating window on a world that he had never known. Valiard stopped running with the other children, and started skulking the houses of the rich. He never took anything, well, he didn't take anything at that time of his life, he was observing. And he found out things about his father’s clients, ways to help them, ways to make them healthier. With this information, two things happened: Valiard made his first sale in his father's shop, and the shop began to prosper as after that first upper class sale, more people came to know and trust their services.

His father let him keep the silverpiece from that first sale, as a lucky token. Valiard plays with it whenever he is nervous or thinking, and he has rubbed it smooth over the years.

Valiard inherited the business when his father passed on, and his nocturnal activities dwindled. His good looks and grace got him invited to many a party though, not as a suitable suitor, of course, but as an escort and dancing partner, he continued to exist at the margin of that world. Some might have been bitter by that, Valiard was keenly aware of the facade that the upper class placed on their lives, and in many ways found the unwritten rules they followed to be stifling.

It was at a party that he heard a curious thing. While they were dancing one of the young ladies remarked that a brooch of hers had gone missing. When she described the brooch, Valiard felt a moment of recognition, he had seen the brooch somewhere else quite recently. Later in the evening he realized that he had seen it on the chest of another, older madam when she had been leaving the party. It was at this moment, that the Taker was born. Valiard broke into the house of the older woman, removed the brooch from her possession, broke into the house of the young lady, and returned the brooch to her, placing it beside her bed. The gossip in the town went wild. Young ladies were sighing and swooning like crazy and wild speculation abounded. Valiard never stole for himself (unless you consider how much he enjoyed the challenge) but continued to work small magics, returning stolen items every so often, perhaps every other month. He broke into houses regularly though, honing his skills and learning to work with the night, blending in wherever he was.

Mireza:
Mireza didn't have a name until she was more than twenty years old.

Up until then, she was just "you there!" or "girl!" or, when she overheard others talking about her, "the Hag-girl." She has no memory of being left with the Varisian caravan in the bed of a days-old infant in the middle of the night, of being taken from that bed to be nursed when she began to wail, or of the screams and tears of despair from the woman who suckled her when the morning light revealed her mismatched eyes and the bereft mother realized what had become of her own child. The woman would have dashed the changeling to pieces in her anger and grief if her cries hadn't brought the caravan leader to the scene.

Ionacu was a pragmatic man. Snatching up the terrified infant before it could come to any harm, he put the woman in her place with hard reason: She'll bear another child to replace the one that was lost; it's not the changeling's fault she was born to a hag; the child is gone, no matter what they do, so they might as well make the best of the bargain and find some use for the substitute. He took the changeling away and gave it to an aged widow to feed on goat's milk squeezed from a cloth until she could be weaned.

As soon as the girl could walk and follow instructions, she was set to tending the caravan's goat herd. She had food and shelter; she had clothing enough to keep her warm; what she never had was human contact or affection. The other children stayed far away, as she watched them play with hungry eyes from her place among the goats.

She matured more slowly than the human children, staying childish and gawky in form when the other girls were rounding out, but there finally came a day when she noticed one of the caravan boys watching her tending the goats. After several days, she worked up the nerve to smile. They were in a salacious situation within a copse of trees when they were discovered by one of the Varisian women. She shouted in anger and threw stones -- not at the changeling, strangely, but at the boy. Didn't he know what hags did after mating? Did he want to be killed and eaten as her mother had devoured her father? Chasing the boy away as he tripped over his pants, the woman ignored the changeling altogether, as if she were nothing more than a natural hazard like poison ivy or a hornet nest that he should have known better than to approach.

It was only a few days later that she sat bolt upright in the middle of the night, a keening song filling her head with wanderlust. She flung herself against the walls and doors of the wagon she slept in to no avail; as always, they were locked from the outside. Ionacu had been prepared for this, as well. In the morning, when he opened the padlock, a group of men caught her as she tried to dash out the door and carried her to a cage.

The cage was in Ionacu's own wagon, a much more comfortable one than the one on which she was used to sleeping on the bare floor. He had a bed, a table and chair, shelves on the walls. He wasn't unkind. She was fed regularly by his own hand, and no one was allowed in to gawk at her in her imprisonment. She doesn't know how long she was in there, the song in her head driving her mad with its allurement and her inability to respond as she was driven. When she was sore and bruised from throwing herself against the bars, she spent hours collapsed on the floor, sobbing, barely aware of anything around her.

One evening, as she was in this despairing state, Ionacu brought her plate and lingered to watch her. For the first time, he spoke directly to her as he did to other humans, and it was such a novel experience it startled her out of her reverie. "It's for your own good," he told her softly. "You wouldn't like what you found if you answered that call ... what would be done to you. You're a skinny little thing, but you're not painful to look at. You don't want that slim little frame to grow hunched and twisted or your smooth skin to turn green and warty." He stared at her glassily for a few seconds before clearing his throat and going on. "She'll give up summoning you before too much longer. Then you'll be free and won't have to worry about her again."

Two days later, she woke up from an exhausted sleep in the early morning light to an eerie silence. The usual sounds of the caravan waking up and going about its business were there, but the summoning song in her head was gone, leaving behind a gnawing emptiness. Ionacu rolled out of his bed and peered into her cage; she looked up at him, blankly, bereft. "There," he nodded, taking the key ring off its hook on the wall. "Told you so. Back to the goats, girl."

From that day, she stumbled through her daily routine, eating, sleeping, tending the goats, half-stunned by the persistent silence in her head. The utter absence kept her awake at night, as she lay on the floor of her wagon, staring up into the dusty corners. In the moonlight, night after night, she watched as a spider spun a web, its graceful and measured movements soothing and hypnotic to her raw nerves. One night, her eyes flashed with interest, and she sat up to stare. In the moonlight falling through the barred windows, the threads of the web seemed to shine like runes which she suddenly understood. The patient spider paused a moment, its front legs poised delicatedly in mid-air, then scuttled down the wall to approach her. The changeling nodded in agreement. She would spin her web and bide her time; with patience and planning, she would be free.

The following day, she was ready and alert, watching for her chance. When one of the men struck an errant hammer blow that smashed his thumb, she rushed in, darting out with her hand and speaking a word in a strange tongue that restored the shattered nail and broken flesh almost before he had finished cursing in pain and anger. Ionacu was delighted. His long gamble had paid off, and her natural bloodline had outed at last; he had himself a hedge witch in the making.

The girl's wagon was improved with the addition of a bed behind a hanging curtain and a table with two chairs. Her serviceable wardrobe was supplemented with colorful scarves and strings of beads befitting a diviner. Most importantly, a medium needed a name; the outside of her wagon was painted with inducements to seek the supernatural aid of Mireza, with a list of prices to be paid to Ionacu for the privilege. After the dust and cobwebs had been swept out, the spider wove itself a new web in a corner above her bed.

Despite the advertisement, Mireza had no skill as a diviner, but with the tutoring of Ionacu, she developed enough talent at bluffing and at making vague statements that could be interpreted in various fashions that she was successful in passing herself off as one. Her most attention-getting line was delivered when visitors commented on her mismatched eyes: "One eye sees the future and the other, the past." Her ability to heal injuries was real enough, and it made Ionacu a tidy extra profit as the caravan passed through the Ustalavan countryside. She developed other talents that enabled her to fulfill her own prophecies of weal or woe and thus add to her reputation, and the cost of love potions and cursing rivals was painted onto the price list on her wagon.

After many months, when the caravan set up outside the city of Carrion Hill, Mireza's web was spun and ready. The spider as it danced reminded her of the way Ionacu had stared at her in the cage, speaking of her skin and figure. One evening, when he came to her wagon to collect her earnings, she surreptitiously cast the spell that so many lovelorn clients paid so well for. He crossed the wagon in a stride and crushed her lips to his; she was pliant in his arms. He awoke early in the morning to find her sitting on the edge of her bed and waiting.

"I want to leave," she said. Angrily, he refused, listing all the things he had done for her, all the other things he intended to do for her now that she'd taken him into her bed. "I want to leave," she repeated, "and until you let me go, you will sicken and waste away." The color drained away from his face as he realized that she had put the same blight on him as he slept that he had collected coin for her to put on others.

When the caravan left Carrion Hill, Mireza stayed behind, in her pocket enough coin to rent a room and Ionacu's worn ring, given to her as pledge that she was a free woman and not a runaway. She set herself up as a fortune teller and healer. The spider had its choice of corners. Ionacu's gold ring was strung on a chain around her neck, the symbol of her liberty and the success of her plan.

In the first week after she had hung out her sign, a dark, stern man in the uniform of the Crows opened her door. Commander Garus was taking it upon himself to check up on the new fortune teller, aware of the often-well-earned reputation of the profession as charlatans and pick-pockets preying on the desperate and gullible. Mireza turned on all the considerable charm her small, slight form, pale skin, and exotic mismatched eyes could muster, meekly assuring the man that she desired only to make enough to live on by assisting the lovelorn to happiness and the wronged to justice without interfering in the affairs of the police. She recognized in him a man like Ionacu, an authority figure better on her side than against her. She assured him that, should any crimes or other illegal activity be brought to her attention in the course of her business, she would inform the Crows at the earliest opportunity, and she has kept her word, often passing on rumors and festering rivalries that have assisted the Crows in keeping peace in the city, if only after pocketing her fee for the consultation. The commander has often found her useful as well in going places where the presence of the Crows would cause wagging tongues to be still and gathering information in regard to certain cases in the lower two-thirds of the city, in exchange for a supplement to her income from fortune telling.

She quickly became moderately successful in the superstitious town, thanks to her ability to detect the surface thoughts of her clientele and tell them what they desired to hear, and there is never any shortage of unrequited lovers longing for consummation or angry rivals wanting revenge. Her notoriety grew until she drew the attention of some of the town's more vaunted personalities. She was able to diagnose and heal a somewhat embarrassing disease Rupman Myre had somehow acquired without the unpleasant publicity involved in going to a temple, and recently Old Man Marshan had come to her for the chance to appear ten years younger for a mysterious assignation. In both cases, her reputation for not asking questions or showing undue curiosity about her clients' situations served her well; in truth, while she can successfully feign compassion, she has little feeling for the problems of those who come to her for help. She spent too much time shunned and alone in her childhood to have any natural empathy for her fellow beings; without bearing them any ill will, she sees them as a means to an end, that end being the support and moderate comfort of herself and the spider.

She has lived well in Carrion Hill, better than she ever dreamed she would when she was tending goats, but the way the spider is always moving its web from one corner to another reminds her that if a web stays in one place too long, it loses its efficacy; prey learns to avoid it, and cleaning women knock it down. One day they will leave again and spin a new web elsewhere; whether she is running away from something or toward it, she does not know.

Iozef Kolnikov:
Iozef Kolnikov was born and raised in Carrion Hill. Growing up, he showed a great deal of promise with the ability to retain knowledge, which would in turn, lead him to the man he becomes. Well, that and an incident that occured when he was but a boy. His mother was bearing his sister, Iolana, and during it all, Iozef nearly lost his mother during the process. If it weren't for the midwife, she would have surely perished.

Iozef has never forgotten that day. Ever since, he knew what he was calling was to be.

Being the studious fellow he was, his parents had scrimped and saved for several years so they could send him to a school of higher learning. Once accomplished, they sent him to Caliphas where he could further his education. Living his whole life in Carrion Hill, being sent off to Caliphas was quite the experience. Having always lived at home with his family, he had no idea what to expect. But it was for a greater purpose, so he was ready. He would take advantage and learn all he could on death, and how various cultures would celebrate it.

After returning home and settling back in, he made his way to the temple of Pharasma and was taken in as an acolyte. After a short time--being as well learned as Iozef is--he was given a position within the hall of records.

Iozef mostly keeps to himself, but when he manages trips into town, he makes it a point to stop and see Arlend Hyve. He always enjoys their talks. Arlend's endless knowledge on that of Ustalav, has always fascinated Iozef.

Along with his trips into town from time to time, Iozef would occasionally run into Old Man Marshan. He always had a tale to offer. Iozef always found him a bit annoying, but refused to be rude and would halt whatever errand he was running and listen. He never realized one man could go on so many grand adventures. And as much of a hindrance it was to have to stop and listen, Iozef couldn't help but find such tales fascinating.

More often than not, his trips consisted of visiting Rupman Myre's and informing of what information was acquired about his ancestors. The man was determined to know if his family line could be traced back to the Ustav lineage. No matter how many times Iozef had come back with a response of: "Nothing yet.", Rupman was determined he was related somehow. Iozef didn't mind, though, he enjoyed delving into records.

Reason for investigating strange occurrences, defending the city, or finding a murder: Iozef has lived in Carrion Hill all his life. This is home. This was his ancestors home. If he was called upon in any situation to where he could be of some help, he wouldn't hesitate to respond.

Iozef is 6'5", 215lbs, and is 26 years old. Tall and lanky, he is straightfoward, brusk, yet respectful. He owns a book that consists of his family tree his parents passed down to him when he became of age. He keeps it with him at all times.

Liberty's Edge

Dotting for future reference; I have meetings this afternoon, so will be a bit slow getting the new alias set up. I figure Windle and Iozef will know each other, though they may not be on very good terms to start with :-). (I don't know why, though; Windle is always well-mannered.)

ETA: Thanks for choosing me! I'm looking forward to this.


***INACTIVE***

BTW, do you have any preferred character profile format?


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

As a Watchman I have doubtless met Valiard Tessar in his small business owner role, and Mireza in her role as fotune teller and suspected neer-do-well (Carrion Hill is a population 9-10k)... Its possible the good wife is a customer of both.

I will think on the others.


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal
Windle Thetra wrote:
BTW, do you have any preferred character profile format?

The one I use!

Seriously, Herolab format is easy to read, but I'm fine with whatever. I'll ask though that you put in your Class/Race placeholder your current status. For example: 3/34 HP; AC 22/12/20; Enlarge Person active.

Not sure about the name and the avatar for DMing the game. I might change it...


Grigor Vachkov wrote:
As a Watchman I have doubtless met Valiard Tessar in his small business owner role, and Mireza in her role as fotune teller and suspected neer-do-well (Carrion Hill is a population 9-10k)... Its possible the good wife is a customer of both.

Not to mention being driven to distraction by the gentleman cat burglar which is Valiard's alter ego! ;)

Worth noting that, at this point, Mireza is actually acting as an informant for the Crows, so your relationship with her is probably more cordial than suspicious, officially, at any rate.

I'm not sure how the Pharasmin PCs feel about Mireza's "fortune telling," as the goddess' relationship to prophecies and those who make them is a bit raw since the death of Aroden, nor whether it would make it better or worse if they knew that she's actually a fake....


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

Just chiming in to mention I've added some info in the Campaign tab.


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

Thanks, DW! I appreciate the opportunity.

Helaman wrote:
Its a pity we have no cleric applications... that would have been my third

When I read this, I thought it was pretty funny. Considering that's what I was considering. :)

And then I just fell out on this one...

Helaman wrote:
Yay - a cleric!!! And a Thematically satisfying cloistered one.

:)

Grand Lodge

Is the purchase of Partially charged wands ok to buy and just pay for what we have in the wand? Ie a Wand of CLW is 750gp... if I have one with 10 charges, is that ok at 150gp?


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

I would prefer not, or perhaps only for a single wand.

Grand Lodge

Are only textbook items to be used or can we tweak them with the understanding we pay FULL and not crafting price... for example:

Ability Enhancement = Bonus squared x 1,000 gp example: Belt of incredible dexterity 2. What if I want a Belt that gives only a +1 bonus? Again with the understanding I pay full price for the bonuses gained? My AC is sucksville in light armour and thematically I can't see a watchman wearing anything heavier than light armour... simply because they need to chase people.

I suppose this ties back to the partially charged wands question


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

Only textbook items please.

Grand Lodge

Deimus wrote:
Windle Thetra wrote:
BTW, do you have any preferred character profile format?

The one I use!

Seriously, Herolab format is easy to read, but I'm fine with whatever. I'll ask though that you put in your Class/Race placeholder your current status. For example: 3/34 HP; AC 22/12/20; Enlarge Person active.

Will do


I have a miserable cold tonight and can barely think. I'll get to work on getting a profile up in the morning after I've had some sleep.


***INACTIVE***

I thought that having this listed in one place might be helpful. Here's a list of who knows whom:

Mayor Heggry: Grigore
Commander Garus: Grigore, Mireza
Arlend Hyve: Windle, Valiard, Iozef
Councilwoman Dimyian: Valiard
Old Man Marshan: Windle, Mireza, Iozef
Rupman Myre: Windle, Grigore, Valiard, Mireza, Iozef

Huh...everyone knows the merchant, and it looks like Windle and Iozef are going to be running into each other a lot. "Pure coincidence! Of course I'm not following you...if I were, you wouldn't know it."


Taldan Roguish Herbalist/4; Hp:34/35; 2 dex dmg; AC:19(18)/16(15)/13; trapspotter 10'; perception +8; Init +7, nightvision 60'

Lo. Congrats all. This should be interesting. I am glad that we have such a well balanced party, that should make us much more effective.


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

Food for thought - If someone could dig out 750gp from their budget a wand of CLW goes a long way towards saving spells for something other than healing.

My budget is hammered because as a two weapon fighter I'm hit with double costs on my paired short swords.

Not sure how your amour classes will end up- hoping that most of this adventure is investigation and not combat otherwise we may be in some trouble.


Taldan Roguish Herbalist/4; Hp:34/35; 2 dex dmg; AC:19(18)/16(15)/13; trapspotter 10'; perception +8; Init +7, nightvision 60'

Well I know one herbalist who is going to stay out of direct combat. Man, I have a low AC.


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

The public - pshaw - All alike... hidin' behind a soddin' Watchman's body, or knifin' them in th' back


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

As far as I can tell, with the sheets available, some knowledges are not necessarily covered: Engineering, Nature, History, Planes. It will be helpful to have people with a little bit in each of them.


***INACTIVE***

I'll pick up a couple of those (History, Planes). The fscking profile editor has dumped a bunch of my work on Windle twice, so I'm not quite done yet.


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

Knowledge (Arcana) +2
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6
Knowledge (Geography) +5
Knowledge (History) +2
Knowledge (Local) +8
Knowledge (Religion) +3

Decent Local and can pull a decent result out on Dungeoneering ("Arrgh - so many tentacles") and Geography ("Where are you from? You got a funny accent - wanna tell me what you're doin ere?") on a 13+ roll but for the rest? Aid another Baby...

Really the magic number for knowledge skills tends to be +10... you can take 10 and get a 20 result... wont tell you EVERYTHING sometimes but generally it will get you what you want.


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

Ah... The good old "taking 10" conversation.

Here is an interesting conversation on the topic.

I couldn't find an erratum about it.

I have had bad experiences with players taking 10. I usually prefer players rolling. If it is clear that there is absolutely no pressure (time or others), then you can "take 10". But if you need the info at the moment, you'll have to roll. If you fail something obvious (I usually don't ask then, I just say), that means you just can't recall now, but it'll pop up when you're not looking for it.

I'm open to discuss this before we start.


I just recently read James Jacobs in the Ask James Jacobs thread clarifying that anyone can take 10 on Knowledge checks as long as they're not in combat/distracted, and the bardic Loremaster ability just lets you do it in all circumstances. I'll try to find the post. Not sure I'm fond of the ruling, as it makes Loremaster a somewhat lackluster ability, but it also kind of stinks rolling a 1 in Knowledge (local) and not knowing where a major landmark is in your own hometown.

EDIT: Here it is.


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

I'm not going to ask rolls for those types of knowledge. If I allow the "taking 10", I'll definitely not follow the DC standards, judging each piece of information separately.

The example of major landmarks is a good example and a bad example. You might actually not remember exactly where it is, until you come closer, then it comes back to you.

Anyhow, as I've said in the recruitment thread, I'm not fond of those "by RAW" conversations. I'll make the call, and will certainly allow the players to provide feedback if they felt it was unfair, instead of arguing about RAW rules wording. concealment is a thorny example of such...

EDIT: Thanks for the link Joana! It will come down to the interpretation of combat/distracted... If you need it now, you have to roll. But if you think I make you roll for stupid obvious things, call me on it. I prefer that.


Male Tiefling (Devil Blood) Magus 1 (Blackblade Kensai)

Damn. Forgot about this. A lot going on right now. Sorry to miss it as I enjoy your campaigns, Dreaming Warforged.

Enjoy those who haven't gamed with DW. He's one of the best online GMs I've played with. Great use of online tools. Nice pace of advancement and plenty of combat with enough roleplaying to develop your character.


Thanks so much Maddigan. I'm blushing now and must say it actually goes both ways, as great players also make greater DMs and I've been blessed with great ones.


Taldan Roguish Herbalist/4; Hp:34/35; 2 dex dmg; AC:19(18)/16(15)/13; trapspotter 10'; perception +8; Init +7, nightvision 60'

After reading his background, I feel like the neighborhood is taking care of Grigor rather than the other way around!

I get the sense that everyone on his beat knows him quite well and he has spent an hour or two here and there in my shop, warming up with a mug of something herbal when the rains come, talking of rumors, of weather, business, and other interests.

As for Mireza, everybody in the neighborhood knows of her. Very few have actually met her. There is no small amount of unease at having a witch in our midst. I think that most of her clientele are from the higher and lower incomes, she gets workmen and the upper crust. The middling shopkeeps like Valiard don't have much interest in her or her wares, so not many in the neighborhood have actually paid her for services.


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal
Valiard Tessar wrote:

After reading his background, I feel like the neighborhood is taking care of Grigor rather than the other way around!

I get the sense that everyone on his beat knows him quite well and he has spent an hour or two here and there in my shop, warming up with a mug of something herbal when the rains come, talking of rumors, of weather, business, and other interests.

As for Mireza, everybody in the neighborhood knows of her. Very few have actually met her. There is no small amount of unease at having a witch in our midst. I think that most of her clientele are from the higher and lower incomes, she gets workmen and the upper crust. The middling shopkeeps like Valiard don't have much interest in her or her wares, so not many in the neighborhood have actually paid her for services.

Sounds like a very good take on things!

So, when could we start? I think Joana needed some time. Also, if your shopping is not done, you can certainly finish during the intro. Just let me know when it's done so I can have a look.

Thursday or Friday sounds good?


Actually, I've got her mostly done in HeroLab; just need to get the character profile set up. Getting done by Thursday will be no problem.


***INACTIVE***

Windle's also done except for shopping.


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

Here are my knowledge abilities.

(Take that, Windle! I bet my knowledge is greater than your knowledge!) ;)

Knowledge (Arcana) +13
Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +15
Knowledge (Engineering) +10
Knowledge (Geography) +11
Knowledge (History) +12
Knowledge (Local) +10
Knowledge (Nature) +10
Knowledge (Nobility) +10
Knowledge (Planes) +10
Knowledge (Religion) +15

I'm still got some work to do. I should have it done by Thursday. Hopefully by tomorrow, actually. I have the day off tomorrow, but I still have a commitment tomorrow morning and not sure how long that'll take.


***INACTIVE***

So, Iozef's got "Scientia potentia est, b%~$%es!" inked on his shoulder?


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

HAHAHAHAHA!!! That's just greatness!! Rollin' over here! :)


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

By the way, I purchased a wand of CLW.

Hey Warforged, what kinda languages would be good to choose from around here? I figure he would choose something that would be "useful", so to speak. I've got Aklo as one. Just not sure of another.

There is Necril. This might be a HUGE stretch but do you think it would have been possible for him to have learned that from somewhere?


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

LMAO off on the knowledge thing...

On the Neighborhood thing? Sure - let me roll with it. Its a good take. They know he is very nearly a drunk after hours and has been known to regularly patrol with a hang over (making him mean to boot) but better the devil you know and all that. He's your copper and you'll stick by the jerk.


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal
Javell DeLeon wrote:

By the way, I purchased a wand of CLW.

Hey Warforged, what kinda languages would be good to choose from around here? I figure he would choose something that would be "useful", so to speak. I've got Aklo as one. Just not sure of another.

There is Necril. This might be a HUGE stretch but do you think it would have been possible for him to have learned that from somewhere?

Well, he is a cloistered cleric. Old, dead languages should be perhaps the only ones he knows...


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

Hey Helaman, you gonna choose an avatar for Grigor? Just curious.

@Warforged: Perhaps Ancient Osiriani and Thassilonian? Would those two work? Instead of Aklo and whatever?


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

No, please take whatever makes sense to you. No worries.


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

:) Okay, cool. Will do.


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

Hey Warforged, I was wanting to roll with the Souls sub-domain and was wondering if I could go this route...

Pharasma Friendly Souls subdomain.

The 3rd level domain spell is animate dead normally. Which doesn't fit him at all. This lets me switch that out for speak with dead.

Would that be cool?


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9
Javell DeLeon wrote:

Hey Helaman, you gonna choose an avatar for Grigor? Just curious.

@Warforged: Perhaps Ancient Osiriani and Thassilonian? Would those two work? Instead of Aklo and whatever?

Test


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

Will have finalised character in 6-18 hrs


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal
Javell DeLeon wrote:

Hey Warforged, I was wanting to roll with the Souls sub-domain and was wondering if I could go this route...

Pharasma Friendly Souls subdomain.

The 3rd level domain spell is animate dead normally. Which doesn't fit him at all. This lets me switch that out for speak with dead.

Would that be cool?

That would be cool. I didn't know they had posted these simple options. I like them!


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

They really fit too... Been a fan of that for a while.

On the avatar - I think the Avatar fits the character. comments?


(Vanished One) HP 23/23 | AC 13 | Acr +5 Dec +3 Ins +3 Int +5 Perc +3 Pers +5 SoH +3 Ste +3 | Saves: S +1, D +3, C +5, I -1, W +1, Ch +5 Adv charm, disease; Imm Sleep| Init +3 | PPerc 13; PInv 9; Pins 13; DrkVis | Spd 30' | Insp: No | HD 3/3 | Spell DC 13 (1: 4/4; 2:1/2) | Sorcery 3/3 | Spell Att +5 | Status: Normal

I like the avatar!


Urban Ranger 3 (Watchman) Male Human Ustalav Init +2 (+4) AC18|Touch 12|FlatFoot 14| CMD 19| HP:20/32 |Ft +5|Rx +5|Wl +5| Percept +9(+11) Snse Mot +9

Equipment

Spoiler:

10,000gp / Remaining
Armour - 3250gp
Chain Shirt+1 1250gp
Amulet of Natural Armour+1 2000gp

Weapons - 4666gp
Light Crossbow and 10 bolts 36gp
2 Daggers - Cold Iron (boots) 8gp
Hanbo (Nightstick) 1gp
Brass Knuckles 1gp
Two Short Swords +1 4620

Equipment - 1852gp, 4sp 4cp
Backpack 2gp
Hooded Lantern 7gp
2 flasks of oil 2sp
1 Alchemical fire 20gp
2 Thunderstones 60gp
Empty Sack 1sp
Water Flask 3cp
1/4lb Tabacco 2sp 5cp
Flask of strong booze 2sp 3cp
Wooden pipe 5cp
Flint and Steel 1gp
Whetstone 2cp
Whistle 8sp
15 ft rope 3sp
Clay Tankard 2cp
2 fishhooks 2sp
50ft string 1cp
3 pieces of Chalk 3cp
Manacles 50gp
Thieves tools 30gp
Masterwork Tool - Boots (+2 Stealth for sound rolls) 50gp
Pearl of Power (1st Level) 1000gp
Wand of Cats Grace (7 Charges) 630gp

Amour 3250+Weapons 4666+Equipment 1852.44=9768.44

I am up for suggestions on my last 220 odd gold... I am pretty sure my math is ok but if its not, let me know.


Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness

I think it rocks for him! Good choice.

Nearly done. I just gotta tweak a couple more things. Still have some money left over but that can be dealt with easy enough.

Here he is so far... Iozef

Remember, still gotta implement some things. But nearly there.

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