Winding Through the Mists: A Ravenloft Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Divinitus


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This is the official recruitment for a campaign set in Ravenloft, using the amazing Pathfinder system. Rather than ramble for an hour about my Ravenloft fanboyism, let's get to the recruitment!

Link Redacted

As I'm sure you noticed, I have not listed which domain we are to start in. Why is that, you ask? Because I want those I select to decide where the game begins, due to it being a semi-sandbox. I have scenarios for nearly every domain in Ravenloft at almost every level, so I just want the PCs to start in an area they feel would make more sense for them.

As for character creation...

Starting Level: 2

Max HP per HD (You'll probably need it in some cases!)

Available Classes: Any official Pathfinder, along with most official archetypes. 3PP material may be allowed, subject to my review.

Available Races: Human*, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Gnome, Caliban, Vistani, Giomorgo (Half-Vistani), Abber, Dhampir (Any subspecies), Tiefling (Any subspecies), Aasimar (No Agathion or Gerudo-blooded, because celestial furries do not fit the setting lol), Changeling, Fetchling, and Gillman (MUST take the trait to become fully capable of living on land). That said, those wishing to be something other than one of the Core Races, or Giomorgo and Vistani, MUST work with me on their background, because these races are NOT something that are widespread and are, indeed, quite rare. Each are pretty much unique individuals that exist due to unique circumstances. Calibans, for example, are those twisted before birth into something barely human, while Tieflings and Aasimar are the product of unions between trapped outsiders and mortals, Gillmen are the remnants of a lost civilization long since sunk beneath the Nocturnal Sea, ect.
*You may also choose to be a Human from one of the noble houses. If you do, PM me, because they have alternate racial bonuses and penalties, depending on the family in question.

Character Age: You may be any of the ages at adult or above (Note that I consider high school-age teenagers to be adults, keeping with the old world views on adulthood.). You may only be of Young age if you play as a child genius of some type, in which case it would be prudent to PM me.

Ability Score Generation: 20 point buy, on a 1-1 basis, from a base of 10. You MAY, if you so choose, effectively 'offset' your race's negative ability modifier by using an additional 2 points, thus allowing you to cap out the score at the normal, unmodified score. For example, if you play a Dwarf Bard and want that 18 CHA, simply pay the additional 2 points it would take for you to take your 'starting racial cap' of 16 to 18. This way, you are not constrained into a certain range of classes by virtue of your race.

Traits: 2, plus a bonus if you take a Drawback

Skills: Knowledge:Ravenloft is a new skill that is both wide-ranging and restrictive. For more details, see the books in the link.

Alignment: Any, but see the section on Power Checks in the campaign setting book. Those who regularly perform evil often end up cursed and twisted by the Dark Powers.

Starting Wealth: 1,000 GP, unless your character belongs to a noble house, in which case PM me for more details. Nobles begin with more money, but they also have certain obligations that they must perform, as well as certain codes of conduct they must adhere to in public, lest their house disown them.

Crafting: This is best done during downtime, unless it is needed for a quest, but I have no objections to it. Be wary of creating intelligent magic items though... lol.

Fluff: You MUST submit your character's background, appearance, personality, and a few people you have ties with, be they friends or foes.

I believe that does it for the recruitment, yes? If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask them on this thread or send a PM to my profile on the messageboards. I look forward to seeing what sort of characters you all create!


I will be logging off for a few hours to run a friend through some Greater Rifts and possibly some Ubers on Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls. I will be back in about 3 hours or so to check on this thread.


Dotting.

The Exchange

Ah exzellent dahling


I would love to play a leveled up version of this PC in a Ravenloft game. I'd have to localize the references in her background and give her an extra level, but this LE (but a team player, I swear!) necromancer cleric would love to tromp around Ravenloft.


dot


GM wrote:


Ability Score Generation: 20 point buy, on a 1-1 basisp, from a base of 10. You MAY, if you so choose, effectively 'offset' your race's negative ability modifier by using an additional 2 points, thus allowing you to cap out the score at the normal, unmodified score. For example, if you play a Dwarf Bard and want that 18 CHA, simply pay the additional 2 points it would take for you to take your 'starting racial cap' of 16 to 18. This way, you are not constrained into a certain range of classes by virtue of your race.

The bolded bit is slightly confusing to me. I haven't seen that before.

Are we using a Pathfinder 20pt buy, or the old '20 pts to spread around' buy? Where if you had 15, 15, 15, 13, 12, 10 you'd be at the 20 points (5 + 5 + 5 + 3 + 2 + 0 = 20).


How would you feel about skinwalkers being a thing? Seems to fit the feel of Ravenloft. If so I would love to play a werebat-kin.


Which document has the racial stats for the Vistani?


Dot.


Stitches, True Neutral undead lord cleric at your service. (RJ the Wolfs submission) i need to level up the character and change the stats to point for point from point buy but the backstories on the profile.


Dotting with Delia (Aardvark's submission). Seeing Half-Vistani as an option, I would love to switch her to that. It also gels with her mother's actions somewhat.


Ravenloft? Yes please. Dotting, and will post a PC concept soon.


I share Mdt's confusion about the point buy.


just to make sure, this is going to be PBP right?

Silver Crusade

Is anyone able to use the link? When I click it it just takes me to my google account.

The Exchange

Rysky wrote:
Is anyone able to use the link? When I click it it just takes me to my google account.

I was able to get on but I believe you need to download all the pdf docs


The point buy is the '20 to spread around' method. This way, people can use MAD classes and not feel overly penalized. Considering how difficult Ravenloft is under a good DM/GM, it is not quite as powerful of a boost as in a standard campaign.

Also, can't believe I added a 'p' after basis. Everyone ignore that horrible error lol.

Several necromancer applicants, I see. Interesting. I would give the 'altered magic' section in the core book a read-over, so you can be aware of how necromancy works in Ravenloft. It remains as powerful as in the base game, but there is an element of risk involved in some cases as well. I have had a few necromancers in my Ravenloft campaigns, so don't think I'm speaking out against your concepts, I just want you to be aware that necromancy works a little bit different in Ravenloft.

Zomblisham, I did not even consider Skinwalkers. I just lost a point of gaming cred! You may submit a Skinwalker, but we will need to work on your character concept jointly, as is the case for the other 'monstrous races'.

Ixos, thank you, I knew I forgot something! I will get the Vistani posted up soon!

Delia, yes indeed, because the Vistani are itinerant wanderers. Not just because they have always been a nomadic people, but because of an ancient curse on their people that wears down those who stop wandering.

RJ, yes, still PBP!

Rysky, did you manage to get it working? Some of the PDFs, for some reason, are not previewable, and yes I just made that word up, and have to be downloaded.

I would also like PCs to, after reading the Domains section, select their top 5 Domains that they consider a preferred starting point, so I can narrow down which scenarios to prepare.

The Exchange

What are your posting expectations? I am in the SF bay area so I am usually good from 7am-8pm PST M-F. Weekends I post when I can


I just thought of something! Phil Tucker, are you the one who wrote 'The Human Revolt' series? If so, that's awesome and kudos!


On second thought, I'll bow out of this one.

Silver Crusade

Dot. Thinking paladin. But not sure


Katya, I aim to post AT LEAST once per day, exceptions permitting, on every day of the week. Some Fridays I may not post because I might be making the sojourn to the local FNM so I can hopefully win a PTQ. Other than that, only emergencies, holidays, or extremely busy days, such as college finals, will see me not making at least 1 post per day. I do hope to post more than once a day, but am reluctant to say commit to that in case a week or two proves busy enough where I can only make one post a day. Make sense?


Yeah i got nothing when i clicked the link.

Grand Lodge

I'll look into the document and get back to youj. Still interested at this time.

Dark Archive

Dot.

I've got a concept for a Dwarven Soulthief Vitalist (courtesy of the lovely folks at Dreamscarred Press) that has been bouncing around in my head. Background ideas are vague atm, but if you're down with the class, I'd be more than willing to get to work on throwing stuff together. :)


I look forward to seeing the Vistani. :-)

Silver Crusade

I can post 1-2 times a Day usually sometimes more.


That is odd about the link! Anyone who is having problems, feel free to PM me and I can see about e-mailing you the material.

Seranov, Soulthief Vitalists are absolutely an option, although I will offer you the same warning as above: necromancy or necromancy-like powers often come with a price in Ravenloft. I look forward to seeing your idea though!


Back here posting interest for my vampire wannabe. Though it could change if you think it better. Currently reading some of the documents you have.


Im leaning towards a vashini harrower...


VISTANI RACIAL STATS

Medium

Humanoid (Human)

Speed: 30 feet

+4 WIS, +2 CHA

Starting Languages: 1 national language and Patterna (The Vistani tongue)

Skilled: +1 skill point per level

Vistani Curses: Vistani are extremely skilled at curses and can make minor curses (With harmless effects) at will. They can curse someone with higher magnitude curses easier, especially if they have a belonging of the victim. Since this ability is so open-ended, you will need to speak with me about using it in the campaign.

The Evil Eye- A number of times per day equal 1/2 to his/her CHA per day (Rounded down if necessary), the Vistani may curse an opponent with a glance, with a Will DC of 10 + 1/2 HD + CHA (Female Vistana add +2 to the DC) to resist. The curse takes one of 4 forms, which become available at the following levels:
1st- Fear: 1d4+1 rounds equivalent of the Fear spell.
4th- Suggestion- As the spell but with a duration of one day or until the task is complete, whichever is sooner.
8th- Domination- As Charm Person, but for 1d4+1 rounds
16th- Paralyzing Convulsions- Those who fail their saves are paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds, but those who fail it by 4 or more are wracked by convulsions that cause 1d8 damage each round the effect lasts and, when the duration is up, must make a Fort save. If successful, the target falls unconscious for 2d12 hours but can be woken as normal. Failure means the target is reduced to -1 HP and is now dying.

Mist Navigation- Nistani Navigate Mistways and the Mists with 90% accuracy, and much reduced times, as determined by the GM.

Magic Tracking- Using a focus item such as a divining rod, a Vistani can track a specific mortal individual, no matter how far the distance, unless they reside within a closed border or are under protection from divination magic.

The Sight- Female Vistani have the ability to see the past, present, and future by consulting a focus (Usually a Tarokka deck, but occasionally a crystal ball) and, though the information they receive is 100% accurate, the information is usually cryptic, vague, or otherwise hard to decipher. This ability can only be used once on a given subject per person and provides information at the GM's discretion.

Static Burn- Vistani who stay within a mile of any given point for more than a week begin to sicken, taking -1 CON drain per day. After 7 days of being afflicted by static burn, assuming the Vistani survives, they lose access to The Sight, Magic Tracking, Mist Navigation, The Evil Eye, and Vistani Curses PERMANENTLY and must immediately save or lose enough sanity points to gain a mental illness (Roll 1d20: 1-4 results in a murderous rampage, 5-8 results in suicidal urgings, 9-12 results in paranoid schizophrenia, 13-19 results in dissociative amnesia, and a 20 results in major depression).

Base Outcast Rating: +5 (In some Domains, it they do not even have an OR and are, instead, attacked on sight, such as in the Domains of Invidia and Falkovnia).

That's about as balanced of a conversion as Vistani can get lol.

EDIT: LIMIT 1 VISTANI PER CAMPAIGN! NO POWERGAMING GROUPS FOR YOU! :P

Dark Archive

I need to read through the stuff you provided, but expect updates soon. I'm very interested in playing a Vitalist, and the concept of siphoning life from the undead and using it to bolster my comrades sounds fun as all get out. :)


How does a Vistani Shaman (Speaker for the Past) strike you?


I was thinking, how does a summoner work in Ravenloft (especially if good and summoning celestial creatures)? The mists control who can and cannot come into the domain, and I know any sort of portal or planar travel had serious penalties/inabilities. I may have a second question (or more) based off your response.

Also, I mirror the question posed earlier about what the direction of the campaign will be. It feels like there is a lot of anti-hero love going on, and very close to the point of not hero. Will this be an evil campaign or are there any restrictions to the ratio of evil:non-evil?

Silver Crusade

AH! Finally they work for me, going over them now.

Also, tangent: The Trailer for Bloodborne coming out is what really put me in the mood for this game :3


Seranov, of course it does! "Time to give back the life that you stole, monster!"

Ixos, It definitely fits the flavor of the campaign. Male or female? Males with The Sight are considered Dukkars, basically their version of Damien from 'The Omen' and are killed upon discovery. The one instance this did not happen was with Malocchio Aderre, who is now the tyrant controlling Invidia and perpetrating horrendous brutalities against the Vistani all over the Core.

Delia Pilachet, that is very true, but consider this: what if you are able to summon outsiders by using your innate arcane power to mold the Mists themselves into beings that serve you? It would be largely a flavor thing, although I may state that all of the creatures gain the 'Mists' subtype. As far as alignments and story direction goes, that will be dictated by how the final group that I pick look likes. If it is mostly antiheroes, then I will put up the book for Champions of Darkness, which is the counterpart to Heroes of Light, detailing the various organizations therein. I would prefer the campaign not delve into full-on villainy, but I suppose if that is what the final group looks like, I have ideas for that as well, namely...

SPOILER:
The Fraternity of Shadows!
It would be a massive change in tone, but it is possible. Who knows, if it looks fairly split, with lots of applicants on each side, I may make a heroic campaign and a villainous campaign! Coming back to your question with a definitive answer, I want to mold the campaign around the characters I pick. I don't like railroading except in isolated situations where the railroading is something that adds flavor.

Rysky, as well you should, because that game just seems to ooze gothic horror. I was somewhat butthurt after I bought an Xbox One for Dead Rising 3 and saw Bloodborne and Until Dawn for the PS4. Thankfully, Sunset Overdrive has somewhat made up for that with all the whackiness lol.


dotting, need to look over the material. I remember playing Strahd's Possession and Stone Prophet for the PC. I thought I had some WotC 3.x Ravenloft PDF's back in the day but these say S&S so maybe I was mistaken. My DM at the time was big on original settings and mostly stayed away from 3rd party stuff so I didn't use them much, other than that I am unfamiliar with the setting. Would a stranger brought in by the mist (as in the games mentioned above) be acceptable?

Silver Crusade

@GM: Have you played Demon's Souls and/or Darks Souls 1 or 2? Made by the same company but doesn't quite have the Gothic Horror feel, other types of horror oh yes.


Zaarbuc, WotC has never published a Ravenloft module for 3.X, at least to my knowledge. Swords and Sorcery published ALL of the Ravenloft 3.X material, apart from a few snippets in Dragon magazine that were just articles on random things, such as, for example, Dr. Daclaud Heinfroth's spellbook, which was themed after old-school mental health practices and theories. I believe Stone Prophet was part of Neverwinter, somehow set in Ravenloft, was it not? If you want to be a stranger brought to the Land of Mists, feel free. It's more of a 'step in from a thick bank of fog' scenario, rather than 'get zapped in buck-naked in a crouched position, beat up some bikers, and steal their clothes, Terminator 2-style' lol.

Rysky, played the first Dark Souls and loved it because it was old-school, even if I did hate that the few times my character died I lost so much stuff. I have seen Dark Souls 2, but am waiting on the Scholar of the First Sin edition to come out that contains all the DLC, plus more. I love how grim the Dark Souls games, and their figurative precursors the Demon Souls games, are. They are so awesome. Not nearly as hard as most people make them out to be, but I'm one of the 'gaming old guard' that thinks Dark Souls and The Evil Within are 'easy mode' games.
*EDIT: YOU HOOLIGANS GET OFF MY LAWN!:P


I sent a message to you Dark, but i'm not sure it sent. -.- my laptop likes to page back when I hit backspace. I have a character concept I'm wanting to run by you.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

RJ, I sent you a reply.

HEY EVERYONE, I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. Anyway, a fellow GM has had something absolutely horrible happen and some people have put together a charity bundle for him to help with his daughter's funeral costs and hospital bills. HERE is the link for the bundle. If anyone has a spare $20 or so, I hope people will find it in their hearts to help Chris out in such a difficult time. Even if you don't have the funds for this, if you could share it with other gamers you know, it would be much appreciated.


Man, if ever there were a game where a Bladed Scarf Dancer/Hexcrafter Magus combination felt justified this would be it. Gunslinger also feels right, though. I need to do some thinking here.


I'll try to put together a sneaky fetchling summoner (shadow caller) and see if it feels right.

(Not evil).

When I try to access the link to the GM's google docs it takes me to the list of my google drive docs. Is there anything there that'd particularly affect my character?

The Exchange

I am for ze most part ready.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

how long are you keeping recruitment open?

i'm interested but i'm going to be out of town this weekend and am not sure i can put together a quality application before i leave...

Sovereign Court

Ah, I have fond memories of 2nd Edition Ravenloft :-)

I will definitely have to submit something for this :-D


I need to work on her gear, but background/appearance/personality and her non-gear crunch are done. If you want to see how I'm going to play her, you can check out her old posts from the game she was in that went kaput.


Dotting. More on a character concept later.


I may need to reupload my files, because I believe an error occurred. I will have them reuploaded sometime later today.

Tanos, indeed, both of those concepts are very Ravenloft, enough so for me to make the horrible pun 'That's So Ravenloft'. Don't worry, you're lucky if you don't get the TV reference lol.

Avr, I think there is an error for me to fix. There is a wealth of material for you to look over, some of which is vital to fluff, others which are crunch.

Katya, zat eez most eggzellent!

Nate, recruitment will be open for 2 weeks, due to the massive read (To most) that is the core book. You have plenty of time! :)

Luke, another Ravenloft 'old guard'! Quite pleased to hear that. :)

Hariika, I will look over your old posts.

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