I've been GMing Paizo's Crypt of the Everflame for just over a year now, and we've recently completed the first adventure. We started with six excellent characters, but unfortunately, as is wont to happen with play-by-posts, a couple of folks quit posting.
For those who're interested, here is the campaign thread.
Masks of the Living God is the second in the trilogy, and takes place immediately following the triumphant (yet somber) return of the Chosen of Kassen, having completed a coming-of-age ritual that was disrupted by the machinations of mysterious interlopers. Several of Kassen's citizens are dead, and the ones that brought the disaster about remain at large... Not to mention the treasure trove they seek, the same one that allowed Kassen's namesake and founder to establish the village in the first place.
Crypt of the Everflame had some strong guidelines for characters - the original recruitment post still holds true, and there are a few dramatis personae listed further in the thread. These were originally meant to be mentors for the young PCs, but serve equally well as friends or acquaintances for 'out of towners' if it would fit a character's background better.
My only requirement for roleplaying is that the character have a tie to the town of Kassen - either by being a resident, being friends with one, or perhaps having it as a favored rest stop in their travels. That said, I'll likely have a bias towards folks with a posting history so I can get a feel for their writing and their posting habits, although I'm a sucker for long backstories and well-thought out applications. Don't consider either of those a must, though.
For those who enjoy tying their characters to the Pathfinder setting, Kassen is a backwoods town in Nirmathas, and this adventure will heavily involve the capitol of Tamran.
Another option, if anyone wishes to consider it, is to step into the shoes of one of the two characters with absent players - Garik Randor or Grukk Tornlock. Garik in particular was well-integrated with the group, and I would be sad to write him out of the game. That said inheriting a character is usually awkward, so nobody needs to feel beholden to take one of them.
With all the roleplaying bits out of the way, a few mechanical and otherwise metagame considerations;
- The ideal posting rate was advertised as 1/day, which has scarcely been followed. The campaign has been fairly stop-and-go, though I keep promising to be more diligent about it.
- The current party consists of a combat manuever-focused fighter, a rogue (who I assume is leaning towards arcane trickster), a cleric, and a fey sorceress; the bases are well-covered, so any character that meets my other prerequisites is fine.
- For simplicities sake, the only material I'm willing to allow is what's on the PRD, and I have a preference for using the seven core races.
- Characters will start at level 2, and level 3 is very close around the corner. As far as wealth goes, rather than audit the current characters, I'll likely grant new characters 750 gp, one magical piece of equipment (i.e. a +1 something or other) or an equivalently priced wondrous item, one inexpensive wondrous item (no more than a couple of thousand GP purchase price), and a handful of consumables. This is, obviously, negotiable.
- I don't intend to set a hard deadline; the Paizo forums are good at churning out apps, so if I leave it open for too long, I'll likely wind up considering running a whole 'nother group.
- Likewise, I'll do my best to make myself available for questions and feedback, so don't be afraid to bounce ideas off of me.
I'd like to create a character and join your team. Should I send a PM to you with the type of character I have in mind?
dotted for interest, I could have a character ready by today
This sounds tempting. I wouldn't have a problem taking over Garik. Dwarves are like my favorite race.
But, having said that, would it be an issue if an archetype were added to him?
Just curious for now.
Dotting for interest as well. I'll post a character concept tomorrow.
@Escharid Blackrose (and whom it may concern):
I was actually wholly unaware we even had PMs on Paizo; I'd obviously intended to take applications here, and would still prefer that (as I might ask my player's opinions and such). I'll accept PMs though, of course.
@Javell DeLeon:
Heh, me too. That's why there's two in the party to begin with! I wish I'd mentioned it in the original post, but I'm certainly willing to allow significant modifications to the 'rules' side of the existing characters - the important part is the roleplaying.
I cannot disagree. Cool then. I'll try to take a better look at the character tomorrow and try and get a take on his persona, and I'll let you know something.
Here is my submission/concept for a Half-Orc Paladin:
No one in Kassen has ever known quite what to make of the green toned girl. That she was as fierce in spirit as her mother was evident from a very young age. Her beauty, despite her orcish heritage, or perhaps because of the exotic air it gave her, made the townspeople that much more uncertain of how to treat her. As a result, she has been neglected as a whole by the town at large, and often forgotten when not present.
As she saw those years where young people were to be chosen to perform the Lamp Lighting ceremony, she yearned to be selected one day, but feared that she would not. She desired more than anything to go, believing that being among the champions of the town would help her prove herself to them once and for all. Afraid she would be overlooked, either because of her age( at 15 she is still a girl by human standards) or because of her apparent lack of training, she approached Father Prasst to teach her. She knew that he was once a soldier, and somewhat like herself, not entirely given the credit he deserved for his skills. Under his tutelage, she has trained in secret the past few years to become a Paladin of Erastil.
However, her fears were realized this year when the names came out, but hers was not one of them. While it is possible that she might be selected next time, a few years from now, she has decided that she cannot wait. She has fastened on her mother's old armour, girded on her sword, and intends to make herself known, here and now.
Amadea will be a Charisma/Dex heavy character build, and provide the group with some needed range firepower, a high AC tank at melee, and a secondary healer with lay on hands. From the present compliment of characters, this should help shore up few neglected areas.
Str: 14 Dex: 16 Con: 14 Int: 10 Wis: 8 Cha: 16
I'm pretty able to be flexible with the particulars, so if you think the concept needs adjustment in one area or another, I totally willing to listen to feedback.
Alright, add my name to the potential candidates. If you have yet to decide on who you've chosen, then I got no problem running Garik.
At this point, there's only the two submissions, so the choice'd be pretty clear cut if I made it now, heh. I'm hoping to keep the game moving, so if I anybody else plans to apply, there's a tentative deadline of 'soon' - call it the start of next week (Monday), if you need something hard.
Amadea looks great - both in background and in shoring up the party's weak spots.
Glad to hear you approve Zebulon. I will start building an alias as soon as I can.
here I go!
Cadj Naress
Human male
Alignement LE
God Asmodee
Classes Monk level 1/ Mage level 1 (specialist, School Evocation Banned school Illusion and Enchantment)
Comp:
(monk, 7)
Tumble 1
Trade (Merchant) 1
Know-Religion 1
Hide 1
Ride 1
Intimidate 1
Perception 1
(mage: 5)
Magical arts 1
Know Mysteries 1
Estimate 1
Linguistics 1
Know Planes
Known mage spells
Mage armor
Summon monster 1
Comprehend Langages
Sleep
Identify
History
Son of a Chelaxian merchant, Cadj is a young man used to fine clothes, gold and luxurious goods. But he has something else, a thirst for knowledge that his father could never truly understand.
Year after year, they come to the same old towns, using the same old roads.
Every town was the same for Cadj. Everyone was either afraid of him, or wanted to knock a few teeth away from his mouth, just because he was a Chelaxian.
Cadj never asked for troubles. But when a fight began, his opponents would find that the young boy carried a nasty punch... and that he wasn't above a few dirty blows if no one had the sense to ask specifically BEFORE the fight not to use low blows, choke and other wild stuff.
Sometimes, Cadj would lose the fight, of course. His nose is still broken, and he had his share of blackened eyes over the years.
For a reason unknown for anyone, last year, Cadj and his mercantile father parted their way. He studied magic, but any moment of idleness from his tutor saw him doing push ups or other physical stuff, to the bewilderement of the other pupils.
I'm a little wary of an LE alignment - if played sensibly I'm open to it, though I'm not sure how well it would mesh with the current players (who are all some flavor of chaotic or good). I'd like to know a bit more about what an LE character means to you - how he could come to work together with the team, how he interacts in normal social discourse, etc.
A little more detail about how he's tied to Kassen - you mention a tutor, for example - wouldn't hurt either.
EDIT:
Anyone else who's interested - I'm intending to move things along starting Monday, so there's only today and tomorrow left to give me time for much serious consideration.
ok, here are my thoughts about the LE alignement:
*someone who sticks to the law, and would use any advantage that stays within the laws: he won't be the first to enter or the one to create a bar brawl for example, but if attacked would use any means necessary to stop his opponent, not by killing him but wouldn't be above maiming him (broken arm or so)
*sticks to his word as long as possible- or as long he isn't cheated.
*could have a rivalry with the Fighter of the group,as he is a guardsman: not as someone who cause trouble but as someone who attract loudmouths and bullies, and so attract troubles. They could have crossed paths when they were both teenagers, got in a few fist fights (maybe about a girl? Nothing too serious anyway-Bolkin may be the cause of Cadj's broken nose). I mentioned that this town of Kassen was a regular stop for Cadj's father (a wandering merchant )for years, so the characters may knew each other for some time.
*Would gladly help the party as long as there is "something in for me", be it cash money, status, spells to learn or magical items. Cadj is son of a merchant, and quite avid to make money (legally of course!)
He could even do the occasional good thing without caring much, and use it later as a moral lever to use the party for its own deeds.
* I'd like to take the traits "Suspicious" as Cadj was betrayed by his own father: he was promised to go in a great, prestigious school to learn magic, but his father never wanted to spend the money, so all Cadj got was magic training in this small town, from an "idle and barely efficient" (in his eyes!) teacher, Horgast. His personnal history explains why Cadj is reluctant to make promises or to take oaths, but feels binded by his word. Cadj is known for being generous with those he feels truly deserve it, but it takes long to earn his trust.
As a second trait, I'd like to take "Anatomist", to reflect Cadj willingness to hit them where it hurts.
*As a follower of Asmodeus, he's always looking for followers of Demonic (Chaotic Evil) cults and could join forces with some Do-Gooders to annihilate them. I choose as Opposite Schools Illusion (as Cadj is more an "in your face, take it or leave it" kind of guy, abruptly honest sometimes) and Enchantment (as spells of Enchantment manipulate minds and create Chaos), but could switch Enchantment for Necromancy so that Cadj will blend more easyly in a good group, being a fervent believer of "what gets in a grave should STAY in the grave!", or having a personal dislike/taboo about Necromancy.
(sorry if i got carried away in my explanations- BTW, i'm french so please free to point out some bad typo or grammar! I won't take offense.^^)
I would like to submit Morthos von Janderhoff, a NG Dwarf Barbarian(Drunken Brute) 2 for consideration :-)
As a young Dwarf, Morthos was told tales of the wonders of his families ancestral home, but on the topic of what drove them forth, his parents were strangely tight-lipped. They preferred to not dwell on certain aspects of the past, cherishing what they had.
Although he tried, Morthos discovered that he had no aptitude for his parents crafts, and so he instead decided to focus on learning what he could of his antecedents; his great-grandfather had been a warrior, and a good one at that, and he decided to follow in his footsteps. To that end, when he came of age, he took-up his great-grandfather's axe, and signed-on as a caravan guard and some-time bounty hunter, which allowed him to travel far an wide, along the local trade routes...
...On one such trip the caravan passed through the middling hamlet of Kassen. At the inn that night, over cups with one of the local Dwarves, Braggar Ironhame by name, he was told about the rather unusual coming-of-age ritual that the town engaged in. Fascinated, he made a point of observing the next time a group was to put through their paces, and over the following years, made a point of popping-back whenever he could to help with 'the show', striking up a decent friendship with Braggar. Unfortunately, recently, word reached him that something had gone horribly wrong with the most recent batch - villagers had been killed by some evil force. Hurrying to Kassem as quickly as he could, he was relieved to discover that the situation had been resolved satisfactorily, but was more than a little troubled by what had gone on; what had caused the dead to rise?
Let me know what you think :-)
P.S. Rather than a '+1 something or other' and a wondrous item 'no more than a few thousand gp', could I take a +1 weapon and a +1 suit of armor?
P.P.S. Roughly how much can be spent on consumables?
First up, as regards Morthos' question about gear;
Originally my thought was to keep characters having multiple +1 items since there are still precious few of those in the party; on the other hand, that'll likely be rectified sooner rather than later. So +1 armor (or shield, for character types for which that's appropriate) and +1 weapon will work.
As for consumables, the thought there was somewhat negotiable dependent on the price of the wondrous item; I suppose this is still somewhat true. More-or-less off the cuff, I'd say something like 500 gp's worth - which can, of course, be supplemented by the 750 gp discretionary budget. Mostly, I'm looking to match them up with roughly what the party currently has - a few potions each and a smattering of partially-charged wands.
--
@Escharid: Thank you for taking the time to clarify what Lawful Evil means to you; it seems to me the character could reasonably function with the party. The extra details and how he might interact with current characters is good too. And don't worry - your English is pretty good. :)
@Morthos: Well I always appreciate a good dwarf and a background involving family history, but Morthos is very similar to Garik (both NG dwarf barbarians!), whom Javell DeLeon has offered to take over, and whom I admittedly have a bias for awarding the slot to. If the party make-up were different, you'd be a strong contender - even as it stands, I'm almost tempted to bite the bullet and try a 7-man party because I think the character interactions could be interesting.
Heck, if you've got some thoughts on how Morthos would interact with the current party - seeing as he's a somewhat older/more mature adventurer type, possibly asked by Braggar to look out for his adopted son and nephew - I'd like to hear them. I might be persuaded to run a party of seven after all.
*groans* I cannot believe that I missed that :-/
I could definitely see Braggar asking Morthos to keep an eye on his adoptive son; not as a mentor, but as a fellow traveller who understands the fury that drives Garik's actions, and tries to inspire him to greatness through acts of pure Dwarfishness ;-)
"Young pup's these days have got no idea what life is like out in the big bad world. They need someone to keep an eye on them. That Garik has suffered much, and endured it well, but the others strike me as a wee bit soft. They could do with someone who knows the roads to keep an eye on them..."
Got him done, I think. It is possible I may have missed something, though. Garik
Sorry. I'm getting myself all mixed up on Recruitment threads. Was TOTALLY not paying attention when I posted in the ORIGINAL recruit thread. My bad.
Thanks for the assist, Luke! (Especially with me being in the wrong thread, dude. You rock!) :P
Edit: I figured it out. I favorited the Campaign Info from the actual game thread, clicked on it and then clicked on Recruitment, which took me to the original recruitment thread. I never even thought to check if it was right. Dumb me.
so, am i in? I need to know, as i asked to join another online campaign here..
Heh, honest mistake, Javell - I probably should have tied this to the campaign but I didn't want to mess things up since there was already the old recruitment thread.
EDIT:
I also wanted to say that's how I saw Morthos interacting - not so much a mentor type as much as, sort of, a big brother - a similar soul with a bit more experience.
Anyway, I'm inviting LastNameOnEarth (Amadea), Javell DeLeon (Garik), and Luke_Parry (Morthos) to the campaign. I'll be sending out PMs to you three as well - quite probably redundant, but hey I need to test-drive the new system anyway.
I appreciate your interest, Escharid, but the other three fit into the group better. Best of luck with getting into the other campaign.
@Javell: Happy to help; Morthos needs to look out for Garik, after all ;-)
ok, good luck to everyone. I'll read your stuff, to see how the group plays together.
I was truly impressed of how the initial group worked together, and of their brilliant roleplay. That was my motivation for joining the game.