Oh, and Woo! Glad to see that I was able to help there a little bit. Sorry if that got a bit overwhelming, Jacob.
Thanks again for your help and feedback, Adam. And no worries, thinkering with the gazillion of different character options in Pathfinder is part of the fun for me.
I still need to decide on a few details, but Wolflair Support was able to point me towards the right HeroLab pack, so I now have all the relevant rules in my own verison.
I'll have a "secret identity"-thing going on (subject to GM approval). I'll spoiler all info relating to this from here on out. The GM and those players who don't mind having such ooc knowledge are welcome to read along. (I'm a notorious spoiler-reader myself, btw, but try hard to keep player and character knowledge separate).
A couple of questions for the GM regarding character creation:
- Traits: Do we pick any two or does on have to be a campaign trait?
- HP: How do we handle hp after level 1? (both for PCs and animal companions)
- Gear and wealth: I'm assuming 3.000 gp as standard starting wealth for level 3.
I argee that an Academae student could be an interesting addition, but remain firmly in the camp of Play-whatever-is-the-most-fun.
For my part, I’ll almost certainly go with the switch hitter Sable Company Marine ranger, Elric Rivers.
I found the Ilsurian Archer archetype which meshes great with Sable Company Marine and the flavor I was going for.
I’ll update my character profile with stats and backstory, and then we can figure out how to mix Elric in with the group. Should not be too difficult at this point, he can just be assigned as some kind of military liason. Since he is a marine, he can share a NPC connection to Bartholomew with Audria.
Thank you for considering letting me join the game. I have been lurking a bit since Adam posted the call for a replacement GM and enjoy gaming with Adam and Chapel in the Crypt of the Everflame game.
For this game, I’m leaning towards a hard-hitting Sable Company Marine ranger with a secret reason for wanting to protect the city. But I’m ready to play whatever the group needs.
A big +1 to that! I’ve already played the first book of Mummy’s Mask, so I’ll sit this one out, but i’ve had the pleasure of having Luke_Parry as a player in one of my PbP games. Strong recommendation from here.
Personally I have never understood why you can’t have two characters of the same race/ancestry or class. It’s not like the tavern of inestimable meetings is set up just to allow entry (and one would hope, exit, unless it was cursed) to a completely balanced party that “covers” all the “bases”.
I second this. In Adam Warnock’s Crypty of the Everflame game that is just about to start, we currently have two half-orc druids and two wizards. All of them feel quite distinct, with their own niche for both roleplaying and crunch.
Familiar's Eyes Feat Just something to consider, possibly for the future.
(Yes, I know it's for the Witch class, but I could probably make an exception for a cool story thing like this.)
You've linked to the PF2e version of the feat (which is also from the APG, so a double no-no). You are probably thinking of Beast Eye, a major Witch Hex. In any event, something like that would be way down the line. For now, I'm happy to lean into his disability.
Just to be sure: We ARE playing PF1 core for this, right? Otherwise, it's a whole new ballgame.
Roger that - I'll see what crazy ideas I can cook up.
I've taken your advice and run with the low stat as a roleplaying cue. I've sketched up a human wizard, Balthazar the Blind, who is brilliant, but rather befuddled and unaware of his surroundings (dump stat to wis, boosted to 6 through racial mod).
Years of studying dusty tomes by candlelight coupled with a genetic defect has made him nearsighted to the point of effective blindness at longer distances. He uses a quaterstaff to navigate and has an Owl familiar to give him a stat boost in murky surroundings.
Okaaaay…overall very balanced stats, but that 4 really does make things tricky. With racial adjustments, it could be bumped up to a 6, which is still not great, especially since I’m not a fan of dump stats.
I’d be fine with dropping some of the other rolls a bit to raise the 4, but if I mess around too much, I might as well do the 20 point buy (which is fine).
GM, what do you think?
So, I'm sorry to say that this time I have to be the bearer of bad news. Not THAT bad, but...the rolls overall average a 12. You can reroll, keep em, or go 20pt build. Sorry, no other options for shifting stat scores beyond racial bonuses and whatnot.
Personally, I'd either use my racial bonus to make it a 6, and have a cool rp'ing disability, or go 20 pt buy. Though if you're a gambling man, you can reroll. Up to you.
Roger that - I'll see what crazy ideas I can cook up.
Okaaaay…overall very balanced stats, but that 4 really does make things tricky. With racial adjustments, it could be bumped up to a 6, which is still not great, especially since I’m not a fan of dump stats.
I’d be fine with dropping some of the other rolls a bit to raise the 4, but if I mess around too much, I might as well do the 20 point buy (which is fine).
I stand by Maidie as my official submission. Even if both wizards are chosen, Maidie is a classic control wizard, while Betzolte seems to be headed for a gish-type role. There should be plenty of room for both to do their own thing.
Sounds good. My experience, both as a GM and a player, is that 5-6 players is usually the sweet spot for PbP. With a bigger group, it’s hard to keep everyone engaged and the narrative flowing.
I’m currently applying for another game as well, and depending on the outcome I may decide not to apply for this one, but I will keep an eye out for the actual recruitment thread once it is live.
I’ve been spending most of the day going over both the in-game and discussion thread, and from what I’ve seen this group deserve another chance to keep the game rolling.
I came very close to convincing myself that I have the time and energy needed to GM a PbP AP, in spite of my better judgement. Really hope third GM’s the charm for this campaign.
You're welcome. And now you mention that incident, I can add to the questionaire: Always give others the benefit of the doubt and don't assume negative intent. This is especially relevant in a written asyncronious medium like PbP.
Agreed, and if you're referring to what I think you're referring to, there was some previous history there that did color that interaction.
Yeah, I went back and checked the recruitment thread mentioned. Regardless of history, one of you came off as levelheaded and helpful and one gave off a strong drama vibe. I’m still applying to your game, so take from that what you will :-)
@Jacob Trier: Thanks for letting me know about Betzolte. I didn't think to go check in case someone updated without posting about it, which considering recent events is rather dumb of me. As for choosing a character, keep in mind I am allowing multiple submissions, but to keep it fair, or at least as fair as I can, I've decided that I'm only going to be looking at you as a player and then deciding which character gets picked if I think you'd be a good fit. I figure that this would be the best way to limit the issue allowing multiple submissions causes in that those that do have more chances to get in than those that don't.
And you still have 9 days to submit another character or switch your submission if you want, so plenty of time. :)
You're welcome. And now you mention that incident, I can add to the questionaire: Always give others the benefit of the doubt and don't assume negative intent. This is especially relevant in a written asyncronious medium like PbP.
I like your approach of looking at players first and character submissions second. As stated, I'm more than willing to adjust my character to fit the overall group rather than have two similar character concepts fight over the same spotlight. Then again, having Maidie and Betzolte be mage apprentice partners in crime (or bitter rivals) could be its own kind of fun :-)
Dorian 'Grey' wrote:
I am not not liking the thought of 2 Clerics, 2 Druids and 2 Wizards...lol!
Oh ye of little faith. Built and played right, that could make an extrem ly capable party.
On the one hand, I really want to give Maidie Henrod another chance to prove herself in the Crypt of the Everflame. She is ready to go with very minor adjustments and has a complete background and mentor.
However, as a young female wizard, she is in direct competition with Betzolte, a very well done character (who should be moved to completed section, btw - full background and questionaire are in her bio).
On the other hand, there's still plenty of time to come up with a fresh character concept, which could be molded to fill one of the roles not yet represented.
For now, consider Maidie my official submission, but with the caveat that I may resubmit something entirely different before the deadline. Thoughts and ideas are very welcome.
Maidie's Backstory:
For Maidie, growing up in Kassen was a dreary and boring experience. The youngest of four children, she has spent most of her life watching her lumberjack father and housewife mother dote on her siblings. Granted, they doted on her as well, but that was to be expected. From a very early age, it was apparent to anyone that Maidie was smart. Real smart, with a mind that absorbed knowledge and memorized facts at an amazing rate.
But Maidie never really understood why her parents seemed to take such pride in their other children as well. They were all so boring and ordinary. Her oldest brother Jaden, a lumberjack like their father, could swing his axe all day, but so could most of the men in Kassen. And her brother Garth could swing his sword for just as long, and had been part of the Nirmanthi Irregulars during the war. And Elly...All Elly could do was smile, and sing and look pretty. The life in the family's woodland home was so mundane and boring, Maidie was certain she would lose her mind. All she could do was roll her eyes and thank the gods that she hadn't been born a gnome, since she would surely have succumbed to the bleaching long ago.
When the wizard Holgast took notice of her intellect and agreed to take her as an apprentice and teach her magic, she figured her life would finally become somewhat interesting. And for a while it was. Holgast taught her the fundamentals of magic, and helped her form a bond with Tanglefoot, the hedgehog she had found under her family home and adopted. But Holgast's lessons came with a price. She had to endure his mumbling, erratic teaching style, and spend countless hours doing mundane chores in the wizard's crooked tower before she was allowed freedom to explore the books in the overstuffed library.
It wasn't long before Maidie could extract no further learning from her sessions with Holgast. Instead, she turned to his books, and devoured one dusty volume after another. She quickly learned to master simple cleaning cantrips and how to summon unseen servants to do her chores for her, so she had plenty of time to lose herself to the pages with Tanglefoot nestled happily in the folds of her robe.
Maidie is grateful for her hedgehog companion, since she never really got along with people. Lately, she has focused her studies on the arts of conjuration and teleportation, perhaps from a subconscious desire to either summon some interesting company or simply whisk herself away from Kassen, never to return.
Now, as she nears her nineteenth birthday, the prospect of completing the quest of the Everflame serves as a welcome distraction, and perhaps as an opportunity to finally prove to herself and her family that she has outgrown Kassen and is ready to seek out the wonders of Golarion on her own.
Player Questionaire
1. What time zone are you in?
Central European Time (Aarhus, Denmark)
2. How long have you been playing TTRPGs?
My TTRPG journey began with Sword & Sorcery books and the AD&D 2nd ed Players Handbook back in the late 80's. Since then, I've played both tabletop and play-by-post, with several inactive periods. I've played and GM'ed multiple games here on the Paizo Forums, and had a brief stint as a PFS VL a handful of years ago.
3. What’s your favorite part about playing TTRPGs?
Getting to be a hero among other heroes, in many different shapes and sizes. I've played everything from a female dancer turned paladin to a burly half-orc dragon disciple and a helpful halfling bard. My favorite and most memorable moments have always been those all-or-nothing fights where only solid teamwork and a few lucky dice-rolls pull the party back from the brink of a TPK.
4. What do you expect from this game?
Some good, classic roleplaying and dungeon crawling. I like the rich backgound, with all the mentors available, and the fact that limited character options will probably mean a more balanced game and additional focus on roleplay and character interaction.
5. What do you expect out of your fellow players?
Communicate, contribute, have fun. I'm a big fan of giving every character opportunities to shine and of inter-party engagement. A good RPG is like a game of volleyball, with the ball constantly bouncing back and forthe between the different players and the GM. If the ball is not moving, the game is not fun. It is not good either if just a few of the players are doing all the work.
6. What do you expect out of me?
Set the scene for us to tell a glorious story together. As the GM, a lot rests on you to keep the game flowing, so don't let perfect stand in the way of good. I'd rather have two sentences that let the players move the ball forward than wait 14 days for a magnificent description that feels like a page out of a fantasy novel. On that note, delegate as much as you can and bot frequently if needed.
7. What are your redlines? Are there any topics, themes, or imagery that you absolutely do not want to see in the game?
Personally, virtually nothing. I'm am, however, extremly concious that everyone (including potential lurkers) should have a good time and shock value gets old real fast. The Paizo baseline works well, I think.
So Thursday I got word that my little sister was diagnosed with a stage two invasive breast cancer. Its essentially the same one that took our grandmother and great aunt. Im seeking a 2nd job to help with upcoming medical bills and will do my best to keep up with my commitments here becuase i'll need something to distract my mind. If i seem distant or vacant feel free to give me a nudge i wont hold it against you.
I’m deeply sorry to hear that. I’m a Cancer survivor myself and know all to well the strain that disease places on both patient and relatives. The added financial stress of the US health care system certainly does not help.
If there is a gofundme collection or similar to help with medical expenses, please share the link. You are also welcome to drop me a private message if you feel that there is anything I can do to help.
Jacob Trier's submission: Ukebe the Wrestler, another native of Nantambu. Bit of a brute with a chip on his shoulder towards magic and spellcasters, but a good man to have on your side in a scuffle.
Crunch in the character bio.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **...
I like this, yep. Very creative.
Thanks. I picture him as a less charismatic and much dumber version of Michael Clarke Duncan (RIP).
I'm very tempted to submit a boisterous brawler, a wrestler thick-headed and obnoxious in his bravado, but strong enough to tackle a gorilla to the ground.
I'll respectfully bow out. My initial idea for a character concept was a giantslayer dwarf fighter, but Lucendar has already submitted a fine proposal for that. Instead, I'll settle for recommending him as a solid team member and great storyteller.
I might be interested. I've played a pbp that took us into the beginning of The Jackal's price about 10 years ago. Don't recall too many details, to be honest, but liked the basic campaign a lot.
I played a paladin in that campaign, but since you already have one of those, I'm open to other character concepts. Looks like the group could use either an arcane caster or a skill monkey, so I'll think about ideas for both.
Note that I’m in Denmark (GMT+1/CET), which makes lining up a shared hour for posting difficult. 9pm-10pm Pacific is 4am-5am my time.
Submitting a Lawful Evil Human Cleric of Asmodeus. Crunch is still not set in stone, but given the other submissions, he is likely to be primarily focused on support and control rather than combat. Possibly with the Asmodeus Advocate archetype or building towards Diabolist.
That's awesome! So glad someone submitted a cleric of Asmodeus. If we are both chosen, Jerax would likely defer to your character, since the tiefling would have had respect and fear of asmodean clerics beaten into him.
Glad to be of service :-)
In return, Jerax will be treated cordially, but with no uncertainty about where they both are in the intricate social hierachy of Cheliax. Lucien has no doubt that he is one of the good guys, and the defender of the true order of civilization. In other words, he has a strong White Man’s Burden/Gilead Commander vibe going. And he’s still young and low enough in the ranks to not have his ideals corrupted by power…yet
Hell's Vengeance submission
Submitting a Lawful Evil Human Cleric of Asmodeus. Crunch is still not set in stone, but given the other submissions, he is likely to be primarily focused on support and control rather than combat. Possibly with the Asmodeus Advocate archetype or building towards Diabolist.
Hell’s Vengeance Q&A:
1. What is your opinion of the Order of the Godclaws failure at Isger?
Unacceptable, yet hardly surprising. Their dedication to the ideal of Law and their battles against the forces of chaos is commendable, but their methods are misguided. Why waste time sifting through the dogmas of lesser gods when Asmodeus already stands as a bright beacon of order and strength? And now we clearly see at depth of their folly, as they let the true disciples of Iomedae infiltrate their stronghold while they were distracted perusing her heretical teachings.
2. Where do you see yourself in the high echelons of Cheliax's tangled web of government?
As a humble servant of the faith and church of Asmodeus and by that extension of House Thrune and Cheliax herself, I know that loyal service is rightfully rewarded. My station and power will reflect my ability to further the goals of The Lord of Darkness and Her Infernal Majestrix. Naturally, I expect this will carry me high into the clerical hierarchy.
3. You have captured the loved one of a hero. What do you make them do in exchange for their safe return? Will you keep their word or feast on the tears of absolute sadness?
My actions will be guided by the confines of the law. I will not allow a criminal to escape justice, but whatever flexibility afforded me in the intricate criminal code of Cheliax, I’ll use to the full extent. Patience is my ally and I much prefer to gain a hidden informant rather than reap some minor immediate advantage. I’ll honor whatever agreement I make – which will of course be carefully worded.
4. You are transporting a cartload of contraband in a public street when a pair of bored guards stop you talking about passage fees, potential fines and a requirement to search your cart. What do you do?
Any contraband I might be transporting will of course have been confiscated from undesirable elements. I should have little trouble convincing the guards of that and secure their cooperation through persuasion or intimidation. On the rare occasion where the need for discretion prevents me from doing so, I may resort to Cheliax’s well-established tradition for bribery.
5. Someone powerful you fancy has invited you into their bedchambers. However, there are many unpleasant rumors to the fate of their partners. What do you do?
Neither power nor pleasure can be attained without risk. But I’m no fool. Before accepting the invitation, I investigate the rumors and take the necessary precautions.
6. Your life’s nemesis is at your mercy. Give me your villain speech. ”Believe me, I take no pleasure in this. However, your actions leave me no choice. I will not stand idly by and let the pillars of civilization and order crumble in the name of charity and mercy. You may think me cruel and curse me as a tyrant, but I serve the greater good. Where is the mercy in letting one man live, if doing so will inspire a dozen more to follow his misguided path? If all did as you, the peace and security we enjoy under our benevolent Majestrix will soon be replaced by the opportunistic savagery that plagued our beautiful empire in its darkest days. Now kneel and let the fires of Hell will burn away your sins.”
7. Without describing their job, name, or appearance tell me who your character is.
One of Asmodeus’ faithful, who carries out his Infernal will with true devotion, motivated by a firm belief that the alliance between Hell and House Thrune is the only way to ensure peace and prosperity throughout Cheliax, for highborn and lowborn alike. Those who challenge this belief must be dealt with without mercy, so their childish desires and romantic ideals won’t jeopardize the stability of the empire. Look no further than the constant bloodshed in Molthune and the madness of Galt to realize what is at stake.
Alright...so some kind of martial type, possibly with WIS or CHA-based casting as backup. I'll ponder my options over the weekend and make a formal submission if I cook up something that feels right.