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The only way for you to determine if a work is "good" is for them to actually go to the trouble of creating it and giving it to you, then hoping that you decide it's good and pay them. Not a great motivator, there...
Did you want me to retool the 10-minute background into bullet points? Easily done if the background story thing isn't what you wanted.
I'm just kind of impressed by the people who say, "you don't have to play LG in a particular way!" and then they turn around and chide the OP for not playing his CN character a particular way. :P Also, chaotic =/= automatically crazy, stupid, evil or ruthless. Acts of kindness aren't necessarily out of character... though what the OP describes sounds more like the character is fed up with the paladin than really concerned about the prisoners. If the other player is OK with it, I see no reason why the OP's character shouldn't cause trouble for the paladin however he sees fit. Interesting RP could stem from it. YMMV.
I'm interested. I'm currently in this game as Matthias Valbrand, though I've only just joined it. The other pbp games I've been in were fairly short-lived: A Broken World as Mokrim Carrion Hill as Andrei Chernoslav (This game we actually finished in a short timespan!) Seafarers of Golarion as Jonathan "Patch" Cullen Mwangi Madness as Barker Valdane
Hmm, I may have misunderstood the 10-minute background thing. If you want it as bullet points I can certainly do that.
Here we go! name:
Raine Rathestin race:
half-elf class:
gunslinger alignment:
CG - She believes in having choices. She follows her own code and is respectful and obedient to authorities she agrees with - and ignores and mocks those she doesn't. While she thinks of herself as pragmatic, she actually has a large soft spot for the underdog. appearance:
Raine1 Raine2 Raine3 Raine has an engaging grin and messy dark brown hair cut short, which nevertheless often obscures her slightly tapered ears. Her sharp grey-blue eyes miss little. She wears a brown leather trenchcoat with a rifle slung across her back, and a bandoleer of ammunition across her chest. She also carries a slouching satchel with her worldly possessions in it, but never seems too concerned about it. personality:
Close-mouthed about her past, Raine is otherwise friendly and speaks her mind. She is unswervingly loyal to causes she believes in - and totally un-authoritarian with regards to everything else. The point is, as she likes to tell those who ask, that you have to have a choice. She is militantly atheist - not because she doesn't believe there are gods, but because she refuses to worship them. She isn't one to explain that, either. She tends to fiddle with things in her hands whenever she's thinking. 10-minute background:
It's never pleasant to wake up in the gutter. Raine has never forgotten the feel of opening her eyes in the predawn drizzle, her cheek pressed against the cold cobblestone, and no idea how she'd gotten there. She remembered the chill, and the sinking horror of being able to remember nothing leading up to her present circumstances. The faint ghosts of memory danced just out of her reach, tantalizing and frustrating. It wasn't just that she didn't know what had happened to her, though thankfully she knew well enough who she was. It was that she didn't know her _current_ circumstances. Was she in danger? _Where_ was she? Shivering in her wet clothes (not the clothes of a peasant or a noble, but then what?), she padded on bare feet down the thoroughfare she had awakened on. She had an answer to her most pressing concerns soon enough. People were beginning to fill the streets, and a kind soul answered her question with no more than a raised eyebrow at her appearance: she was in Aeonar, the mightiest of city-states. Not knowing what to do or where to go, she followed her growling belly to the market, hoping to steal a quick meal of something, anything. Before long, priests robed in white and gold appeared, looking at everyone carefully. Raine felt the faint flutter of some memory, something unpleasant, but it didn't occur to her that they might be looking for her - until they spotted her. They shouted and ran towards her, and she did what came naturally - she ran. Still, she was barefoot and had no knowledge of the city, and it didn't take them long to capture her. She was taken to their temple, told nothing of why they were after her or what they wanted; they didn't speak to her at all, instead speaking as though she couldn't understand them. Left tied in a cell, she only managed to gather that she had escaped their god's judgement, whatever that meant. More lithe than they had expected, she slipped her bonds in the night and laid her guard out cold with the chamberpot. She crept through the temple, looking for a way out but only seeming to get deeper and deeper into the massive structure. Hiding in a sumptuous room from approaching voices, she overheard the head priest murmur something about "all the escaped penitents." Waiting until he had retired, she took the beautiful rifle that hung above and behind his desk, grabbed a handful of documents from his desk and his boots, and ran. Somehow she knew she would never be safe in Aeonar. She fled to Valan in her stolen boots, offering to guard a stagecoach to get there. It was in Valan that she first met the resistance army, and the man who would become her lover. She met him on her third day in the city, while looking for a place to stay. He saw her draw away from the guards/priests on the street, and approached her with an offer of employment. He was a small-time crook, as it turned out, and a small fish in the resistance against the god-mages who ruled everywhere. Intrigued by their creed, Raine sought to join them rather than becoming a small-time crook herself. Much more reliable than he was, she rose to a position of trust within a few years, serving under a captain who gained her full trust. They ran guerilla missions to undermine the mage-kings/the priests who serve them. She was never able to decipher the code of the documents she had stolen, but her lover always tried to help her with finding more. However, he ran afoul of the organized criminal world, and was caught for a crime that he insisted he had been framed for - but which Raine knew he had actually done. Speaking to her through the bars of his prison, he told her he wouldn't last long after crossing the syndicate. Contacting the crime boss, she tried to buy his freedom, but the boss, while courteous and genteel, was ruthless. He would forget about her lover's indiscretions - if she would help out the crime lord from time to time. Having ensured her lover's continued life, if not his freedom, Raine is finding it difficult to serve two masters - while at the same time searching for the truth about who she is. Memories still haunt her, frustratingly out of reach, hinting at dangers and secrets. PM to follow with the lowdown.
RP sample:
Raine seemed, at first glance, quite relaxed and even cheerful as she nursed her drink and laughed at the antics of her companions, but a perceptive watcher would notice the way she kept an eye on the street outside through the window, and the way she ducked her head whenever a pair of guards walked past. The way she kept her back to the wall. The way she kept fingering the silver locket she wore as she spoke. The way her eyes tightened and her smile was a bit too wide when she glanced at the thugs drinking in the far corner. The dive was the sort of place you could (and should) keep a weapon on you, and she obviously knew it. There was a shortsword on her hip, and her rifle stood leaned against the bar, close at hand. Her companions were no exceptions; all of them were armed, some of them to the teeth. Whatever she and her friends had gathered to talk about, they didn't welcome intruders. They didn't try to get rid of them, exactly... they just leaned back, smiled pleasantly, and shot the breeze with inanities until whatever stranger had settled with them felt themselves unwelcome, and left. Then the group would lean over their table again, murmuring quietly once more. It wasn't that they gave anyone the cold shoulder; they just waited for the awkward silences to drive people off. If anyone had informed this watcher that he was looking at an important branch of the Resistance Army, the watcher probably wouldn't believe it. They couldn't possibly dare meet in the open like this. And weren't they all crystal-chewing thugs anyway? Certainly not like these clean-shaven, polite and down-to-earth folks.
Interesting! I'd like to add a gunslinger to the mix - I'll throw something together today or tomorrow.
I will admit, it's nowhere near as WTF as the preg-armor Barbie dolls I once saw on the net. The dolls' armor was amazing, they were just also all pregnant, and apparently so was their armor. I mean, there was a whole fleet of them. o_O When do you need a whole army of extremely late-term women? And they say drinking is bad for the baby? How about getting rung like a bell? But yeah, boob-plate is annoying. I agree with DeathQuaker.
A variation of Don't Split The Party: If you want to go off and do something alone, reconsider. Maybe there's a way to get the group involved, and everyone will have fun with it. There are times you can't, but try. Also, "It's what my character would do!" is never a good excuse to hose the rest of the group. Slant your actions toward helping the group and increasing everyone's fun. Edit: Ninjaed due to slow typing (and finding that darn link)!
Whew, just got through reading/skimming the story up til now. I'm loving the quality of the game all around. I sure hope I can join your heroes in stemming this evil tide! I got a bit stuck on the Lathanderite (Dawnbringer?) cleric's concept, so I'm scrapping it for now. I hope Matthias or Lyosh catch your fancy.
More Lyosh:
Appearance:
Personality:
Background:
Traits: Desperate focus, Precocious spellcaster Feats: Eschew materials, Firesight and Firebrand if you'll allow it - otherwise Point blank shot. Spells:
1 - Burning hands (bloodline)
Or how about an ifrit elemental fire sorceror with a chip on his shoulder? Born to a human mother, he despises Calishites, primarily due to his long-gone father being one. Lyosh:
While otherwise unassuming, Lyosh (LAI-oh-sh) has a sense of presence about him, as well as the lingering smell of smoke. Lean and quick, he could pass for human if it wasn't for those slightly pointed ears and strangely sharp teeth. His golden eyes and mocking grin have made many a maid's heart flutter. STR 11
Still pondering feats and such. If this idea doesn't suit your game, please let me know before I get too fond of this character. *g* Edit: Renewal domain
Matthias:
Appearance:
Personality:
Background:
During the Ten Black Days of Eleint in the Year of the Bright Blade (1347 DR), his father, the Count of (Saradush?) was stripped of his lands and holdings by angry mobs; the family barely managed to escape through the kindness and loyalty of some of their household staff. Matthias was the last to leave, protecting his family as they escaped. Matthias has since lived quietly at the temple of Helm, where he hopes doing good works will restore his family name. (This last bit I left open so as to mesh with however you want to introduce him better.) I wanted to post another concept, a death cleric or wizard that destroys undead to save the dead souls rather than the living (I thought of an interesting background), but I doubt Myrkul cares if undead are running around, so... oh well. I tried to turn it around to be a cleric of Lathander, though that doesn't fit the background as well, but I couldn't find a good domain flavor... Would you allow 3pp domains? I saw a Renewal domain that suits Lathander on d20pfsrd.
Since I already took Protection (Defense) as Matthias' second domain, I decided to switch out Good with Strength (Ferocity). I can totally see him as a fierce good-guy defender. Maybe too good for his own good, haha. Captain Tethyr to the rescue! Did you want me to post the backstory I've come up with, or would you rather avoid it? I'm 100% willing to change whatever needs changing in that or the character itself to be a good fit for the party.
I decided to go with the Good and Protection (Defense) domains, though I'm not sure if Good is one of Helm's domains. Matthias Valbrand:
Here's where I went overboard and did the stat block: Matthias Valbrand - cleric (Helm) 3
Init +0; Senses Perception +3 -------------------- DEFENSE -------------------- AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 HP 30 (d8 +1 Con +1 Fast Learner) Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +6 (+1 vs fear, including those adjacent) -------------------- OFFENSE -------------------- Speed 20 ft. Melee +1 bastard sword +5 (1d10+3, 19-20)
Ranged longbow +2 (1d8, x3) 110'
-------------------- STATISTICS -------------------- XP Str 14, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 13 Base Attack +2; CMB +4; CMD 14 Feats Exotic weapon proficiency:bastard sword, Extra channel, Fast Learner, Heavy armor proficiency, Selective channeling Traits Ambassador, Contagious Mettle Armor Check Penalty -5 Favored Class cleric Domains Good, Protection (Defense) Skills Diplomacy +9, Know:history +6, Know:nobility +7, Know:religion +8, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +8 Languages Common, ?, ? Equipment dagger, MW hvy.mace, +1 bastard sword, comp. longbow, 20 arrows, banded armor, wooden holy symbol. Backpack, bedroll, 50' rope, trail rations x10, waterskin, torches x2. Belt pouch, whetstone, flint and steel, wand of CLW, holy water. If you want more details on his background or personality, please let me know.
Edit: Ninjaed! OK, I'll find another domain to replace Good. Edit 2: How about Strength (Ferocity)? Is there anything else you'd like to see in this character?
Thanks Hezar and Selin - you're right, I'd prefer the boost to Int and Cha to the 18 in Wis. I was waffling about it, but you've pushed me back to my original opinion. :) I think this is a 25-pt build - not that I'd complain at some extra points, haha! Seriously, only 2 skill points + Int + fc for a cleric? Sadface! There are so many neat skills... /whine new stats and such:
Matthias Valbrand, LG human cleric of Helm Str 14
Feats: Selective channeling, Extra channeling, Fast Learner I've written a bit of background, but I don't know what kind of limits there might be? As it is, I wrote him as being the fifth child of an ex-count who was deposed during the Ten Black Days of Eleint. I can post it if that doesn't need severe changes.
I started playing D&D during the grey box days, and the Realms holds a special place in my heart. I'm still reading up on Tethyr, but I want to hurry and throw my hat in the ring while there's still time! I'd like to submit a LG cleric of Helm - could you remind me what portfolio of domains Helm has to choose from? cleric:
I'm thinking he would be unlucky by birth, a fifth son of a noble house that has lost their lands, but he's striving to rise above the turmoil of recent years and restore his family name through his faith to Helm. I'm open to suggestions, though. Str 14
He'll be taking the Fast Learner (APG) feat; still considering the others. He may switch a point of Int to Cha and take the Selective Channeling feat; I just hate to lose skill points... Suggestions are welcome.
Bagmanone on Soundcloud has made a soundtrack for each of the modules, along with a bonus soundtrack. https://soundcloud.com/#bagmanone I'm getting an error on the Sacred soundtrack - is anyone else?
This is a really nice, succinct way of putting it. I think a good example of NE/CE would be Shane from The Walking Dead. He does whatever he thinks he has to do to suit his needs, and his needs are selfish. He doesn't consider himself evil, just wise to how the world works. But he sacrifices others - not "whenever he gets the chance," like some crazy person, but "whenever it's the most expedient thing to do." YMMV.
SO MUCH THIS. I've had some bad DMs, but the ones that did this were the most irritating. If the players wanted to be reading a novel, they would read a novel. My particular "favorite" example is a DM I know who constantly defaults to, "suddenly you're no longer in control of your body, and you do X bad things. And you like it!" Which is not only lame, but also insulting. "Suddenly you wake up and it was all a dream" adventures I also personally detest, along with "reality isn't what you've been playing in for the last x months!" Having NPCs then waltz in and easily do what the PCs were failing to do (sometimes using the exact same actions, like talking to NPCs that abruptly change their tune with no magic involved) is also bad. Or having NPCs dictate to the PCs what they should do, or worse yet, enforce their will in ways the PCs can't fight back against or get around. Arbitrarily nixing solutions/actions that should either work or fail entertainingly is another bad idea. (Example that happened to me: For some reason, evil fire giants live in an underground rift very close to an underground lake. Like, a few meters away (I don't know either). You have to get past them (not in the rift, but past it), and they're way above your APL. Sneaking flat out will fail, as warned by the DM. Using the old Dig spell to dig a funnel for the water into the rift fails for no reason too. Not "Doesn't dig a channel wide enough to drown the giants quickly enough" or similar reasons; the spell just fails.) /rant TL;DR:
I'm running a Rise of the Runelords play by email on Yahoo Groups where one of the players I recently recruited dropped off the face of the earth without posting. If you'd like to take that player's place, you'd be welcome. Please do PM me if you're interested.
Stephen King's 'Full Dark, No Stars' has a devil contract story you might find useful for inspiration - Fair Extension.
I would also like to know more about the wendo. Are they in any of the "Faiths of" books?
I'm not applying, but I just wanted to say that I love the way you've set up motivation for character submissions. Very nice indeed.
*Raise Dead* I would love to see some rules for swarm companions. Nerfing them is tricky work, but the flavor! There's a desert druid I've had in mind for a while that would rock this concept. As far as I can tell, the auto-damage and immunity to weapons is the main stumbling block. Does anyone have any suggestions for lesser abilities that would replace them but keep the flavor? To my mind, it wouldn't matter if the swarm was less useful than a normal animal companion in combat if they gained the ability to understand and communicate with the druid as a normal companion. A way to scale the swarm down (and up, later) so you could have it from lvl.1 would be awesome.
I realize it's too late to submit an application, but I just wanted to dot this so I can find and follow the campaign later. It looks very interesting.
Looks like Mokrim gets another feat as well, then (I think?). I'll try to pick fast. Edit: Went with Fast Learner. :)
Thanks Loup Blanc! What about favored class? Does anyone know how that will work? Do you have to wait to choose your favored class until after 3 adventurer levels? I'm sweating, because you can never have enough skill points... :D Also, I'd like to know what languages exist in the area?
Mokrim here. I'm not sure I understand the feats. Are you saying that a human might start with 4 feats? (1 adventurer class, 2 bought with 3 pts, a human bonus feat)
I'm interested - I'll see if I can think up a character today. Edit: Tentative Mokrim Edgerunner up for approval among my aliases.
Reskinning my elf as a cleric, I'll post again when done.
Sorry, I was just worried since his concept is similar to Birrans; thought you'd decided not to include him. Thanks!
...Aaaand I just went back through all the posts and realized Spugly already made a catfolk rogue. A survivalist, on top of it. -_-; Man, and I was just getting really into the idea. I don't know how I missed that the first time around. :( Well, Pherrim is statted among my aliases, if it makes a difference now.
Here's my second bid: Pherrim, a catfolk rogue (survivalist) One of the catfolk who hunt the mountains and taiga alone, Pherrim was never one of the strongest of his brethren, and his territory was small. Still, it was his, and he did not appreciate losing it to the orcs who came boiling out of their own lands. He found he was not alone; marks were left for catfolk eyes on trees and lichen scrapings, and though it was near-unheard of, his people gathered one night, setting aside territorial differences, to decide what should be done. Of course, those who still had their territories were unwilling to leave them, but among those remaining, it was decided that they would range far and wide to see what the tribes could be coaxed to do, for they stood together as most catfolk did not. Pherrim was one of these, and when the truce broke and all catfolk sped for their destinations, Pherrim ran towards the lowland tribes that crossed the southern end of his territory. He would see the orcs driven back, no matter who he had to work with to see it done!
I'd like to submit Arilan the elf druid for consideration. Appearance:
Background:
This had been their way since the Time of the Shattering, when even the dead must do what they could to aid the living in their desperate struggle to survive. But when orcs began moving into their territory, they defiled the earth and anything living caught upon it, and the hunters would not honor so vile a foe. The air itself stank of corruption where the orcs camped, and they could not be driven off by the archers of the tribe, for they had what the elders remembered as iron. When Arilan's mate was caught unaware by the river with their son, who had not yet earned his first name, Arilan learned how terrible iron could be. Spears shattered against it, arrows could not pierce it, and huge, terrible blades cut down those foolish enough to stand and fight. To this day, Arilan's lean body bears the scars of this lesson. The river, freezing though it was, carried the remains of his hunting party away, and those who lived could not honor the dead. When the orcs turned the hunters into the hunted, it was agreed that the shaman could not be spared - but Arilan could be sent to the southern tribes to speak of this unexpected worry. With the birth-charm of his son about his neck, Arilan was only too willing to go.
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