The Tower, The Emerald Sea, and The Death Wind interest / recruitment thread

[DM TESDW]

Hello guys. My schedule has eliminated my ability to play a table top game, however I have lots of downtime and a shiny new iPhone 5(yes I'm bragging a little) so I thought I would give the pbp boards a run again. I had started a campaign about a year ago and it ran for about a month before I had to bail on it. I am ready to try again though, and since this is the only way I will get some RP time in, at least for the foreseeable future, I think I can stick with it.

The other thing about playing a pbp game is I can have groups or even individuals in completely separate parts of the game world without neglecting other players. I'm sure I'm not the first to realize this but I am excited about the gaming possibilities. This of coarse makes this an ambitious project with 3 different simultaneous story arches that are all tied together into a single plot.

So what I'm looking for is 6 to 18 characters(I may allow people to have more than one character if there is not enough interest in the game, but each player can only have a single character in each arch). And possibly 1-2 assistant DMs to help me administer things in the threads.

Here is the "back of the book blurb" for the campaign as a whole:

Unknown forces have isolated The Shaw from the rest of the world. The mountains blocking the peninsula off from the rest of the continent are malevolent and prone to isolated earthquakes and landslides, as if they were trying swat flies off their backs. The seas surrounding The Shaw on the remaining three sides was turned to a green crystalline substance, harder than adamantium, with frozen waves sharper than a razor. In the north, where the once prosperous port city of Tempo was located, now lies a city empty of all but a handful of people. Within the city walls there are whispers of a rumor that could hold the key to the Emerald Seas. The Magic City, once nothing more than an isolated Wizards school, is now the most populous city in The Shaw, as people flock to the protection of the mages. There is unrest amongst the Wizards in their tower, and blood, fire, and magic have been unleashed within. A powerful and ambitious young wizard has taken the seat of power, and he seeks to rule The Shaw in an iron magical fist. To the south east, out from the only tunnel through the Underdark that still allows access between The Shaw and the outside world, a black wind rose. The wind blew through a small hamlet and left in its wake zombies, skeletons and worse.

There are three arcs, The Tower in the Magic City, The Emerald Sea, and The Death Wind. Each arc will have 2-6 characters starting at level 3. Most anything in the PRD is available. I don't do well with visual arts so combat will be handled through text, unless I have an assistant DM who is willing to handle maps. For that reason I will restrict master summoner and brood master, as well as any character that is centered around having 4+ combatants, but eidolon focused summoner, and regular pet characters like the druid are okay. I will try to get some important pictures up, like a general map of The Shaw, at some point.

My GM style is a very loose. I have very little planned and usually run reactionary to the characters, so in a sense the campaign will be sandboxy, but I have specific 'scenes' that your characters will be guided to(or that will just happen to them). Also sometimes I put things in that happen. Like once characters were in a fight with some easy mooks, and there was no real challenge, but that's when the building next to them exploded(a plot hook).I see PCs as agents of fate, kinda like Ta'veren from Wheel of Time. So things happen around them, and to them. I won't kill a character from something like this, but you could find yourself in a desperate situation because of it.

Alright so I think that's enough to see if there is any interest. Post if you're interested in playing or assisting. If I get enough interest I will post more details about the world and character generation specifics.

[DarkLightHitomi]

I will depending on whether my current entries in other games get selected. Making a Werefox that I hope to play somewhere.

[drayen]

Color me interested. I would like to play an elf with the intent to become a lantern bearer and the underdark storyline sounds good for it. Otherwise, a bard or aristocrat leading into noble scion in the Tower in the Magic City.

[Mark Thomas 66]

Definitely interested, have a Barbarian, a Druidess and an Oracle of Fire I can put forward. Will pick once Ihave a little more about the world.

[Arazni]

How about a half elf bonded witch in the Tower of the Magic City. I was thinking she or he might be bonded to a crown (head slot) item, but I'm not sure if that will have any effect on the rules, as it is not specifically allowed by the rules. (Only amulet, ring, weapon, staff, or wand are technically allowed.) As for extra spells granted, I was thinking of treating it as an amulet.

[Warsor]

I'm curious to know what level and creation details are used. Possibly interested in the tower.

[Arazni]

We start at 3rd level, Warsor.

['Suny']

*Bounces up and down* Oh! Oh! Please!? (^_^)

I have a Suny or two who's games have for one reason or another faded away.

This Avatar is a level three 'Magus'/'Kensai' if people are interested in perusing. (^_^)

My only problem is I will not have time until this week end to adjust any pages.

Questions:

I have the "Inner Sea World Guide" book.

1) Are you happy with its inclusion/use?
2) Will you be insisting on up to date errata?

"Advanced Races Guide" is this book (All or in part) allowed?

How many points for character generation? 15? 20? 25?

Much cheers to all! (^_^)

[Mark Thomas 66]

For the druid I'm thinking either someone looking to restore what has been done to the natural world, or a cave druid

[DM TESDW]

Unspecified - 2
Tower -3
Death Wind - 1
Emerald Sea - 0

Well I guess that counts as interest. Above is the running total for interest in the campaign. I'm actually a bit surprised that the Tower is getting so much interest, and none for the Emerald Sea, but its still early.

Arazni - I don't see any issue with using head slot for your bonded item... In fact it seems odd that you can't have a witch's hat per raw.

Suny - Don't worry about not getting switched over fast enough, I'm still doing a bit of world building so I won't be ready to actually start for a week minimum. Besides that seems about how long it takes to get characters together anyways.
As to your questions: 1) yes that book is fine, you just need to post the crunch of anything you use as I don't own it, and 2) errata is a case by case thing for me. For the most part I agree with errata that clarifys, not errata that limits. It's my job(as DM) to limit stuff not errata. The Adv Races Guide is allowed for swapping out racials for your race, or archetypes, and favored class bonuses. No races built from scratch however.

I will put world notes in my profile, which I will start as soon as I'm done here.

For character generation:
I'm not too worried about how to put together stats. I'll put it to a vote. I vote 15 point buy.

Traits, you get two, you don't need to use the trait fluff in your background.

Spell casters need to know that I am working out how magic works precisely, but know that within a few days there will be a mechanic that allows you to prepare/know spells from any other spell list of the same max spell level as yours. You will cast them 1 level higher and there will always be a risk of losing the casting, as well as a magical backlash. I'm still working that out though.

Also all full progression spell casters(clerics, Druids, wizards, etc.) are called 'Wizard'. All magic types are studied at The Tower, Wizards(the class) are known as Warlocks.

Clerics do not specify a deity, there are a few gods but their power has leaked into the world at large and clerics can use it without worship. See more about this in the magic and religion section of world notes once I get it up.

As for backgrounds, the more detailed the better. I do need to know the following:
Parents(if you know them) and their professions
Any living relatives that are 1st cousin or closer( or further if your character cares about them)
A brief and possibly vague description of what got you to level 3. Always more is better, but "I spent two years as a caravan guard, and six months as a highered tough at a tavern." Is fine.
Why are you in town, especially important for Emerald Sea characters as Tempo is very sparsely populated, less important for Magic City people as almost half the urban population lives in Magic City.

Any other questions just let me know. I got about 20 minutes to get some world info up.

[Mark Thomas 66]

Could be Emerald Sea or Death Wind

[Edward Sobel]

seems rather interesting.
I will wait and see if I am picked for another game that I applied for first before making a firm commitment on this one.

as for stat generation. I vote 20 point buy as a minimum.

[Darkorin]

I'm interested in playing in the Emerald Sea Arch. All of them seems quite interesting, it's a bid hard to choose. I'll build my character as soon as I have more info about the character creation rules.

I vote for 20 points buy, I think 15 points buy limits the character creation too much.

Edit: I've got some ideas for characters at all location, damn it's gonna be hard to choose!

[Harakani]

I'm intrigued - obvious character leaping to mind is a servant/disciple/bodyguard of the young "iron fisted" mage... but I suspect the arc is to take that guy down?

[twilsemail]

I'm posting to mark my interest.

I'd like to hear more about the world first, but I've got a Maneuver Master Monk that I'd like to play at some point and a Lion Shaman that could stand to see a bit more sunlight.

On Clerics: How will favored weapons work without gods. No favored weapons at all, or are there orders of some sort or some other contraption?

On Stat generation: I'd prefer 20 or 25 pt buy. If we're the focal points in the weave of fate, I think we should stand a bit above mortal men and women.

[Numair Nejem]

I am interested in the Death Wind arc. I need to revise this alias, but basic premise is here: rich kid gets reality check and sets out to renunite with his absentee father. Basic crunch: charisma focused paladin, damage dealer and face.

[Black Dow]

Also interested in the Death Wind arc, and will be proposing a Tengu Rogue/Fighter or Ranger/Rogue multiclasser.

He'll select Carrion Sense racial trait

[Krass Kargoth]

The Emerald Sea sounds interesting.

My idea is to play a ranger with the freebooter archetype whose ship got stuck when the sea crystallised and is now out of work: without a sea to sail to collect, eh, tithes, most of his skills have become redundant. The tragedy following this cataclystic event, seeing how children and other innocent people are being hit hard by it, caused a change of heart and while he's still showing a rotten grin to the outside world, he'll be willing to share his oranges with others now.

He'd be a straight-forward ranger build with two swords and a lot of swagger.

[EntropyRules]

Im up for any of these, but the character I have in mind would fit best in death wind. I have a summoner that I've been dying to use. I played him in a few live sessions, but then the game died.

['Suny']

DM TESDW wrote:

Unspecified - 2

Tower -3
Death Wind - 1
Emerald Sea - 0

Suny - Don't worry about not getting switched over fast enough, I'm still doing a bit of world building so I won't be ready to actually start for a week minimum. Besides that seems about how long it takes to get characters together anyways.
As to your questions: 1) yes that book is fine, you just need to post the crunch of anything you use as I don't own it, and 2) errata is a case by case thing for me. For the most part I agree with errata that clarifys, not errata that limits. It's my job(as DM) to limit stuff not errata. The Adv Races Guide is allowed for swapping out racials for your race, or archetypes, and favored class bonuses. No races built from scratch however.

For character generation:
I'm not too worried about how to put together stats. I'll put it to a vote. I vote 15 point buy.

Traits, you get two, you don't need to use the trait fluff in your background.

Thank'e fer that Master DM TESDW.

Also, I completely missed we were voting on thing. *^_^* My vote is, of course, fer th' ocean...um...or 'Emerald Sea'. Sorry about that as well..

Hmmm....15 points means tweakin' th' stats a tad...*Ponders*

I look forwards t'more talkin' a'tween folks. (^_^)

much cheers to all.

[Odea]

I'd be interested in playing in the Emerald Sea area; let me see what I can come up with... (I'm thinking of making a Sea Witch, or perhaps a water-element sorcerer or oracle)

I'm a fan of 20pt buy, but I'd be willing to do 15.

[Big OM]

I am thinking a wizard necromancer, with a vitality approach, a fascination of the death magic as a perspective to the living. I would like to join the Death wind campaign.

I am in different to 15 or 20 points

[Arazni]

Well, I suppose I will be the first to submit 2 characters, one for the mage tower, and the other for the death wind.

Just to throw a bit of randomness in especially for character creation:

How about a

1d12 ⇒ 5
1d20 ⇒ 15

Halfling Vampire Hunter (Inquisitor) for the Death Wind campaign arc?

[Grimlight]

Defiantly interested...I'm thinking Order of the Paw Halfling Cavalier riding a black wolf. Probably in the death wind campaign thread, he’ll be protecting the remaining living against the undead hordes. BTW I like 15 point buy. It limits power gaming and increases the danger...

[Arazni]

Aeliel Starwhisper, half-elf bonded witch (rich parents, hedge magician)

Aeliel is a bright and beautiful warlock of the Tower, used to the privileges that her father's wealth and contacts made available to her. Greth Asterion's forbidden liaison with an elf from the nearby forest of Glimdarel ostracized him from much of the warlock community, but he still remains secretly if not publicly influential due to his artificing craft. When she came of age, Aeliel departed her mother's side for a more ambitious life among the warlocks, but she did take one surprising artifact of elven craft with her: the Crown of Linderiel had been in her mother's family for many generations. And lately, Aeliel has been discovering it has an inner voice of its own. She learned to assist her father in the artificing business; that is before the political situation at the Tower in Magic City became complicated and dangerous. Now she simply struggles to hold on to what she already has, ready to defend herself (her wealth, and her prestige) with bone and blood if necessary.

Valerian Larefind, halfling vampire hunter (child of the streets, courageous)

Valerian Larefind has been a loner most of his life. The small halfling community he was raised in was slaughtered by an undead fiend that he spent most of his adventuring career searching for. (Not sure whether or not he's found it yet.) Much of his childhood was spent as an orphan in the streets of a small town, pickpocketing and stealing small things to survive. He maintains a bit of a rebellious streak still but otherwise has turned his intentions to the true matter at hand, the Death Wind itself and the things it has spawned in the communities.

[Harakani]

Would it be okay to submit an oracle/paladin for the Mage Tower? I'm okay with 15, if it is that style of game.

[Will Cooper]

Hi DM TESDW, that's an interesting piece of world-building, and an ambitious project!

I have a street-urchin rogue who'd be perfect for the Emerald Sea thread. I also have a magus who has grown up in The Tower, and a barbarian that I could easily work into the Death Wind thread.

Happy to play any or all of them depending on what you need and how much interest you get.

[DM TESDW]

Wow run a few errands and get some sleep and it gets crazy up in here.
Okay let's see we have:
Tower - 5
ES - 4-5
DW - 7-8
And a few unspecified.

Looks like the general consensus is 20 point buy, we will go with that unless someone has strong objections.

Harakani: I don't choose sides for the PCs, if you wanna be in the tower that's fine, however the high seat(who is currently nameless) needs no bodyguard, and considers anyone who isn't a Wizard(which remember includes all full casters) to be, well only human(or elf or dwarf or what have you) which is only a short step up from any other beast of burden.

Twilsemail: I will have more about the world up in my profile tonight. I have the general world defined in my head, I just need to fill in details like names and what not. Also I intentionally paint in broad strokes and fill in details as we go. That gives more control to the players, and admittedly less work for me.

As for clerics favored weapon, I will allow 1 free martial weapon proficiency.

Krass: I like the sound of the concept, except that you'd have to be an elf, or maybe an old dwarf or something as the waters froze 120 years ago.

Harakani 2: I'm okay with multiple character submissions, just one per arc though.

Have to admit after my last game having such little response I wasn't expecting so much interest. I must have better hooks this time around.

I will put together more of world info tonight. For simplicity sake I would like character submissions be emailed to me with the intended arch(s) and name in the subject line. This will allow me to better sort through it all. I don't need full character sheet, just race/class and background and what 'role' they will fill.

Cause I like my spam fried on a plate:

eonedge77 at gmail period com

[drayen]

I will submit my Deathwind arc character submission when I get home from work in the morning and have access to e-mail.

[Black Dow]

Considering a slight change to my Tengu; Magus (Bladebound) will fire him to you tonight sometime...

[DM TESDW]

Started the geography and timeline sections. Also added in spoiler tags. Hopefully I'll get through geography today before I head to bed. Still to go are culture/government and a short primer specific to each arch. Should be done with all that by this weekend and then I'll be making the groups, planning on a first post for each game on or about Tuesday.

[Edward Sobel]

just wanted to re-iterate my interest but want to wait to see if the character I was hoping for is accepted in another game that I applied for before this one came up.

should know by end of week.

[twilsemail]

Alright, count me in for the Emerald Sea. We'll see what fits with the group there.

My main PC ideas:
Human MM Monk (trip / throw focused)
Human Lion Shaman (scion from a house with Lion as their heraldic symbol)
Half-Orc/Orc Cavalier (with the goal of a really big critter for a mount)

TESDW, what are the chances of a large mount actually working in this campaign. They're almost always a liability instead of an asset due to dungeon crawls.

[Gilthanis]

I am definitely interested. I would be open to make a character for either 3 options, but am going to limit myself to only 1 arch, the Emerald Seas sounds interesting. I was thinking of a Bard, unsure of race yet. Someone who is aspiring to be a Rogue 1 (archtype?)/Bard 2 (Archaeologist). Numbers crunch is gonna be charisma based with a decent dex/int. Primarily not a melee based character. I'll get the guy made up as soon as I can...I hope I get to partake in the adventure :)

[Corynne]

Preliminary Character for Dark Wind scenario

Zhaira is a memeber of a secretive sect of Druids who inhabit the underdark, embracing the natural beauty of the world below and protecting those above from unknown horrors.

[Gilthanis]

I submit to you Bing Shadowseeker for either the Tower or ES. The it's all the time I have for now but I hope to have more if not all done in the next day or two :)

[DM TESDW]

Twilsemail: I have no plans for dungeon crawl in that arch at this time. I will say that the arch will need to explore the perils of the Emerald Sea.

Some of you may have noticed I didn't get anything new posted, and for that I apologize. Turns out I got a new job today and have less than a day to go from a graves schedule to a day schedule. This won't affect the game much once I get switched over, but it will slow the kick off down, maybe as much as a week. Please be patient, I am working on it.

[Will Cooper]

No worries about timing, and good luck with the new job. I've sent emails for:

Hasten - human rogue (knife master) 3 - for the Emerald Sea arc
Morrolath - elven magus (bladebound hexcrafter) 3 - for the Tower arc
Rockfall - dwarven barbarian 3 - for the Death Wind arc

Happy to play one or all when you're ready :-)

[Edward Sobel]

@ DM -- sent you an e-mail with character submission as requested.

still unsure of which arc though

[Corynne]

So character is pretty much complete, just a few minor tweaks.

['Suny']

The good news be that with a 20 point buy this Avatar be okeys t'play! (^_^)

*Bounces around and smiles and giggles*

[Darkorin]

I've sent you my different characters:

The Emeral Sea: Eron Newport Inquisitor (heretic)/ Human

The Death Wind: Yorick Ashstorm Witch (Gravewalker) / Kitsune

The Tower: Erik Fjolnir / Human

PS: a few question for the DM: Do we follow the Wealth by level chart to know how much we're going to have?? And what about HPs? Will we roll them? Average+1??

[Rascaliron The Beggar King]

I submit Rascaliron beggar king. Oracle 4/human dual cursed battle mysteries for the Deathwind or Emerald sea.

[Darkorin]

Rascaliron The Beggar King wrote:

Oracle 4/human dual cursed battle mysteries for the Deathwind or Emerald sea.

Just out of curiosity I checked your character and... Well It's not going to be a problem since we start this game at 3rd level, but you can't get Dervish Dance at first level. You must have 2 ranks in Perform(dance). Ranks are the number of skill points you spent on a skill, not your total.

[Rascaliron The Beggar King]

Oh well I tot I added it, hmmm need to go check again. Yea it's level 1 but will buff up to level 3 if the idea fits. will update it.

[Baptiste Boislevesque]

I also submit Baptiste the grenadier alchemist for the Magic tower or emerald sea.

[DM TESDW]

Just real quick, we will use wealth by level.

HP will be max for first average from there out. So at level 2 a rogue would have 12 + con mod, but at 3 he has 17 + con mod(basically 4/level +1 every odd level)

Also I have been receiving your emails and the character selection looks great. I'll probably go through the submitted characters and see where we stand, if any arches are full I'll cut off submissions for that arch. So you may want to get characters in soon.

[Edward Sobel]

Go ahead and Tynan for the tower or Death wind arch which ever could use another player.

I would probably prefer the tower but either will do.

['Suny']

I must admit to having some troubles sending yourself an e-mail DM TESDW.

I have tried a PM through the forums, how ever.

Much cheers to all

[Camris]

Interest!

The Emerald Sea most like.