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Cattle die, kinsmen die you yourself die;
I know one thing which never dies: the fate of the honored dead - Gestaþáttr
This is a recruitment thread for Paizo’s latest Adventure Path – Reign of Winter.
Campaign Summary:
All door-ways, before going forward, should be looked to;
for difficult it is to know where foes may sit within a dwelling. - Gestaþáttr
It has been a century since the immortal witch Baba Yaga last visited the world, and the hour draws nigh for her return. But when she fails to appear in the frozen realm of Irrisen to usher in its newest ruler, pockets of winter begin to grow throughout the Inner Sea region. After 1,400 years of perpetual winter, the icy curse of Irrisen is spreading! What links do these strange blizzards and swaths of wintry landscapes have with Irrisen, and is there any truth to the growing rumors that the Witch Queen Elvanna has taken full control of the realm? Can her plans for the InnerSea be thwarted, or will the Reign of Winter engulf the world?
Thus was written the Campaign brief for the campaign – Player’s Guide is available at this link. Though keep in mind the information below when building characters.
A Question of Tone:
Bodvar Bjarki ploughed into them now, hacking two handed, his only thought to do as much damage as he could before he fell. And now they fall in heaps before him, one on top of another, and both his arms are bloodied to the shoulder, and he felled so many, the dead were stacked all about him. He stormed on as if he was insane. - The Saga Of Hrolf Kraki
In my version of Reign of Winter, the start point will be moved from within Taldor to within the Lands of the Linnorm Kings – in the Northeast of Southmoor just on the fringe of the Grungir Forest (just South of Delmon’s Glen).
I plan on running this game firmly in the realms of the darker end of fantasy. While it will be far from grimdark, it will be a decent step away from the typical Golarion high fantasy tone. Magic will tend to be less overt, more discreet and insidious in nature. Healing will hurt and not automatically make everyone better instantly without some recovery time. Swords and axes cut deep and descriptions will be commensurate with that.
While a lot of these changes won’t actually change the mechanical effect of abilities - it is still important to keep in mind when putting together your characters. Wuxia inspired monks, or wizards that shoot fire out their nostrils will not fit in. Winter witches, sorcerers who call upon dark pacts and brutish brawlers do.
If you’ve never read any stories that involve vikingr or the like… I highly recommend you start reading this link, and do a little research into the subpages like the tale of Ragnar Lodbrok, or Saga of the Jomsvikings. This is the type of feel that I want for this campaign – and my selection of characters will tend towards those that can recognize that and build their characters and posts to suit.
House Rules / Restrictions / Points of Note:
A twelfth I know, if high on a tree I see a hanged man swing;
So do I write and colour the runes That forth he fares, And to me talks. - Ljóðatal
I will be tying social skills to two abilities, meaning that the bonuses and penalties of each will apply. Diplomacy will be affected by Wisdom and Charisma; Intimidate by Strength and Charisma; and Bluff by Intelligence and Charisma. DCs will reflect the changes as well.
Due to the tone I have in mind, certain types of characters will need a better story behind them to prove that they belong – case in point would be guns and Eastern inspired classes such as Ninja or Samurai. I would not be terribly keen on Summoners either and Alchemists would be a tougher sell.
For races I am open to those in the core rule book, tieflings / aasimars and ARG races that fit the setting only (limited to orc/hobgoblin/changeling). Alternate rules for the planetouched from Blood of Fiends and Blood of Angels and race options from ARG are fine. But if you choose to be an aasimar or tiefling, I prefer more subdued signs of heritage. To me they are humans/dwarves/gnomes/elves/etc with just a touch of outsider heritage.
Lastly, in the true spirit of the North, bloodnames and odes are earnt and not given freely. So if you want more than a 15 point buy with no traits and the clothes on your back… you’ll need to give me something in return. This is explained a little more below in the guidelines for posting applications.
Posting Requirements:
Many men are mutually well-disposed, yet at table will torment each other.
That strife will ever be; guest will guest irritate. - Gestaþáttr
I am looking for people that can check in on the thread at least a couple of times a day, and post at least 1/day on weekdays. Weekends are more relaxed, as I can generally only get online in the evenings due to the entanglements of a couple of young boys. My weekday posting can occasionally get a bit spotty as well depending on how my workload goes. But almost two years on the paizo boards and coming up on 16,000 posts should give you some degree of security that I’m not going to disappear on a whim.
Feel free to pop into my profile and take a peek at the campaigns that I currently DM if you’d like to get a read for how I go about things.
What do you Need to Post Now for an Application:
The halt can ride on horseback, the one-handed drive cattle; the deaf fight and be useful:
to be blind is better than to be burnt: no one gets good from a corpse. - Gestaþáttr
The baseline from which you will start is as follows: race choice between Human (Ulfen), Dwarf or Gnome. 15 point buy, no traits and zero wealth. I would also need a short background and a rudimentary statblock showing attributes and feat / skill choices to consider an application complete. Please post the details in a spoiler and in this thread so that it is easy for me to chase down later. I do not require profiles built until people are chosen.
Of course if you longed for more… then boons may be purchased by paying a price:
- To choose a different race from the core rule book (this includes Human ethnicities that are not Ulfen) – explain why your character is in unfamiliar lands.
- To play one tainted by outsider blood – tell me how that came to be, and which outsider was your forebear.
- To play a savage or hag-touched (orc, hobgoblin or changeling) – explain how it is that you are not killed on sight.
- To be more powerful (20 point buy) – tell me of your character’s personality.
- To further hone your strength (25 point buy) – describe two positive traits and two negative traits your character bears… and why.
- To gain belongings (average wealth for your character class) –tell me what your character looks like, and how they comport themselves.
- To be richer still (max wealth for your character class) – describe one item you bear that was inherited from someone important to you, and how it came to be yours.
- To have skills borne of experience (two traits) – weave the skills into the background that shapes your character.
- To gain the bonus trait Invoke the Vættir below – tell me a story, in character. It could be about anything relevant – a tale of your ancestors, a story told to children before bedtime or an ode to the might of the gods.
- To be blessed with gifts of the gods (a grab bag of useful consumables to be defined by DM) – tell me your story in accordance with Skaldic poetic tradition. This could be through use of kennings only, or all out with an actual poem written with alliterative verse (though in English please ;)
Recruitment Timeline:
I know that I hung on a windy tree nine long nights,
wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin, myself to myself,
on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run. - Rúnatáls-þáttr-Óðins
The recruitment thread will stay open until I get my grubby little electronic mitts on the first volume of the AP (which will be on the 20th of February). I also will give a 24 hour warning before shutting the gates to applications.
Fire away with any questions that you might have and I shall endeavour to answer them.
Lastly… please remember this is a Recruitment Thread; and not a Roleplay Tavern.
No one will protest that there has been too little killing. - Brynhild, Völsunga saga
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VotV:
Are you willing to let us explain, instead, why one of another race was raised in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings? I've had a PC in mind for a good long while for this campaign (Or a Skull and Shackles campaign with some tweaking). He's got two flags on him, though. He's a Half-Ulfen Half-Elven Summoner.
I can pretty easily rewrite him as an Ulfen, though.
I'll have a write up for you fairly soon either way.
ETA: He already has a profile, here.
Balodek - look forward to it.
twilsemail - of course you can offer a reason for the character to have been raised in the area rather than being a visitor.
The reason I singled out Ulfen, Gnome and Dwarf as the 'natives' are that they are the major races of Southmoor and Grungir Forest. Any other races will be in the minority and were likely immigrants at some point in their lineage. Some may have integrated well - and others may have struggled to blend in.
Definite interest. I'll get cracking on the write-up. Very keen on playing an Ulfen Barbarian. I'll give writing a kenning a try - I've never attempted it before, so it might be interesting (or laughably bad :p).
I've got the basics of my secret society Ulfen Witch-hunter down. Just have to write the fluff...which I'll work on today. Probably Inquisitor Level 1, Then Barbarian Level 2, Then Inquisitor Levels 3,4,5,6, Then Alternate from there on out...unless I find a cool Prestige class that works for both.
Preliminary Mechanics
Placeholder
Male Human (Ulfen) Inquisitor (Witch Hunter) 1
N Medium Humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +7
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 10 (1d8+2); judgement of sacred healing 1
Fort +4 (+4 vs. hot or cold environments and to resist damage from suffocation), Ref +1, Will +7
Defensive Abilities judgement of sacred protection +1; DR judgement of sacred resiliency 1: magic; Resist judgement of sacred purity +1, judgement of sacred resistance 2 (cold)
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Offense
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Speed 20 ft.
Melee Dagger +2 (1d4+2/19-20/x2) and
. . Spear +2 (1d8+3/x3) and
. . Spear +2 (1d8+3/x3) and
. . Spear +2 (1d8+3/x3)
Ranged Longbow +1 (1d8/x3)
Special Attacks judgement of sacred destruction +1, judgement of sacred justice +1, judgement of sacred piercing +1, judgement of sacred smiting (magic)
Spell-Like Abilities Speak with Animals (4 rounds/day)
Inquisitor (Witch Hunter) Spells Known (CL 1):
1 (2/day) Bane (DC 14), Cure Light Wounds
0 (at will) Resistance, Disrupt Undead, Detect Magic, Brand (DC 13)
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 13
Feats Endurance, Iron Will
Skills Acrobatics -2 (-6 jump), Climb -1, Escape Artist -2, Fly -2, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Knowledge (planes) +5, Perception +7, Ride -2, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +2, Survival +7 (+8 to track), Swim -1 (+3 to resist nonlethal damage from exhaustion)
Languages Common, Hallit, Skald
SQ domains (animal), judgement (1/day), spell sage +3
Other Gear Hide armor, Dagger, Longbow, Spear, Spear, Spear, 56 GP
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Special Abilities
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Endurance +4 to a variety of skill checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Inquisitor (Witch Hunter) Domain (Animal) Granted Powers: You can speak with and befriend animals with ease. In addition, you treat Knowledge (nature) as a class skill.
Judgement (1/day) (Su) Variable bonuses increase as the combat continues.
Judgement of Sacred Destruction +1 (Su) Weapon Damage bonus.
Judgement of Sacred Healing 1 (Su) Fast Healing
Judgement of Sacred Justice +1 (Su) Attack bonus
Judgement of Sacred Piercing +1 (Su) Concentration and vs. SR bonus
Judgement of Sacred Protection +1 (Su) AC bonus
Judgement of Sacred Purity +1 (Su) Save bonus
Judgement of Sacred Resiliency 1: Magic (Su) DR/magic
Judgement of Sacred Resistance 2 (Cold) (Su) Energy Resistances
Judgement of Sacred Smiting (Magic) (Su) DR bypass
Speak with Animals (4 rounds/day) (Sp) You can use speak with animals as a spell-like ability.
Spell Sage +3 (Ex) At 1st level, a witch hunter adds her Wisdom modifier on Spellcraft checks in addition to her Intelligence modifier when attempting to identify a spell as it is being cast, to identify the properties of a magic item using detect magic, or to d
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i am going to put together either a fighter or a tetori (wrestler) monk, i have a lot of directions i am looking at with the idea.
Dotted for interest with maybe an Erutaki oracle, I have an idea but will have to think about it.
Kagehiro/scranford/Tenro/Namtarou - look forward to them :)
And google / wikipedia is your friend for kenning / skaldic research.
Voice, you are speaking my language. I'll have a character up for you as soon as I can. I'm thinking of reprising an old favorite character, a cursed Viking hero type.
A Gnome Knife Master Rogue will be coming from me. I have the crunch, now have to justify it.
Very, very tempting... and an intriguing way to get the most from your applicants. :)
VoV, would you be averse to a Tattooed Sorcerer reskinned towards a more Ulfen theme? The tattoos would be nordic runes and stylized artworks carved into his/her flesh.
Also, could you expand more on the bit about wizards that shoot fire out their nostrils will not fit in. Winter witches, sorcerers who call upon dark pacts...?
Is this a prohibition against any particular type or set of spells - i.e. is Burning Hands or Shocking Grasp off the table?
Waves to Doomed Hero and Meowzebub.
stormraven - a reskinned Tattooed Sorcerer would be fine by me... though you'll need a little more thought on how to integrate the 'tattoo familiar' ability into that theme.
As to the fiery nostrils and such - it's more on how you go about describing things. I am not restricting choices in any way, but just asking that the theme is respected in their use.
Lets take Magic Missile as an example:
High Fantasy description: A missile of magical energy darts forth from your fingertip and strikes its target.
Darker and Edgier description: The seiðmenn gestured towards you chanting words from a dark tongue. As he spat the last word a shadow fled his mouth and streaked across the snow to strike your shoulder as though a punch was thrown.
Dotting for interest. Gotta go do some research, though.
Absolutely love the work you've put into creating a tone here, VoV.
Dotting. Very interested, love the character dev treats:)
Vakri (Wakeful, Watchful, Alert)
Tulkerson (Stick, Branch Measuring tool)
Brother of The Order of the White Tree
NOTE: More to follow, but this will get things started.
History
Vakri only remembered the cold and the strength of the wind.
{Nordic Stanza Poem to be written if selected, then continued as levels advance}
Personality
Vakri is cold and seemingly standoffish to those he is not familiar with. To his closest friends and brothers of the order he is…well cold and standoffish. Communicates what needs to be done, and is not known for over-speaking. His one exception to that is when asked to repeat the tenants and legends of the order. At that time the true fire that rages inside him emerges. He hopes to be able to harness this rage and passion in support of the beliefs of the order.
Vakri seldom loses his temper but when it does it is a terrible thing to behold. He fears and avoids contact with females, as growing up in the White Keep he has had no interaction with them, and in fact all his training is about how to recognize witches, so he is very suspicious of them. The only time he softens his gruff and hostile exterior is when dealing with weak, or injured animals. He was often teased while growing up about his tendency to nurse fallen animals back to help, or at least try…still he is not a zealot about that when it comes down to it.
He takes his perceived duty very seriously, and has little patience for those that distract from his calling. He is known to be judgmental, and tends to spout from Curchuanus holy words at sometimes inopportune times. He would die before disclosing the orders secrets.
(Think the Vatican Assassin from The DaVinci Code)
Positive and Negative Traits
Positive
Fairness – Though stern in his belief’s he is surprisingly open and eager to hear all sides of an argument before passing judgment.
Generosity – If Vakri has two coins and you need one, he is most likely to give you both of them, as he will find a way due to his diligence and faith.
Negative
Cruelty – He has only known cruelty in his life, and sees it as a way to teach lives lessons. While this seems to fly in the face of his fairness and generosity, it only applies once he or someone else is wronged in his judgement.
Judgmental – Vakri will listen to all arguments, apply his judgement on the matter, and then as far as he is concerned the matter is closed. The only problem is…he feels the need to judge even those situations he has no right to.
Appearance
Tall and rangy, Vakri doesn’t carry the bulk of many Ulfen, but his lithe build carries surprising strength, and toughness. His skin is scarred and marked from his tough upbringing, with many signs of violence as well as frostbite. His hair is blonde to the point of being white, and his piercing blue eyes reflect exactly what he is thinking. None of his order sport facial hair, and Vakri is no exception. He keeps his long hair in a single braid, which can be tucked into his armor during combat. He is a bit vain about his hair, and brushes it out nightly. His clothing is simple and functional, and his Hide armor has been seemingly pieced together from many different sources. He usually carries a spear as a walking staff, and has two others crossed and sheathed across his back for quick access.
Tulker’s Drinking Horn
According to the brothers, when they found him wandering the streets as a toddler, he was naked and cold, and only had a heavily carved drinking horn clutched in his hands. The horn was empty when they found him, but he refused to be separated from it. Strangely the horn seemed to be carved on the inside as well as on the outside, and to this date nobody had been able to tell him what beast the horn was from nor translate the strange glyphs and carvings. In fact the act of examining it made them feel uneasy, but since it seemed to offer no ill, he was allowed to keep it. And he still carries it to this day. For some reason when he drinks from it the water is always sweet and pure, and never freezes when it should. When others drink from it they say the water is stale and impure, though they seem to suffer no ill effects from it, though no magical glamour has been detected upon it. It is all that Vakri has or knows about from the “time before”. And if the Senior brothers know more, they haven’t shared it with him…and he has learned the painful lesson of not asking twice.
Order of the White Tree
The Order of the White Tree:
Secret order of Ulfen tasked with foretelling the return of Baba Yaga, and observing / countering the actions of the Winter Witches. Closely linked to the Blackraven Witch Wardens, they still stand alone, and pursue their agenda in their own way.
(I can expand upon the order as game progresses)
More waving to Spazmodeus and Eben :)
einroy - indeed a Snowcaster Elf would be an acceptable choice, assuming you've a decent reason for your character to be away from home.
scranford - looks good and I'll come back with some questions once there is a few more apps on the pile ready for a looksee.
Oh, I can definitely work with less common descriptions of Magic Missile, et al. :) Not a problem there.
stormraven - a reskinned Tattooed Sorcerer would be fine by me... though you'll need a little more thought on how to integrate the 'tattoo familiar' ability into that theme.
I figure the Familiar Tattoo would be one of the few non-runic ones. The Vikings did quite a lot of stylized animals (depending on the artistic period).
Here is an example from the Ringerike period (~1000 CE) Sample
Here are a few others from the same period in different media. And yet a few more from the Urnes period (~1100 CE).
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i have settled on an Orc Tetori Monk as my character. I have a lot of writing to do, so a submission will take me a bit (gonna go for the gold here with a poem and all).
stormraven - aye, I'm aware of animal iconography... I was more implying the manner in which a fully functional animal melts into and is birthed from your skin at will. But write it up and make it work ;)
John - Varki are just fine, as would be Erutaki, or Jadigwa or any of the other ethnicities (even Mwangi if you were so inclined) as long as there is a reason for them to be in the SE portion of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings.
twilsemail - the Eldest of the First World were one of the few Neutral deities / pantheons who didn't get a trait in Faiths of Balance... so I'm not sure if they got anything elsewhere.
DMVoV - is my Jotun blodded Glima Wrestler still a consideration??
stormraven - aye, I'm aware of animal iconography... I was more implying the manner in which a fully functional animal melts into and is birthed from your skin at will. But write it up and make it work ;)
LOL, oh that little issue. :D The answer to "how" is "painfully" - which is why I figured that the familiar would spend 95% of the time in tattoo form. Can't have PCs tripping over familiars left and right.
I'll get to writing up the character and all the fluffy bits ASAP.
twilsemail - prove the acceptability of the trait through the background.
BD - but of course my northern blooded friend :)
It will require a certain amount of contemplation, but this unworthy one requests permission to present herself for consideration.
It seems she was diverted from her dance to the warmer lands, finding herself instead in this place where warmth is derived from the heat of one's blood & the strength of one's passion.
How terrible.
After pondering a bit, I think I'm going to submit Kari, a nice and proud dwarf who learned to wield the blood ember and to ride the sea steed (I fear he didn't learn to handle the sea steed).
I just have to write all that now... XD
Feral - Erastil is your obvious choice (he is Ulfen after all), but all could work when clothed appropriately.
Restless Cherry Blossom - look forward to the retweaked.
I think I hit the points I aimed for. If I missed something, or you'd like clarification on anything, feel free to let me know.
Garak Ivarson, NG Ulfen human male Barbarian.
Garak was, at one time, the head of a moderately successful group of raiders/adventure-seekers based out of Kalsgard. Though they occasionally ventured as far south as Varisia, they mostly directed their ire and attempted profiteering towards Irrisen and the creatures inhabiting the more remote reaches of the Linnorm Kingdoms. This band of warriors, The Swollen Goats, enjoyed such a lifestyle for nearly five years until they met an inglorious end on a glade within the eastern reaches of the Grungir Forest.
They were pursuing a winter witch, one of the Jadwiga to be exact, that had taken up temporary residence in the Grungir. Thinking to score an easy bit of coin and take a bite out of Irrisen to boot, The Swollen Goats tracked the witch to her ramshackle hut in a frozen glade. As they approached, she effortlessly slew a handful of Garak's men, impressing upon the man the immutable fact that they posed no threat to her. Though details of what happened have never been made entirely clear (at least, not publicly) it had a lasting impact on Garak. He returned alone to Kalsgard, with a dead and scarred left eye, offering up most of his vast sums of wealth as weregild for his fallen men, then retreated into Southmoor, where he proceeded to begin the slow process of drinking himself to death. This he did for just over four years.
Brünwald Embermantle happened to pass through the settlement Garak had been living in, and took pity on the giant of a man's wallowing self-loathing. A devout priest of Torag, Brünwald resolved to reforge Garak as he would a blade. Though initially uninterested, the dwarf eventually won through, and coerced Garak into learning the art of smithing. After establishing a friendship, Brünwald began to rebuild the barbarian one hammer stroke at a time, until he felt assured that the Ulfen had purpose in life once again. He has taken Torag's teachings to heart, and seeks to redeem himself in some way. Garak intends to give his life new meaning to honor those that fell to his own weakness.
Though no longer a victim of hopelessness, Garak is a man that has not yet shed the shackles of his failures nor the burden of his guilt. Glimmers of desire for kinship have been rekindled, and the man now seeks to undo years of tarnish to a once proud name. He no longer wishes to be chained to the misery of his own misdeeds. He will fight to regain his honor and defend those he holds dear, with a willingness to do so to the bitter end this time. He has finally shed what may well have been his greatest shortcoming: his own arrogance.
Garak is no longer the boasting braggart he used to be. In fact, for those who have not seen the man in battle, he is something of a gentle giant. Though great is his physical strength, it pales in comparison to his loyalty - the bonds he forms with those he deems trustworthy and true. He can be soft spoken at times, though he has no qualms with being forceful when circumstances call for it, his words and actions then carrying with them all the weight of an avalanche. There was a time when calling Garak a beast without a leash would have been accurate - but no longer. Through the teachings of Torag, he has tempered his rage, gaining not only an understanding of when to release his anger, but how to release it.
Giant’s Blood: Garak is unnaturally large, even by Ulfen standards, with skin the shade of snow and hair the color of blue steel. His overbearing physique has afforded him many nicknames over the years: great bear; half-giant; shield breaker; ice tower. Though his behavior in recent years has done little to reflect this prestige, his formidable appearance has dissuaded many from putting his name to the test and afforded him no small measure of solitude in those days where he sought to numb himself with drink.
Resilience: Garak's endurance is the stuff of legends. Though great is the rage of a berserker, even greater is Ivarson's unbridled wrath. He bragged often in his younger days of never meeting a man who could outlast him, be it in battle or with a woman. Those who fought alongside him would often lend credence to this fact: the brute never seemed to tire, always rising to meet every foe until all obstacles lay at his feet. Though several years of alcoholism have blunted this somewhat - a fact his girth still has not recovered from - he has recently taken to forge work, subsequently gaining back much of his former muscle and vitality.
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Dishonored (Troubled Past & Bad Reputation): Garak and his band of Ulfen warriors made the mistake of pursuing a relatively powerful winter witch. Garak was bewitched by their very quarry within moments of finding the woman and turned upon his brethren, slaying them to the last man. The Jadwiga allowed Garak to live, bearing his shame and failure for the rest of his days and leaving him a broken man. Until recently, he has attempted to drown his sorrows in heavy drink, letting his once impressive combat prowess languish and wither an ignoble death unbefitting his potential.
Hexed/Marked (Cowardice): Urszula of the Jadwiga placed a sight-curse upon Garak's left eye, leaving it colorless and scarred. The curse robs the eye of vision and forces Garak to see the death twisted faces of his dead brothers in arms - his unwilling handiwork - without end. Something Garak will never let on, and has barely been able to come to terms with himself: he allowed the witch to wrest control of his wits. It only took moments for Garak to realize how grave their error in their choice of prey - the witch would spell the doom of them all. His pride blinded him to any notions of honor or sense of glory. He did not want his legend to end at the hands of a mere girl, and when she offered to spare him in exchange for slaughtering his kin, he meekly accepted. The consequences of his cowardice are much farther reaching than he could have imagined, however.
Garak stands head and shoulders above even Ulfen with a massive, muscular frame and altogether broad features. Most of the man’s body is riddled with scars and other telling signs of many hard-fought battles. His stomach still bears some of the padding long years of consuming ale, beer, and mead often afford. That his heritage includes jötun blood is without question; his hair sporting a light, steel-blue hue and skin as pale as the snowdrifts that cover the lands. His face is covered in a mass of braided hair tied off with thick bands of leather. Garak’s head is shaved clean, and premature age lines have begun creeping into the corners of his eyes.
Since his dealings with Brünwald Embermantle, a travelling priest of Torag, Garak has begun carrying himself with self-assurance once again. His face is often a blanket of tempered determination, whether he is working the forge or studying his well worn copy of Hammer and Tongs. No longer as jovial as he once was, many consider him to be severe at times, though this could not be further from the truth; the huge Ulfen still enjoys a good laugh as much as the next person.
Though once adorned with the earnings of half a decade of rigorous glory-seeking, Garak now retains little of that wealth. The vast majority of his earnings were devoted to the weregild owed for those kinsmen who fell before his onslaught during the encounter with the Jadwiga witch, Urszula. Most of the remainder was spent feeding his dependence on alcohol. Today, Garak dresses simply, but cleanly. His once-famous blade, Födorn, was pawned off in Kalsgard before he retreated to Southmoor. Garak’s friend Brünwald Embermantle, a traveling priest of Torag, has tended to the barbarian’s skills at the forge, and helped him create new armaments to serve him in the times to come. His guidance has instilled in Garak a profound respect for working with his hands, as well as a favorable reception to the teachings of Torag.
Brünwald has since moved on from Southmoor, but he left with Garak his copy of Hammer and Tongs: The Forging of Metal and Other Good Works, which remains tethered to his side at all times. The book has seen heavy use, and many of the bindings and pages are heavily frayed. Nevertheless, the tome remains sturdy in spite of seeing daily use. It serves as a constant reminder to Garak that everything is what you make of it - a chunk of ore; the world; yourself.
The traits I’m shooting for are Blood of Giants (from the RoW player’s guide) and Defensive Tactician.
In terms of mechanical explanations, Garak was at one point a mid-leveled barbarian, though it has been many years since his self-wallowing pity has robbed him of those capabilities. I’m imagining he was, at one point, probably 5th or 6th level and Chaotic Neutral-ish, but has really let himself go over the past 3-4 years. Now he’s back to square one (Barbarian 1) and more in the ballpark of Neutral Good. Brünwald had a profound impact on Garak, and essentially rescued him from the doldrums of alcohol abuse that would have inevitably killed him.
He is currently 27 years old, I figure.
Given an inexperience in both writing and anything approaching a firm grasp on kennings or skaldic verse, I’m going to write the story directly first then attempt to retell it, albeit more briefly, with kennings and verse.
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The bloodcurdling death cries of Huldar echoed through the frozen glade. Garak spared a glance over his shoulder to see what manner of witchcraft had laid low his long time friend so quickly. Life blood draining quickly, Huldar’s hands grasped feebly at the ice shard that protruded from his sternum and lifted him as high as two men from the ground. Shortly behind, Alvaldr and Einar had suffered a similar fate, though the men were slain outright with nary a sound between them.
Surrounding the ice covered glade towered mighty evergreens, laden with snow and cloaked in an unsettling silence. Garak’s eyes frantically surveyed the area, doubt creeping into the corners of his mind before the effortless onslaught that had claimed three battle-hardened veterans in a single gesture. The rest of their party, roughly ten strong at this point, had moved to surround the Jadwiga, though her unexpected potency had halted them in their tracks. Garak’s grip tightened around Födorn’s hilt. Was this his end? Gutted like a fish at the simple flick of a scrawny girl’s wrist? He could scarcely believe it. On their approach, he had wondered if perhaps the townsfolk had exaggerated the danger she posed. This frail, ebon-haired child in tattered garments seemed no older than eighteen years. He now saw the folly in this.
“It hesitates? Does it now comprehend fully Urszula’s power? Unlikely. Perhaps it seeks an escape from such an inglorious end.” Her pale, blue eyes shot Garak a cold, knowing glare. Garak could only grit his teeth.
“I’ll make it easy for you, sweet man,” her words issued forth like honey, and Garak found himself wanting to lose himself in them as she continued, “and give you a means of surviving. All you have to do is kill your men!” A sadistic giggle issued forth from her lips as she this, her fingers stroking the nape of her ermine’s neck as she did so.
He felt her words to his very core, attempting to subvert his will. He did not resist. He did not even attempt to fight the urge. She was right, after all. Anything else spelled certain doom for everyone here.
His men were incredulous as his reply came, even and without mercy. “Yes, my lady.”
Winter's blanket beneath || the withered child gifted ruin,
Clamorous dance unrealized || men bade speak no more!
Garak spared no wrath || a silent tower that wrestles clouds.
Mountain-splinter lowered || then raised aloft again,
When wolf-weather commands || the pale jotun obliges.
Kin feed red the blanket || the shield-breaker bed-shamed?
GeraintElberion - I'm glad it piqued some interest :)
Kagehiro - accepted with humble thanks, I'll cast an eye and give some questions once there are a few assembled and I can review them together.
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Submitted for your approval: Sigurd, son of Sigmund. All of the criteria (save for the poem!) should be covered in the profile. The in-character story is posted here for ease of reference.
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You've heard the stories, told around the mead-halls from Karlsgard to Heldren. Stories of my father, of his war, of the shield-maiden. Today you will hear the story of Gram, blade of the winter wight Völskang.
Blood of my blood, Siegfried the Iron Handed, wrested the blade Gram from Völskang the winter wight when he struck him dead. When my grandfather died in the collapse of the icy spire, Gram was still clutched in his hands. When he was given a funeral pyre, Gram refused to burn with him. The sword pushed away flame and heat and survived the pyre.
This sword of legend was passed down to my father, your hero, Sigmund! In his hands, Gram cleaved in twain the armies of Hrímgrímnir, froze even the blood of the frost giant Jarl in his veins. Hrímgrímnir's mighty hammer shattered my father's sword, broke Gram into a thousand slivers. Clutching the hilt and a jagged stump of metal in his hand, my father climbed up Hrímgrímnir's body and drove Gram into his eye! Twisting the blade, he drove it wrist deep into the Jarl's skull and drove him to his knees, and then into his grave!
My father brought that broken, bloodied sword back with him from that conquest. My mother, the shield-maiden Hrist took the shards and bound them back together, hammering the jagged blade of Völskang back into its shape. Though the magic had left the blade, Gram still carried the blood of heroes within -- just as I!
As a boy, that blade was promised to me. "As soon as you can wield it,' my father said, "Gram will be yours." Just ten years of age I was when I took that sword up, not out of greed or ambition, but out of necessity. A caravan had become mired in the snow near our home, and wolves called hungry for their flesh on the wind. Alone, I knew only I could save them. I dragged Gram off of my father's shelf, carried it out into the snow (as deep as my chest!) and stood by that caravan's side.
The wolves came, fanged and vicious. But Gram did not dull, did not stop thirsting for blood and glory! That blade -- this blade by my side -- carved into those wolves as if they were made of air and leaves. Fuor wolves lay dead, now worn on my shoulders and upon my back to keep me warm! But Gram drank their blood, Gram was earned that day in the protection of you -- my brothers and sisters, my people, the truest of the North!
Just like Gram, I will not lose my edge when my foes try to break me. I will persevere, I will triumph, and all will share in the glory!
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I think this is everything I have to contribute for Skaldi at the moment.
She ventured into the city to sell wildflowers to the locals. Afterall, she figured, even wildflowers can be exciting if you change your location every moon. What she found instead was an amorous Elf Lord with a rather bewitching stare. She returned home, having sold all of her flowers and remembering very little of her time within the city. She returned several times over the course of the month and might have stayed, had Hring not come down with a fever. Shortly after the city vanished, Svala realized that she was again with child.
She bore a son, her fifth, with Gunnr’s red hair and blue eyes. Unfortunately, the boy also bore the pointed ears that marked him clearly as a half-elf. Gunnr was confused, enraged and heart broken. They eventually resolved that the boy’s heritage was not due to infidelity, but due to the proximity of Nithveil. Gunnr suspected the truth, in his heart, but wasn’t willing to admit it, even to himself.
Skaldi grew, as boys do, but had to keep pace with his human brothers. He often faced hardships due to his size and this helped temper him into a stubborn young man. He had a bad habit of starting fights and a worse habit of not being able to finish them. He and Hring became quite close and fought at one another’s sides quite often.
Skaldi was raised in the old ways, in the Shadow of Grungir forest. His faith in the Eldest is as strong as the wood itself. Its roots grow just a deep in his soul. He has seen, time and again, that to worship the Eldest is the truest way of life for those in Losthome.
When his eldest brother decided to go questing to the Hag’s Tooth in the Kodar Mountains, Skaldi snuck along. He followed at a distance for longer than a day before eventually catching up with the company and informing his brother that he was coming along. He was, after all, a man grown at 17 years of age.
They fought, out of sight of the company, and Skaldi eventually won. He had always had a way with words and with his brother. When they returned to the company, Hring announced Skaldi was coming along and took the burden of protecting the boy on his own shoulders.
Eight men and a boy entered the ruins at the top of the Hag’s Tooth. One beaten and bloody young man emerged, forever changed. He hasn’t spoken of what happened inside with anyone. In truth, he only carries slivers of memory. He knows that he fled something terrible, and found something worse. He can picture the black face of Myrkr, the Linnorm that he made a bargain with. He feels that he’s responsible for his brother’s death and has a vague image of Hring standing between some great horror and himself.
He’s emerged from the snows that blinded him and arrived in Delmon’s Glen. He knows not where he’s going, nor truly where he’s been. He does know that the influence of Myrkr rings in his head and he’s seeking his bearings again. He finds himself able to call upon a Shadow of Myrkr and direct it to an extent and his bond to the First World is expressed often in odd ways.
Hring announced that he was leading an expedition to the Hag’s Tooth. Supposedly there were riches to be found in the ruins on the old crag and Hring felt he had some right to them. Skaldi, ever seeking to belong and show off to his brother, insisted on coming along. His brother refused. Skaldi came anyway. It was his right, no? The events of the expedition are a blur, but the impact on Skaldi is fairly plain. He’s much more reserved now. His brother, his favorite brother, has died along with many friends. He’s not spoken of what happened, but he appears to have given up on his selfish ways.
Skaldi suffers from guilt about that night. It weighs heavily on him and his brother often haunts him in dreams, accusing him. Myrkr is not helping with the guilt, the dragon whispers in his mind frequently and these are generally not uplifting thoughts.
Skaldi is young and small and that plays to his disadvantage far more often than it plays to his advantage. He can be needy and annoying, even with his new humility.
Skaldi can also be hotheaded at his worst. While his temper flares less often after his ordeal, when it does he seems… unreasonable. It’s possible that the dragon is stoking those flames from within.
Skaldi is, now, humble. He’s willing to acknowledge his flaws and is looking to overcome them.
Skaldi enjoys telling tales. He is extroverted and amiable. He wasn’t called the tallest for his height, but for the tales he tells. He’s caught fish as long as a man is tall and wrestled a troll until it cried.
Skaldi is resourceful. As a small Ulfen, he had to find other ways to win a fight or argument.
Skaldi is of slight build and short height. His bright red hair and ice blue eyes would catch the eye anywhere else, but among the Ulfen they are fairly common place. He wears heavy clothing and carries a pack that is, at this point, mostly empty. Places on his mostly white leather gear as still stained with blood from whatever events transpired on his expedition, nothing was soaked, but everything is flecked. Skaldi is attempting to grow a beard, but it is the patchy attempt of a young man as opposed to the full beard of a man grown.
Skaldi has always exalted the Eldest of the First World, as did his father before him. The Gods of the southlands weren’t for him. He never understood the fascination with worshipping them. As such, he lives a life much akin to a Devotee of the Green, knowing the ways of both the forest and the Fae that might live there.
Also, thanks for the Exercise, VotV. I appreciate the chance to flesh out Skaldi even further and even if he doesn't make it into this campaign, he'll be a better character wherever he winds up.
Tyrnvald Olafson, son of Olaf, Called Tyr
Mechanically Tyr is an Ulfen (Aasimar-AngelBlooded) Paladin of Tyr, may possible go into Fighter (Viking) as well.
Tyr was born to the great feeder of the ravens, breaker of rings, Olaf Yarlson. Olaf was a heroic leader of his people. The tales of his skill with the blood-worm were unmatched. His soul was born of spear-din much like his son. Tyr grew in the shadow of his father. Learning and studying his teachings. Olaf blessed the boy with his knowledge of the blood-worm. Tyr proved to be quite gifted in his learning’s. He was a large man and blessed with the strength of the gods. Olaf has given the boy all of his teachings and now sends Tyr on a quest. If he is to become the next breaker of rings, he must prove himself worthy. Olaf forged the mighty ben-grefill with battle-sweat and minds worth so that Tyr would have the spirit and strength of his father with him in his quest. Tyr accepted the mighty blade and vowed to his father to return one day and take his rightful place as chief.
Tyr is a massive 6’6”, 280lbs beast of a man. The boy was born bearing a birth mark over his heart. The Olaf recognized the mark of Tyr and named the boy justly. Tyr proved to be touched of the gods as he grew bigger and stronger than any others in the clan. Tyr wears a darkened mail with sturdy breastplate over it. The soul forged Ben-Grefill straps over his shoulder hanging at his hip. His great oaken and steel shield slung across his back. His long dirty blond hair blows in the brisk breeze of the north. He has piercing green eyes. He has the facial hair of a youth. His often cast a judgmental gaze, measuring up the men around him. His dark blue cloak is trimmed in gold and lined with pelts of wolves. It warmly embraces and protects him.
Tyr is cool and calculating. He possesses the strong will of his people and a latent rage. His body and soul has been touched by the gods and he is a symbol of great things to come for his people when he returns to be their chief. He is strongly opinionated and sometimes too quick to judge. His presence demands attention and respect of those around him. He can be brash. He seeks attention and has a chip on his shoulder trying to step out of his father’s shadow. He is generous and seeks to protect those to week to protect themselves.
Lo, There do I see my Father
Lo, There do I see my Mother and
My Brothers and my Sisters
Lo, There do I see the line of my people back to the beginning
Lo, They do call to me
They bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla
Where thine enemies have been vanquished
Where the brave shall live Forever
Nor shall we mourn but rejoice for those that have died the glorious death.
The Tale of Ben-Grefill
Olaf knew Tyr would become chief and as such knew he would need a symbol to stand on. Olaf being a skilled smith and swordsman ventured deep into the mountains. There lay an abandoned mine. He knew of it of tales of his grandfather Vilheim Svinson. The mine contained a vein of iron that could be forged colder, working into cold iron weapons. One day a great Troll came to the mines quenching its hunger on the men. It was this beast that gave Vilheim the sleep of the sword. The mines were abandoned. Olaf was too young to take revenge at the time. It was only when Olaf quested to forge Ben-Grefill for me that the beast met his end. It is said the spear-din took a day and a knight. Olaf continued to slay the beast over and over. It was not until Tyr himself, as father says, showed him to give the beast an honorable death of kings and to quench it in fire. The beast gave father many wounds and he shed much battle-sweat. The blood soaked into iron, this forged my father’s soul into the blade.
I'm definitely interested. I will put together a submission as soon as possible.
Here is the Character Alias. I will put all info in it and in a Post once I finish it.
Planning a Human(Varki) Ranger(Guide). Note: I only have a working knowledge of Golarion. So my character is being designed to reflect this.
Currently redesigning Them.
<---- waves at DM
I've got an idea. I will post it later when it has more flesh to it.
Dotting because I am a glutton for punishment.
Still trying to figure out what will fit. So far I have limited it to either a cleric, an inquisitor, a monk, a witch, a sorcerer, a wizard, a fighter or a ranger. Ok, so I have eliminated bards, paladins, druids and most base classes - unless I change my mind again.
I love this recruitment and the campaign and have an idea, I'll post it in a bit.
Hmm... Could we use Piecemeal Armour if we have a good Story for the Armour?
If so I might just switch to the Viking Archetype. It fits the concept better anyway.
Dotting for interest. I really like the 'dark and mysterious' Norse angle you're approaching this from. I'll try and put up a submission sometime over the weekend.
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Dear GOD I am interested in this. And these character recruitment options! holy CRAP! I've been trying to get a handle on running games in general, and trying to find my own style, but THIS. I NEED to get in this game and see how you run this show firsthand. I'll be working up something as soon as I can.
Does anyone have a link to some dwarf lore specific to the setting / region? Ive looked around trying to find some but have had no luck. Ive usually been involved in completely homebrewed worlds so dont have much in the way of knowledge about the Pathfinder setting. To this end I want to play a dwarf who hails from a family/hold which has lived for centuries in relative isolation, then learn as I go.
Im thinking he has banished himself after his arranged wife to be ran away with another. While others see the shame to be with her family, he himself regards it as a great personal failure. So now he is in the outside world, partly to enforce his self imposed banishsment, partly hoping to track down his wife to be. But with no clues to work with he simply travels the land, trusting in chance and the will of the gods to see them reunited. He has given next to no thought to what he will do if he actually finds her...
Woops this kinda ran off into a tangent.
long story short, anyone got a link to some info plz?
Hello Voice. Dotting for interest. Love the tone and as a fan of Seamus Heaney's Beowulf I think it is high time to unburden my word-chest and take a shot.
Race: ulfen
Class: fighter, tactician archetype.
Feats: Quick learner, lron will.
Likely skills: Sense motive, Kn. Geography, Kn. Nobility.
The rest is forthcoming. Need some research.