Generic Villain |
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After reading that the amnesia is just five years or so the idea I have forming is for big strapping brawler who before the amnesia was a happy tavern owner with a wife and two kids.
Dealing with the anguish of waking up somewhere and not knowing what happened to his family would make for interesting character moments I think.
I think a "fish out of water" PC would be perfect for this campaign. A Joe-everyman with an ordinary former life thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Or pretty much, every HP Lovecraft protagonist ever.
Former mercenary, gladiator, petty thief, wizard apprentice, young acolyte, etc. I definitely get wanting to make a "weird fiction" character - which happens to be my favorite type of character - but this might ironically be the one time I wouldn't do so.
If anyone played the amazing Gamecube game Eternal Darkness, I really liked the chapters that focused on plain ole' schmucks. You're a fireman? Awesome, good luck battling unfathomable cosmic horror and escaping with your mind and/or body intact.
rkotitan |
rkotitan wrote:How would you justify not immediately trying to get home rather than following the rest of the AP? Why did a happy tavern owner with a family take a typical adventuring job in the first place?After reading that the amnesia is just five years or so the idea I have forming is for big strapping brawler who before the amnesia was a happy tavern owner with a wife and two kids.
Dealing with the anguish of waking up somewhere and not knowing what happened to his family would make for interesting character moments I think.
I would likely leave it up to my DM to decide what kept him on the path rather than going home.
If I were DMing for that character unfortunately it's unlikely that his family or business would have survived. I would also probably make the villains of the path (or his/her minions) responsible.
Dreaming Psion |
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Blake's Tiger wrote:rkotitan wrote:How would you justify not immediately trying to get home rather than following the rest of the AP? Why did a happy tavern owner with a family take a typical adventuring job in the first place?After reading that the amnesia is just five years or so the idea I have forming is for big strapping brawler who before the amnesia was a happy tavern owner with a wife and two kids.
Dealing with the anguish of waking up somewhere and not knowing what happened to his family would make for interesting character moments I think.
I would likely leave it up to my DM to decide what kept him on the path rather than going home.
If I were DMing for that character unfortunately it's unlikely that his family or business would have survived. I would also probably make the villains of the path (or his/her minions) responsible.
An alternate take might be some factor that makes it such that the character can't go back. Something quite dreadful, where if the character went back, it would endanger his family, friends, patrons or whatever. There is a theme of alienation in a lot of these things, where once you've discovered what exists beyond the veil of rationality, you can't just go back and associate with those who haven't seen what you've seen. A more mundane alternative might be that the business has come under new ownership, the significant other might have remarried or otherwise moved on, etc. such that coming back may do more harm than good. If the characters are known to be locked up, the characters might be viewed as dangerous lunatics if they escape. OTOH, if they are assumed to be dead, it may reopen old wounds and cause legal or other questions (such as with remarriage) that are better left untouched.
Of course, the situation need not be hopeless forever. Perhaps some part of the AP could be addressing some kind of quest that needs solving before the characters can truly return home. A sort of "Earn Your Happy Ending" sort of thing.
Blake's Tiger |
I don't know. It seems like it would require a lot less suspension of disbelief to be the traditional famililess adventurer for this particular AP.
Of course, for home games, if your GM is willing to put in the extra work for a trip back home to discover the state of affairs, more power to you/the GM.
Tangent101 |
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Also don't forget: At the very start, you wake up and are in an asylum. You don't know how you got there. You don't know what happened in the last few years. What if you go home and are met by horror because you murdered your family? What if they put you in there to get rid of you?
You are missing your memories of a period of time - possibly months or years. Part of the horror would be needing to find those memories so you know what caused you to be put in a hole and abandoned.
Cole Deschain |
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"I can't wait to see my family again!"
****Cut to standing in a graveyard, hit by fresh grief, because their deaths are what set you on the path to adventuring but you didn't remember****
"Well. Now what?"
Lotta meat on those narrative bones, no matter how you choose to go...
Isabelle Lee |
3 people marked this as a favorite. |
"I can't wait to see my family again!"
****Cut to standing in a graveyard, hit by fresh grief, because their deaths are what set you on the path to adventuring but you didn't remember****
"Well. Now what?"
You build a giant machine under London, meant to render humanity down into meat.
Really, it's the only reasonable next step.
The Shifty Mongoose |
I want to try a Lawful Good Mesmerist (Cult Master) who voluntarily committed himself after realizing he couldn't account for a long time span. He gets half his level to Diplomacy because he exudes a calming aura, and wants to figure out magical and mundane methods of helping people regain sanity or cope with difficult issues. His Class Ability Leadership will happen when he's ready to start an asylum of his own.
His False Healing and Fanatical Stare would just involve shaking the target by the shoulders/beaming at them and saying stuff like, "You're here, and this is now! THEY should be frightened of YOU!"
Myrryr |
The backstory of Meeli Magicboiler, a Lawful Neutral tiefling with an unfortunate history.
Blacked out words are due to more sensitive parts, but highlighting them will show it. Could trigger others due to the nature (succubi grandparent and all).
Turns out, it's kind of a pain to really work in a crossblooded orc/dragon bloodline without making it feel somewhat shoehorned, but I think I did a decent job. I hope so anyway. I'm looking forward very much to playing Meeli and her nervousness in a campaign like this.
jedi8187 |
After reading the layer's guide I think I'll make something thematic but more straight man
Either an Occultist who got into dee while looking for occult mysteries and items, or an Aberrant Bloodline Bloodrager who is tainted by the events of that lead to the amnesia. Or if that doesn't line u with story is tainted through a ast family member's actions.
CBDunkerson |
Conference Z (born & raised) alien and extradimensional sciences researcher
Will 'patiently' (i.e. condescendingly) explain to others that we just need further study to fully understand the, so called, 'unspeakable horrors from beyond' and their fascinating memory alteration technology.
Haven't settled on a build yet. Some sort of fusion of Occultist and Technomancer.
Rosgakori Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere |
Eliphas Silvereye, Gnome Mesmerist. You can guess the campaign trait from those few sentences in there, if you have read certain novel :P
mcbraggart |
Alph Everflow, an aasimar grifter mesmerist who disdains actual work. Born as the 2nd son of a tradesman family, he knew his fate was to work at, but not run the family business.
He fled his family and turned to the temples of Caliistria where he was trained as a spy. Using his angelic face and hypnotic eyes, he can con people away from their secrets and their treasure.
Waking up in the asylum he is bothered about flashes of memory of his participation in a bizarre ritual that makes him sick to think about it.
He carries a picture locket of a small child that he does not know that provoke a sense of loss and guilt when he looks at it.
"Beware, beware. His flashing eyes, his floating hair."
Spatula |
Psychic, Abomination discipline, Amnesiac and Mutation Mind archetypes.
The character has no memories of ever being anything but a regular person, maybe a tradesman of some sort. Then he/she wakes up in the asylum with all sorts of strange psychic abilities. But sometimes, when these new and unpredictable powers are used, the character's body changes. Into something truly horrifying! And then there's this dark voice whispering inside his/her mind...
It's sort of like playing out your own horror movie within the larger narrative.
darrenan |
A spiritualist with the fractured mind archetype (so the "phantom" is a manifestation of the character's broken mind, rather than someone else's spirit), skilled in healing, whose phantom has an anger focus...
"You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." - Doctor Brenda Banner
Starting an SA campaign this coming Sunday, and one of my players is playing a Fractured Mind Spiritualist as well, but with the Despair emotion. Even cooler, other than deciding the class and race, he left the entire character up to the GM (me) to really enhance the whole amnesia side of things. I'm really excited to get this rolling.
Michael Monn |
So here is my idea for this AP =)
Unnamed Hero
Human (Varisian) cleric of YogSothoth 1
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
Defense
AC 13, touch 13, flatfooted 10 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 9 (1d8+1)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Special Attacks channel positive energy 7/day (DC 14, 1d6), it came from be yond
Cleric Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +2)
1st—bless, feather fall[D], summon monster I
0 (at will)—create water, guidance, stabilize
D Domain spell; Domains Void (Dark tapestry subdomain), Travel
Statistics
Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats Combat Casting, Dodge
Traits armor expert, naturalborn leader
Skills Acrobatics +2 (+6 to jump), Diplomacy +8, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Kno wledge (planes) +6, Knowledge (religion) +6,
Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +6
Languages Common, Elder Thing, Elven, Varisian
SQ agile feet (4/day)
Other Gear 150 gp
Special Abilities
Agile Feet (4/day) (Su) For 1 rd, you ignore difficult terrain.
Cleric Channel Positive Energy 1d6 (7/day, DC 14) (Su) Positive energy heal s the living and harms the undead; negative has
the reverse effect.
Cleric Domain (Dark Tapestry) You worship not only the vast emptiness of sp ace, but the sinister and alien powers that reside
therein.
Cleric Domain (Travel) Granted Powers: You are an explorer and find enlight enment in the simple joy of travel, be it by foot or
conveyance or magic. Increase your base speed by 10 feet.
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
It Came From Beyond (1/day) (Su) Your spells that require Will saves can ha ve confusion added to their effects.
Michael Monn |
Actual worship of an Outer God or Great Old One is discouraged... this character was going to be a syncretist worshiper of Yog-Sothoth combined with Desna (the colors! All the opened doors! IA! IA!) but I have since gently mothballed the idea.
But it is a GOOD cleric of an Old One =)
Rose Blackburn |
Player's guide, page 7:
"You might be tempted to play a character that venerates a Great Old One or an Outer God, but that isn’t a great option for this Adventure Path. You’ll be fighting against cultists who worship these foul beings, and knowing all about the Elder Mythos hinders the horror of the unknown."
Adam Daigle Developer |
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As the guy who originally wrote the quote above, I also want to add that if your GM is cool with this concept and has plans to work it into the campaign, there's really no problem. Player's Guides assume that the GM is running the AP as written, so we try to point out things that might make it difficult for a GM and group of players who are running this off the shelf.
tro1984 |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Also thematically appropriate: the straight man.
A character not aware, trained, or part of the mythos, fumbling his way into (or out of, considering the wake-up-and-confused start) insanity.
So likely not a full caster or devout, something more like an ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances.
Fighter, rogue, maybe a monk straight out of the monastery, possibly even a kineticist awakening to powers he doesn't understand.
Hard mode: npc class.
This is basically what I'm running around as. We started book 3 last night. My fighter has no clue exactly what's going on with the whole mythos stuff, but his companions keep telling him we need to stop this Lowl's guy, so that' what we're trying to do.
AnimatedPaper |
Having just read the villain codex, I now want to play a mirror witch in this AP. Specifically, one with the Formerly MindSwapped campaign trait. I see that mirror patron as a way to really play up that particular trait, especially if the GM decided that none of the other characters ever see anything if they look into the mirror. Is the communion with the mirror eniterely within the witch's mind? Are they just crazy? What about when the more esoteric abilities start coming online, like the scrying?
Add on that this could be a conduit for anything the GM cares to tell the group but has no easy way to convey. In that, it would be no different than a cleric or inquisitor's patron deity sending them dreams, but possibly a little creepier.
Archpaladin Zousha |
Having just read the villain codex, I now want to play a mirror witch in this AP. Specifically, one with the Formerly MindSwapped campaign trait. I see that mirror patron as a way to really play up that particular trait, especially if the GM decided that none of the other characters ever see anything if they look into the mirror. Is the communion with the mirror eniterely within the witch's mind? Are they just crazy? What about when the more esoteric abilities start coming online, like the scrying?
Add on that this could be a conduit for anything the GM cares to tell the group but has no easy way to convey. In that, it would be no different than a cleric or inquisitor's patron deity sending them dreams, but possibly a little creepier.
How would you drag the mirror around when you travel?
AnimatedPaper |
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AnimatedPaper wrote:How would you drag the mirror around when you travel?Having just read the villain codex, I now want to play a mirror witch in this AP. Specifically, one with the Formerly MindSwapped campaign trait. I see that mirror patron as a way to really play up that particular trait, especially if the GM decided that none of the other characters ever see anything if they look into the mirror. Is the communion with the mirror eniterely within the witch's mind? Are they just crazy? What about when the more esoteric abilities start coming online, like the scrying?
Add on that this could be a conduit for anything the GM cares to tell the group but has no easy way to convey. In that, it would be no different than a cleric or inquisitor's patron deity sending them dreams, but possibly a little creepier.
It doesn't have to be a full length mirror. The handheld steel mirror in Ultimate Equipment works for this archetype.
Where the archetype says "immobile familiar" I read it as referring to the mirror's inability to move under its own power, not that it is fixed into a certain location.
waltero |
I plan on making a Warpriest of Pharasma for this AP.
I could play either LN or NG alignment. Being Lawful grants axiomatic and merciful as Sacred weapon enhancements while being Good grants holy and ghost touch. Which of these do you think I would get more mileage from in this AP? Axiomatic for all the potential chaos, or holy for the evil things?
Cole Deschain |
I.... don't really think that way when choosing alignment.
But both seem pretty likely.
Are you more interested in playing someone devoted to preventing evil, or someone devoted to preserving order?
Ellioti |
Possessed Oracle 1 / Unchained Barbarian 6 / Possessed Oracle rest
Flame Mystery, Tongues Curse (Abyssal), Daemon Totem rage power, Crit-fishing build.
That poor girl is possessed by a daemon. Her Rage is actually the daemon trying to take over, which becomes quite visual at lvl 13 when she gets the Form of Flame revelation.
'Sani |
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So far in the campaign I'm running, I had the characters start out with complete amnesia. They remember absolutely nothing about themselves, not even their names.
This complete lack of backstory has led to the characters developing a lot more organically.
We have a half-orc who is Stan Against Evil in the body of Wolverine. He will without hesitation jump in to help anyone, but will complain the entire time. He is already extremely annoyed with these monsters, this amnesia, and this entire situation, and will not hesitate to speak up about this frustration to anyone within hearing range. Thanks to his less than average stature, especially for a half-orc, the party has named him 'Shorty.'
We have a human woman who doesn't speak up much, but when she does it is with good ideas or useful information. Her mismatched eyes are a bit creepy, but magic seems to come easily to her, and she's obviously as lost as everyone else so the group has bonded with her. Thanks to her vibrant hair color, the party has named her 'Red.'
We have another half-orc who doesn't know much, but knows that silver bird shaped amulet is something he needs. He is kind to a fault, without even a hint of a suspicious nature, but after all in many ways he was just born yesterday. Thanks to some unusually good looks for a half-orc, and the half-orcs distinct awareness of them, the party as named him 'Pretty.'
We have a human male who makes up for it with suspicious in spades. His eyes are always darting around, and he takes nothing at face value. Much like shorty he isn't shy with his opinions, and is quick to point out how things can always get worse. Thanks to his cheerful personality, the group has named him 'Grumpy.'
We have a human woman who is, to put it plainly, a coward. She has spent more than one fight staying as far away from the possibility of injury as possible, and won't hesitate to let the rest of the party stay between her and threats. Due to this habit, the party has named her 'Heidi.'
So we have a half-orc (with racial heritage: halfling) fighter, a changeling witch, a half-orc cleric, a human slayer, and a vishkanya (Subtle Appearance alternate racial trait) bard.
Dustin Knight Developer |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I have so many ideas for this AP it's keeping me up at night.
My initial idea was to play someone who believes they are a holy champion (Paladin) of Desna, but is in fact receiving their powers from a source of the GM's choosing.
Cute little girl, age 10 or so, who draws strange runes and plays strange games. Has an imaginary friend. Class, either a witch or a spiritualist.
This was my second idea. Magical Child with an imaginary familiar. At level 3 it upgrades into a Beheaded, but whose skull it is will be in the hands of the GM. At level 7 its true nature and the source of my magical girl's powers is revealed; There's plenty of options in the list of Improved Familiars for my GM to choose from and they know my playstyle.
I'm also considering my Kitsune White-Haired Witch/Brawler/Rogue/Sleepless Detective who chokes people out with her tails. Give her Alien Hand Syndrome with her tail and the campaign trait that implies she was cornered and killed someone. Mechanically, go into Strangler/Sap Master with Final Embrace. Maybe dip into Arcane Trickster.
A chirugeon alchemist or electricity-themed kineticist would be fun if I wanted to play an orderly who worked at the asylum.
I also kind of like the idea of a Phantom Thief who steals books. Give him theMinor/Major Magic and the feat that lets them change the talent's SLA with a spell-book. Seems like a natural fit for a lovecraft campaign.
Nezzarine Shadowmantle |
So the guide is out now and my players have begun the first book. Here's what they did: A league of extraordinary gentleman- of sorts. Sort of a Marvel/DC/Whatever mash up. One guy is playing a brute archetype vigilante mixed with a scaleheart skinwalker race for a Hulk/Killer Croc hybrid. Another started with a human medium as John Constantine, died, and made a human flowing monk as Goku. Another player made the Tick as a vanilla brawler. Another player started with a dark half human psychic as Jean Grey/Phoenix, died and made Sherlock Holmes as a rogue/investigator going Sleepless Detective, another player made a cleric named Charles Xavier (the similarities end there, except a bald head, and that player has received much grief because of it), another player made the Scarlet Witch from the witch class. Nice spin was that he went tiefling. Finally, my last player went wizard as Dr. Strange. It's been a lot of fun. They just ended their first book. They have never super heroes out like this and they are really enjoying it.
gustavo iglesias |
So the guide is out now and my players have begun the first book. Here's what they did: A league of extraordinary gentleman- of sorts. Sort of a Marvel/DC/Whatever mash up. One guy is playing a brute archetype vigilante mixed with a scaleheart skinwalker race for a Hulk/Killer Croc hybrid. Another started with a human medium as John Constantine, died, and made a human flowing monk as Goku. Another player made the Tick as a vanilla brawler. Another player started with a dark half human psychic as Jean Grey/Phoenix, died and made Sherlock Holmes as a rogue/investigator going Sleepless Detective, another player made a cleric named Charles Xavier (the similarities end there, except a bald head, and that player has received much grief because of it), another player made the Scarlet Witch from the witch class. Nice spin was that he went tiefling. Finally, my last player went wizard as Dr. Strange. It's been a lot of fun. They just ended their first book. They have never super heroes out like this and they are really enjoying it.
So many deaths...
Di they have someone in the group that is amnesiac? Or have all of them been replaced by now?The NPC |
This is a long one:
Uruk left home one day. He wasn't forced out by the superstitions of his clan nor had he been charged with a crime. Even among the settled tribes of the Kellid people sentencing and punishment are quick affairs. No, Uruk left because a large piece of himself was missing. Even saying it was missing doesn't quite say it right. More like something in him felt like it was never there. For many years he would not speak of this incomplete feeling. He felt it in body and mind, but the healers could never find anything. One day he spoke to a wisewoman and a wiseman of his clan. He shared this feeling and the two just looked at each other with knowing smiles and said it was time to find a wife.
A match was made with a close childhood friend, Inkit her name is, and the ceremony was held at harvest time. It all went well and there were many happy faces, Inkit included. Uruk tried. He tried very hard. He devoted himself to Inkit and being a good husband and partner, but instead of lessening the feeling it only intensified. As if this attempt to fill the empty place had only rubbed the half formed edges raw. At times the feeling would strike him down. After trying to explain all of this to his wife she eventually said to him that if he could not find what he seeks among his people or their neighbors he must seek the other part of himself further afield. So, quietly one morning he stepped into the thick mists of northern Ustalav and left.
What happened to Uruk after that I cannot say, but I saw him not long ago. He was different. Gone were the scars so prized even by settled Kellids, cleaned away as if by a great healer's magic and his eyes... They used to be a deep forest green, but now they're red. Like the eyes of a white rat. What's more is he would stare off, as if listening to someone who wasn't there, but even so he was Uruk. I can't mistake that gruff tongue and willingness to try... Most anything. If you see him tell him I have that bottle of Geb Dark I owe him.