Here is my Grippli Rogue, Rribak Bonerattle
Crunch is complete. I'll try to get to the fluff tonight but I might not be able to finish it until the weekend.
I just went with 1/2 average starting wealth, but I suppose I can roll to see if I have any extra money:
so 150 gp /2 = 75 gp... so I have an extra 5 gp.
I am finished, I think, and she turned out really cool. Can't wait to give her a shot.
@Burnscar: If you follow the Aven Stalker I was wondering if we might work together a connection if I am going to use the Warlord. All the Path of War classes have a monastic martial arts feel to them. Since Lucatiel struggles with the normal training of the mounted man at arms, they might be able to show her a different way. Combine the two combat forms into a new one, the Hussar.
@Rribak Bonerattle: I am sorry. Every time I read that I here Boner-rattle in my head and giggle a little.
Hey, folks. I think we're nearing the end of character creation. I'll get Gameplay and Discussion threads started by the 1st of September. This brings me to the subject of my expectations for our game, how they might differ from your expectations, and how we can reconcile these differences.
On Posting: Most normal days, I can churn out at least one lengthier post. If we're in combat or I'm replying to questions that need short answers, I can post more. At the same time, come September, I'll be swamped with full-time studies at one university, part-time studies at another college, and a weekend job. I'll try to let you guys know if I'm in crunch time beforehand, but I can't promise to always be active everyday. Likewise, I won't expect you to be that active.
At the same time, I'd like to make our story engaging and interesting for all of us so that the game doesn't die due to my inactivity. I can promise to give your characters ample chances to shine and achieve their goals, and to maintain an up-to-date synopsis and dramatis personae on the Campaign Information page so that we never lose track of information or loose ends.
On NPCs: Some monsters and NPCs I use straight out of Paizo books, some I craft myself. I'm going to be adding some Path of War stuff where appropriate.
In terms of other details, what do you prefer for maps? I can use Roll20, Google Sheets, or Ditzie, so I can accomodate your needs. Do you guys have any questions about the game?
- (sorry for the name changes)
Corruption –1, Crime –2, Economy –2, Law +0, Lore –2, Society –1
Danger –5
Qualities insular
Disadvantages impoverished
In the golden years after Eventyr won its war of independence about a century ago, those who had fought for freedom, gold, or prestige found it in spades. Marcus Hawthorn, one such veteran, spent his newfound fortunes taming the frontiers of the Gnarlmarshes near the Imperial Highway. With blossoming trade between the towns of Trine and Foresthaven — and new grippli allies whose knowledge of the swamp led to many a bountiful harvest — the hamlet of Moorside grew, with Marcus as its reeve.
But old feuds between noble blood rekindled, and twenty years ago Lord Greenfast called most able-bodied men and women to march against Trine. Trade along the Imperial Highway shriveled, and worse, the brave Hawthorns were almost killed to the last man at the Battle of the Burning Bridge. Guard patrols have become less and less frequent; bandits and worse prowl the surrounding wilderness with renewed confidence. The Gnarlmarshes and the Wyrwood have claimed long-abandoned farmsteads. Moorside is a shadow of what it once was.
As a whole, Moorside is a tight-knit community and welcoming to outsiders — as long as they make their intentions clear. Bandit raids and wandering criminals have made honest travelers rare as of late. A long-standing tradition, however, welcomes the grippli, who occasionally pass through or trade with the hamlet. Grippli often stay at Nearheath Hall for free, or are invited to steadings as honored guests. This is in stark contrast to the attitudes of other settlements, and speaks volumes to the town's partnership with the grippli.
Government autocracy (elected reeve, James Hawthorn)
Notable NPCS
James Hawthorn is the reeve and Defender of Moorside, and the leader of its militia. Injured at the Battle of the Burning Bridge and embittered by his long-suffering wife and daughters, he spends most of his time reminiscing about his family's military past and 'encouraging' everyone to learn how to defend themselves and their families by taking part in the militia.
The Darkbroods were one of the few founding families of Moorside. They've grown reserved over the years; nowadays, only their servants enter and leave their manse to fetch supplies from the hamlet. Their only daughter and heiress, Selina, is a demonspawn; she (who now goes by the name 'Vizper') and the Darkbroods are no longer on speaking terms.
Though Moorside has shrunk since the Battle of the Burning Bridge, the Tervens are a mysterious addition to its roster of families. Initially thought to be 'Goldenlorders,' travelling missionaries from the banner of Goldenmeadow who worship a draconic master, the Tervens have become a welcome part of the hamlet since they remained tight-lipped about their past (such as how "Pa' Terven" got those scars that rendered him unable to speak), and knew their way around herbs and healing poultices.
Notable Places
Darkbrood Manse; Hawthorn Manse; the Terven residence; several outlying farmsteads, to be named.
A smithy, to be named.
A trading post, to be named.
Nearheath Hall, a tavern for those on the road or without a home — and as such, empty most of the year. Also serves as the hamlet's town hall.
Marketplace
Base Value 100 gp; Purchase Limit 500 gp; Spellcasting 1st
Minor Items 1d3; Medium Items —; Major Items —
- Geoffrey Terven (human wyrmer)
- Lucatiel Hawthorn (human warlord)
- Kvoak (grippli druid)
- Rribak Bonerattle (grippli rogue)
- Vizper Darkbrood (tiefling warlock)
@Afla: Signature feats are for advancement after 6th level. They unlock 7th or 8th level class features for single-classed characters. Your crunch leaves a lot of questions: who is this champion spirit? Why does it grant you proficiency with the elven curved blade, when elves aren't part of this world ? Who is Afla? I'm afraid that an amnesiac with few connections to Moorside isn't appropriate for this game, since we are sticking with a "villagers become adventurers" opening; I urge you to revisit your character concept.
@Vizper: You need to choose one least invocation known.
FYI I can usually post once per day on weekdays. The weekends I may only be able to post once.
@Afla: Signature feats are for advancement after 6th level. They unlock 7th or 8th level class features for single-classed characters. Your crunch leaves a lot of questions: who is this champion spirit? Why does it grant you proficiency with the elven curved blade, when elves aren't part of this world yet, but I digress? Who is Afla? I'm afraid that an amnesiac with few connections to Moorside isn't appropriate for this game, since we are sticking with a "villagers become adventurers" opening; I urge you to revisit your character concept.
I generally work with the assumption that fluff can be worked around, that the elven curve blade can be renamed to whatever, and if not, that I plaster on some connection to elves, or it can be replaced with a weapon you feel fits the world better.
The spirits are spirits in general, not one in particular. Is this a problem for you?
And so you're looking for more information about his childhood or his relation to the village?
Inspiration struck!
@ Burnscar:
FYI the link to your character doesn't actually link to your character. It links back to your post.
GM:
About Moorside:
I am doing some thinking about how Rribak came to be in Moorside. So there are some things I would like to clarify about the town.
Since Rribak is a boatman it would work very well if Moorside was on a river. It doesn't have to be a big river (actually it probably wouldn't be big) but it definitely needs to be navigable by shallow-draft boats like Sampans. Proximity to a swamp would be cool too; I think that is in there - the "Gnarlmarshes?" Hopefully they are only a short ways away.
Considering that a Sampan would likely be way beyond a 1st-level character's wealth, I figure that Rribak would probably use a small reed coracle; he could have built it himself. FYI a coracle is a small round boat with only room for 1 person.
He probably uses Survival Skill (he has +3) to catch fish, and acts as a local fisherman. He wouldn't be especially good at it, but he could eke out a living that way.
Grippli ideas:
1. How do you feel about the idea that rivermen grippli have a swim speed instead of a climb speed? Frogs are good swimmers, and rivermen spend their time on the water. Even as swimmers they would still need boats to carry things.
2. How do you feel about grippli getting a racial bonus to survival when gathering food in a swamp?
3. How do you feel about a "primitive rogue" with slightly different class skills? I was thinking of getting rid of Appraise, Disguise, Knowledge:Dungeoneering, Linguistics, and Perform. In exchange for maybe Survival and Knowledge:Nature. Also since his tribe is religious maybe Knowledge:Religion would work (i'll be putting ranks in anyway). Kvoak will already probably be good at Survival and Knowledge:Nature, but they make more sense for a "woodsy" character.
That would be really cool. Kravar will basically be travelling to improve the world, so he could probably have been convinced to teach relatively easily. It's good for his karma, after all.
He'd be a bit hesitant at first, since most of his own combat style relies on the Covenant. He's pretty sure that any humans he inducted would end up Bot-Ang'r in scarcely the blink of an eye, but he should be able to find more than a few things that are generally applicable.
That might be part of his backstory, why he has lived in Moorside for the last few months.
Thanks for proposing that connection!
Edit: I should be able to post once per weekday as well.
Great. Cause I think the scene in my backstory makes for a great starting point. I thought I'd write something but I don't anything about Kravar. How would he react to witnessing the event?
We should probably start a discussion thread. And I should probably make a background for Geoffrey.
@Rribak: Moorside will be, as the name implies, near the Gnarlmarshes. I envision most of the subsistence farming would take place in flood plains — adding a river that goes through or near the hamlet makes sense. I haven't thought of a name yet, though I'm partial to compounds. I haven't found sampans or coracles on d20pfsrd per se, but if you're okay with a reflavored rowboat (the Skulls and Shackles version), I'm on board with the idea.
As for the grippli ideas:
(1) Since we're moving away from grippli as tree- or jungle-dwelling folk, yes, feel free to replace the 20 ft. climb speed with a 20 ft. swim speed;
(2) I don't think it's necessary, since the DCs of Survival checks to survive in the wilderness are pretty low, and...;
(3) For the sake of keeping the number of class skills changed equal, I think that it'd be better if you replaced Appraise and Linguistics with Knowledge (nature) and Survival.
@Kravar and Lucatiel: I'm really excited to see how your characters' backgrounds interact! The aven and the grippli have become really distinct from how I imagined they would turn out. Burnscar, one of the earliest ideas was a unique dynamic between the aven and grippli races. How do you think we can make that fit within your vision of the Bundna and the Bod-Ang'r?
I'm going to close off character submissions at this point . Below is the list of player characters:
- Geoffrey Terven (Madcaster)
- Lucatiel Hawthorn (Zayne Iwatani)
- Kravar (Burnscar)
- Kvoak (SunstonePheonix)
- Rribak Bonerattle (Peet)
- Vizper Darkbrood (William Nightmoon)
@Burnscar: Have you got any backstory Kravar or read my character's backstory? You say the Brundna don't get out much so what makes him different? What kind of personality doe she have?
One idea I have is that, regardless of how they meet, the main thing she takes from the teachings of Bundna is that she is not in balance. She is trying to be something she isn't. She fights for her home, which is good, but in a style that doesn't suit her and using her father's name to command authority. She is trying to wield weapons and armor she can't possibly move in or wield. Its both a metaphorical and physical imbalance.
She doesn't get everything he says about the Covenant but she understands she needs to find her own way of fighting. She needs to be herself. So she drops the heavy armor and weapons and works from the ground up.