What if there was more?
You made it out of high school alive, with your mind intact. You took the lessons learned there, in that jungle of education and social tumult and you moved on. But what was next? A full time job? Mooch off the parents for a while? No. You decided there was something more. Maybe because it was by the end of high school that you had figured out how it all works, but you decided to go to college. But your grades weren't good enough, or your parents couldn't afford a four year school, so you ended up at community college. Just a step up from high school...but it seemed alright because you had friends with you, friends that you could count on, friends that you had for many years. You had a built in study group.
The first semester took a bit of getting used to, but everything fell into place. This one would be smoother, you were sure of that.
You were actually a bit excited this morning as you prepared yourself, getting dressed, cramming a bit of breakfast into your mouth as you rushed out the door. You weren't really late, but you were off to meet your friends and go over a few things before your first classes.
Today would be great, you thought to yourself.
Boy, were you in for surprise...
Right now I'm just checking for interest.
Dotting for interest.
This is the character I'd like to put forward for this game. She's in basic form for now (some descriptions and story on her profile page) until I know more re interest in this game and what modern day skills you will be looking at etc.
Thank you. :)
Dotted for interest. Need more info before deciding on character. Probably a high int male.
Dotting for interest
You have my curiosity, and thus my interest. As for character ideas, I'm toying with concepts, but a guy that is based around the idea of "Nope" tickles me. Abjurer Wizard? Unbreakable?
Or the "Power Un-asked for".. Synthesist? (The concept is intriguing)
Or a randomly generated affinity for a class(archetype?)
I have a few concepts in mind but I'm curious if we should have a plan for what adventurer class we will take once we get to the "other side"
I have an eventual alchemist or an eventual oracle, possibly oradin in mind
This guy obviously will need a major rewrite to fit the campaign, but I've always loved this kind of fantasy in novels and films, and it's never really translated to gaming much.
A 15 point expert is actually pretty good. Going by the avatar leftover from a Skull and Shackles campaign, I imagine Lucky is probably the one voted most likely to break out of rehab, possibly a drunken monk in the making? Despite being a heavy drinker, and far from the sharpest tool in the drawer, he's a good guy, the kind you know will have your back.
He works in the bar next to campus, and he can handle himself pretty well when a fight breaks out, or when someone has a little too much to drink. He reads people and situations pretty well, and he seems to have a knack for getting out of trouble.
Unnamed Hero
Human Expert 1
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex, +1 dodge)
hp 12 (1d8+4)
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +4
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
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Statistics
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Str 16, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Dodge, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics +5, Escape Artist +5, Heal +6, Perception +6, Profession (barkeep) +6, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +5
Languages Common
Other Gear 150 GP
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Special Abilities
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Yes, I know I'm ahead of myself, but I wanted to see how it would look, and then it seemed silly not to post it. He'll be drunken monking it all the way, I think.
Once in the fantasy world, I was thinking Miya would take Nitojutsu Sensei (Samurai archetype).
pretty interesting. dotting.
Ooh, I could also bring an eventual switch hitter ranger...lotsa good ideas here!
Just had a thought... expert seems a bit too...advanced. Hope this doesn't turn anyone away, but commoner seems a bit closer, though I'd adjust the skills.
Miya: cool idea and bio, thanks.
Ionia: what other info would you like?
Born of fire: of the ideas you put forth, liking Oracle best
Me'mori: not a big fan of summoners*, but random could be fun
Lucky: drunken barbarian and i'm listening...
More info coming on line once I get home from work.
Could be a drunken barbarian. Commoner works well enough, as long as we're not facing anything overwhelming.
Just had a thought... expert seems a bit too...advanced. Hope this doesn't turn anyone away, but commoner seems a bit closer, though I'd adjust the skills.
Me'mori: not a big fan of summoners*, but random could be fun
Aye, I'm aware there's some dislike of them for reasons that I have not looked into in the event I get to play one, I'd rather explore the idea of "This is bonded with me?? I... Don't know how to feel about this"
Howe'er, I'm all ears. :)
Ouch re the skills per rank as Commoner, but am still okay with the change.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on companion characters. :)
@Me'mori: What about the wizard idea? You get to bond with either a familiar or an object. Or a bonded witch gets an item instead of a familiar ... (but that's only if you change your race to half-elf in the fantasy world). The GM said there may be a chance to change races once we hit the fantasy realm. :)
I have an idea of what race I'd like to change to (if the GM decides to go with that idea and I decide I still like it).
Ok so here's a better idea of each of the characters I have in mind. I'm not going to flesh them out too fully just yet, they are merely concepts atm.
1. Future Alchemist: Garnet McAviney is not an unintelligent fellow, he is just wholly unmotivated unless he is in the pursuit of partying, specifically the consumption, and just lately, the manufacture of drugs. The slightly spoiled third child of wealthy yet distracted parents who forced him to attend school (and are paying for it), he doesn't really care if he ever graduates or, when he does, if the certification will be of any practical value. He is taking only the easiest of courses with no discernable focus plus a bunch of chemistry courses to further his one true aim. He is personable and appears get along with everyone he meets. He seems to attend every party and can be found at every campus event where there is liquor to be had. LLGM.
Str 10 Con 14 Dex 10 Int 15 Wis 10 Cha 12
(The focus here will go from "whoo I can make drugs" to "WAHOOOO I can make fire and magic!")
2. Future Oracle (Oradin?): Henry Ible suffers mildly from Muscular Dystrophy and must use leg braces as a result. He does not let this adversity bring him down in any way and is just about the nicest young man you could ever hope to meet. Hard working and smart, Henry won a small scholarship but he has to keep a part time job at a senior citizens' centre to make ends meet. His eventual goal is to become a social worker so he can help other people overcome their disadvantages the way he feels he conquers his every day. He is diligent, helpful, friendly and caring to everyone he meets and he never seems to get discouraged or frustrated by his circumstances.
Str 12 Con 14 Dex 10 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 15
(Obviously, I will take Lame for a curse but I'm not sure of what Mystery just yet. Depends on if straight Oracle or if Oradin is available.)
3. Future Ranger: Lydia Kaplow is a tomboy through and through. Rather plain in appearance and shy as well, Lydia has a hard time fitting in or even attracting attention so she only a few friends but those that take the time to get to know her find her interesting and fun to be around. She is a gifted athlete, excelling at any sport she tries but she does not participate on any of the college's teams, mainly because she feels uncomfortable and out of place around other women. She loves to camp, hike, fish and doesn't mind get her hands dirty or working hard. She likes cars and motorcycles and works as a mechanic for a friend of the family part time while in school. She is taking as courses towards a business degree because she knows she doesn't want to work for someone else the rest of her life but is uncertain of just exactly she wants to do.
Str 14 Con 14 Dex 12 Int 10 Wis 13 Cha 10
(I like them all but this is prolly my favourite.)
born_of_fire all those concepts have merit. Atm I'm torn between Henry and Lydia.
**********************
Ok. Here's my updated version of the commoner:
Changes are as follows
Characters can take 2 traits, but they will probably need some fine tuning.
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Quick thing about companions; I'm of the opinion that they are more interesting if controlled by the player. They will do what their "boss" wants most of the time, but I would be NPCing them, more or less.
Quick thing about alignment: I think I'm going to go a more "detect aura" route rather than the black and white of the normal alignment system. Represents modern thinking a bit more.
@Born of Fire: Lydia and Henry are my favourites.
I forgot my racial +2 so I need to muck with their stats a bit. And I think I'll abandon the Oradin in favour of a straight Life Oracle for Henry so I can cover the healing role without making alignment such a big deal.
This sounds like fun. I was thinking alchemist at first (Chemistry major), but I kind of like the idea of a Physics major adapting his knowledge to become a Wizard or Sorcerer. I guess a Communications major could be a bard, but not too excited about that. I'll try to flesh something more out.
Henry: Str 13 Con 14 Dex 10 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 17
Lydia: Str 16 Con 14 Dex 12 Int 10 Wis 13 Cha 10
Further consideration has caused me to rethink the class skills a bit. So I have edited the above list
Automatic Class Skills: Climb, Perception, Swim, choose 1 of Craft/Perform/Profession, Choose 6 others for a total of 10.
I can see how this might be a bit confusing, so ask me for clarification if you need it.
Okay, these will be the 10 class skills for Miya:
Climb, Perception, Swim, Craft-Calligraphy, Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Political Science), Knowledge (Theology), Linguistics, Sense Motive.
Miya: political science -> samurai(Nitojutsu Sensei)
born_of_fire: social sciences -> oracle
or
engineering? -> ranger
Lucky Wilkins: phys ed? (lol) -> barbarian (drunken brute)*
Aeryk: chemistry -> alchemist
or
physics -> wizard
Me'mori: undecided (gonna pass on summoner)
Ionia: ?
Lord Pizzmic: ?
TimFrie: ?
*
I had sort of imagined him as the philosophy major who studied martial arts as a kid. His classes cover everything in the song, but Bodhidharma (according to legend, the creator of both zen and the shaolin martial arts) is his personal go to thinker. He tends to be buzzed most of the time but he knows his limits and rarely gets out of control. Most of the time he simply observes and absorbs what's happening around him, though when there's trouble at the bar, he's generally able to handle it. When the transformation occurs it all sort of conflates into this drunken master monk thing.
The barbarian feels to me like, yup, here's a big, dumb, drunk a-hole. Not that drunk philosophy majors can't be a-holes, but in a different way. If you're really not one with the zen of alcoholism, I'd probably just press reset and come up with something else.
Okay, here's Phillip Masterson, failed Physics major turned Wizard. Rubik's cube in one hand and a tattered Physics textbook in another he stares at the chaos of a world filled with magic.
Okay, so I thought up something awesome I think.
Jonas Burke - Jonas grew up with both parents working constantly. And separated. Which meant a lot of time at home with movies as his babysitter. His favorite of all being Indiana Jones. In high school he decided to study theatre and speech. In college he decided to major in Performing Arts. He's taken some self-defense classes since he lives in a poorer neighborhood. (going for Street Performer Bard)
I've decided to go with the ranger unless you seriously object.
I'm interested. I'm thinking a student of biology, becoming a druid.
TimFrie: very interesting. was wondering if/when we'd see a rogue type.
Lucky: yeah. sorry, not really feeling the zen/monk. Reset?
Lucy/born_of_fire: i do not object.
Been-jammin: cool, I'd like to hear more. Just throw up an idea blurb. Take a look at Lydia and Miya and TimFries for examples.
Dotting for interest. At this point, I'm not sure what I'd do.
Here's Jonas. Not polished at all.
With all this talk of modernity, I'm curious that someone hasn't asked about the Gunslinger? I rather like the slight irony of going into a mystical, magical world, and finding a gun.
Yea it was late when I finished. I will change that.
Ok feeling good about what I've got now. Fixed my feats, decided to go with Knowledge: Engineering to reflect her mechanical experience and put a few more details into her backstory. Thanks for catching my error, Miya
No worries, Lydia. :) Think the inclusion of Knowledge Engineering is good and does work with Lydia's background.
Yes, good eye Miya.
Me'mori: hate to shoot down yet another of your ideas, but I think gonna leave gunslinger out for now.
re: gunslinger
Even if I don't end up playing, I think I'd have to agree. It just doesn't scream that topsy-turvy feel the game seems be going for. At least not at the start. I think it would be too familiar for one of them to become a gunslinger and be all "Okay, i can dig on this. This I know!" as opposed to "What the heck am I supposed to do with this book and a pet ferret?"
Dad's a marine and mom's just a mom. Lucky is the first one in the family to go to college. He's a pretty good student, but he doesn't feel as though his destiny is going to be found at the local community college, or at the state college he'll probably transfer to in two years. He doesn't think it's going to be found delivering pizza either, but it's the easiest way to pay rent, and it's that or live at home, which is just too sad.
What his destiny is going to be, he's really not sure, but there are times when he thinks maybe he should have followed in dad's footsteps. He's going to be a Magus when he transforms.
I'll wait to see if that's acceptable before I dig any deeper.
Hello shrodingerscat, I think the idea you are putting into play here looks really interesting, and so I decided to start writing a few lines and see what would come out - I think I got a little carried away so I simply stopped :D
But I hope the lines below will convey the idea of who Lucian is. By the way, the plan would be to take him all the way to Invulnerable Rager/Urban Barbarian ;)
It felt strange coming back to town after two years without setting foot home - even though everything looked exactly the same, it was much more unnerving than he could have ever expected.
As he walked down main street, Jerry's hardware store on his left, and Ella's groceries on the right, he saw the familiar faces even though they did not seem to recognize him, even if the US Military uniform made him stand out in the middle of the street.
It had been a shock and a surprise to his parents, when Lucian, their intelligent 17 year old boy had came to them asking to volunteer - his grades were half decent, he was a smart kid who could eventually make it into community college, yet there he was - "I am going to volunteer, but I need your written authorization since I am only seventeen" - the words were spoken at a perfectly normal family fiday dinner, but it hit the table like a meteor - his mother wept, his father smiled.
But he couldn't take it anymore - high school was hell - he had sped through it as fast as possible, dodging balls and bullies alike, finding some solace in game nights with the proverbial nerds - not from any need of 'being whatever he wanted to be', but simply because they were his friends, and he enjoyed spending time with them. He used to stand staring at them around the table, miniatures and dice scattered, and he remembered feeling cornered - not strong enough to play football, not smart enough to be the smartest in class, not good-looking enough to have a girlfriend - he felt outrageously average, and sometimes being 'normal' seemed to weigh him down unbeliavably hard.
Heck, come to think of it, he did not speed through highschool, he actually more of drifted through it, unseen and unnoticed, like some sort of ghost in a surreal mix between parallel realities, where the inhabitants of one merely glimpse at those that live on the other side. And he wasn't that bullied, not even by dodgeball - not much more than anyone else to be honest - even in that he was average.
Volunteering was the most drastic thing that he could have thought of, and the only way he found of being different - at least many were those that came to wish him good luck when it was known around school that he was joining the military, even one or two jocks - again, he was not treated like an underdog, no one mocked his decision, nor like a hero - it was simply a normal reaction...
Two years later, amazingly, he had survived, and he was different - he thought he was more confident, after all he had turned from a lean 17 year old into a well muscled 19 year old - he was not prettier, but he was definitely bigger, and the casual looks thrown at him from people that passed him by did not penetrate his mask - a bald head, a few more pounds, and a nasty scar across the right side of his face seemed to make a big difference, and he felt safe in that assumption - truth was, he dreaded what would happen when people would recognize him.
Lucian
Male Human Commoner 1
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
hp 7 (1d6+1)
Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +0
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +2 (1d4+2/19-20)
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Combat Expertise, Simple Weapon Proficiency - One, Skill Focus (Survival)
Skills Climb +6, Craft (traps) +4, Knowledge (Chemistry) +6, Knowledge (Mathematics) +6, Perception +4, Profession (soldier) +4, Survival +4
Languages Common
Other Gear dagger, 148 GP
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Special Abilities
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Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Wasn't sure on how to address the languages (I am missing two), so haven't actually added them in - I think the rest is correct.
EDIT: Thanks for the heads up Miya - stats corrected ;)
Nice to see you, and enjoyed your character's backstory, Edeldhur. Just wanted to let you know that the GM isn't allowing any ability score under 10 for this game (to start off with). I noticed your CHA was a 7. ;)
Interesting ideas both, Lucky and Edelhur
Looks like we may be closing in on a solid group. :)
Wow! Im really into this! Dreaming up a drama major/ future bard on my subway ride home. Will post as soon as I can.
Me'mori: hate to shoot down yet another of your ideas, but I think gonna leave gunslinger out for now.
*grin* It's fine. I like poking at the ideas of things to see what works, and how things feel.
re: gunslinger
Even if I don't end up playing, I think I'd have to agree. It just doesn't scream that topsy-turvy feel the game seems be going for. At least not at the start. I think it would be too familiar for one of them to become a gunslinger and be all "Okay, i can dig on this. This I know!" as opposed to "What the heck am I supposed to do with this book and a pet ferret?"
Aah.. if we're talking "comfort zone", then that knocks out the spellslinger (guns as a focus), which is fair enough.
That turns my mind towards the idea of a Separatist/Unbreakable that regardless of what has occurred, is forging ~his~ way through this world, that, hey.. "If this god is still fine with me, I must be doing something right-- Mind you, I'm not sure of exactly ~how~ this is right, but I'm going to keep doing it as long as they're supporting me. Come what may, I'll beat it all and keep going."
Still, most of my ideas tend to be reactive. I can get the base concept, but the direction they head in is also determined by what happens once they arrive.
Fell into a fight-- "I don't know what's going on, but I need to figure it out fast, or it won't be good.. where'd this blackened short sword come from? I'll worry about it later, I'll use this to survive now!" -- Blackblade Magus.
Alternately-- "I've got the hand of a god on my shoulder and hate in my heart for anyone that would refute these tenets that I intrinsically understand. Woe betide anyone that earns my attention." -- Inquisitor.
"Peace allows Questions. Questions provoke Understanding. Understanding through Action. Actions beget Solutions. Solutions bring Peace. When it is done, all that remains is the truth that has been wrought." --Maneuver Master
Or, my original idea: "Nope." --Abjurer.
Update on Lucky.
Dad's a marine. Mom's a mom, but a Japanese mom that dad met when he was stationed in Okinawa. Being a stay-at-home mom, she never really got very good at English, and Lucky grew up effectively bilingual. He also grew up knowing that he was going to be the first person in his family to go to college. No pressure.
When he graduated from high school, his mother's family paid for him to fly to Okinawa so he could meet them, and he spent the summer in the village where she grew up, improving his Japanese and getting to know a whole family that he had only seen on Skype until now. The day before he left, his grandfather gave him a sword. Lucky struggled to keep a straight face as he knelt and was presented with the gift, as if the last few centuries had been forgotten. He understood that it was a thing of great beauty and value, but it wasn't like he was on his way to join the Shogun's army or something.
He came back home and put the sword on a specially made display rack in his room, and showed his geekier friends when they came over to play D&D or watch movies. School started, and though he was in college now, it didn't feel all that different. He was living in his own place, though his room at home was bigger than his whole apartment now, and delivering pizza to make the rent, but he still played D&D on Friday nights, he still studied hard and made straight A's, he was too shy to talk to the girl he liked. Things were pretty normal.
Naturally, when the anthropology teacher found out he had spent the summer in Japan, Lucky had to teach a whole class on growing up in an intercultural family. The teacher acted like it was something exciting, but to Lucky, it felt like he had to spend a whole class telling everyone why he was weird.
That day is today, and on his way out the door, Lucky decides to grab his katana.
((All this is to ready him for to be a Magus with the Kensai and Bladebound archetypes. He is built on the assumption that this will be allowed and that Grandpa's katana will ultimately be his black blade. If that's not acceptable, some tweaking will be required.))
Str: 14
Dex: 13
Con: 12
Int: 16
Wis: 10
Cha: 10
Feats: Dodge, Toughness
Traits: Magical Lineage*, Rich Parents**
Skill points: 5 (class) +3 (int)+1 (human, or is that included in the 5?) =9
Skills***: Acrobatics +5, Escape Artist +5 (wrestling team in HS), Knowledge: Arcana +4, Knowledge: Local (anthropology, right?) +7, Knowledge: Nature (biology 101) +7 Perception +4, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +4, Stealth (he snuck out a lot) +5
* You may say no to this, which is perfectly reasonable.
** He doesn't actually have rich parents, or 900 gold pieces. He DOES have a Masterwork Katana and enough little japanese trinkets to make up the difference, GM permitting.
*** Skill-list very much subject to GMs approvalSpellcraft and Knowledge: Arcana I took as non-class skills, hoping the extensive knowledge of historical and contemporary mystic traditions would translate into some practical functionality in the other world. UMD was mentioned as a no-no, but not these. I'm happy to change them, but I'm not really sure what I'd change them to.
Lucky, that's a bit too similar to the idea that Miya put forth. I'd like to see something different.
OK
I'll just be the drunk jock a-hole.
Lucky, you could always alter/amend the story alittle. Your mother could be of Portuguese descent (and Lucky is still bilingual: English and Portuguese) and your father met her in the States when he was on leave (your mom could have moved to the States with her family a while back). The Portuguese were one of the first Europeans to travel to Japan. Perhaps one of your great, great grandparents (or an ancestor) travelled there (merchant perhaps?) and purchased a katana (catana in Portuguese -- they borrowed the word). You could always have travelled to Portugal to visit family there and still have the show and tell in class. Or a grandparent died and their possessions were sent to your mother in the States -- and in the box was the sword, which you took possession of. It has similarities to Miya's backstory, but isn't exactly the same, so it could work. Just a suggestion if you still wanted to go with the sword backstory.