Clebsch's Reign of Winter

Game Master Clebsch RoW

I’ve wanted to try the Reign of Winter path for a long time and now the time has come. I’ve run a few campaigns on this forum – some more successful than others, so you may do well to look into some of the threads to see what kind of game I run. I like to see myself as crude but effective as a DM. I’m not great at roleplaying but I encourage it among players, which tends to work well in PBPs. My job is to keep the pace up and everyone happy as far as possible. With the right players, that has worked as a charm.

I already promised two spots to former players but the rest is basically up for grabs, but if you have played with me before and liked it (and you’re not in my Mummy’s mask game) I will give you preference. Other than that I will consider party balance and try to reward first comers, as well as character concepts that I like. What I like is simple. Preferably core races and not too weird classes, (I’d like to avoid the alchemist, magus and summoner, since they have a tendency to go nova). I’m looking for competent players but not optimizers. This isn’t going to be a high-powered campaign. I will be using the Background skill rules and the unchained Rogue.

20 point buy, two traits (one from the campaign guide) and average starting wealth (or you may roll for it if you prefer). Look to the campaign guide for what races, classes and archetypes might be appropriate. I’m also using a home variant of hero points, but we’ll get to that in time. Expected posting rate is once a day on weekdays. If you’re in combat and don’t post for 24 hours, you will be assumed to be delaying (or I’ll take your action for you if it is obvious). More posts are welcomed and I’ll try to post as much as I can, but I can’t promise more than once a day.

I’m looking for five characters so all submissions are welcome. I hope to be able to put a party together by the end of next week.

I'll write up an elf rogue for this. I'm definitely interested.

Unless one of those two players is already writing one...

Please let us know who these players are so that we do not submit a character too similar to one of theirs.

Good point. I will.

What are your feelings on Investigators? If you are fine with them, do you think that Questioners are supposed to be able to cast in light armor?

I'm fine with investigators and I think that questioners should be able to cast in light armor.

Submitting Epiphany Bluntridege, a Bolt Ace - the Crossbow wielding Gunslinger Archetype - not as grumpy as the profile pic indicates, outside of battle at least :) She was built for a previous recruitment for this AP, but has been adapted to the rules here.

Are you allowing drawbacks to get an extra trait? Epiphany is currently built with the Overprotective drawback.

Are you allowing background skills? I am a big fan, and Epiphany is currently build with Profession Fisherman and Trapper which help make sense of her background.

Epiphany is currently built with most of her starting gold spent on a Light Horse, Benson, if that is problematic happy to swap him out.

Gold: 5d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 4, 3, 6) = 22 = 220gp

If a rogue is not an option, how do you feel about a psychic? I have no clue how to play those and want to try one out sometime.

I'm one of the two. Most like y going with ranger. Archery style. Probably skirmisher archetype.

No to drawbacks, yes to background skills.

Not thrilled about the psychic although I like to try out new things. Don't think it's the right flavor for the campaign though. Rogue should be fine. Unchained rogue is available, standard rogue of course too.

And welcome Mark. :) We probably have a ranger, then.

If a rogue is not an option, how do you feel about a psychic? I have no clue how to play those and want to try one out sometime.

I do not in any way have a spot locked in, if that is your concern.

Great, drawback and additional trait removed. Is the horse a problem? I will happily remove it if it hurts my chances sort of thing :)

Dot. In the interest of fair play to the GM I've run most of the first book before the campaign fell apart and read the second one, but I'm also good at keeping in-game and out-of-game knowledge separate.

Horse is no problem, nor is knowledge of the campaign. The latter has never been an issue. But if Mark decides to go with archer ranger, the archery slot may be a little crowded.

Horse is no problem, nor is knowledge of the campaign. The latter has never been an issue. But if Mark decides to go with archer ranger, the archery slot may be a little crowded.

Understood, appreciate the heads up. While I am generally not much of a fan of balanced parties, I typically find play more interesting with a lopsided group, I understand that many do not feel that way. I got quite invested in Epiphany so happy enough to take my chances, even if they are slimmer due to her role :)

Cool. I'm gonna be submitting a two-weapon fighting Fighter worshipping Cayden Cailean.

Thoughts on Warpriest?

Excellent! I have plans for a Frozen Shadow Ninja, the last of his clan (after they were broken by Ameiko Kaijitsu's friends in Jade Regent, desperately looking for his place in the world. I'll start writing him tonight! XD

I've had an itch to do a skald character for a while. The last one I did had the campaign fall apart around him. I'll come back with the submission assuming skalds aren't too weird for the frozen north.

Just to point out the AP does not start out in the North but in Taldor, though the Players Guide certainly recommends various cold themed classes.

I have tried to play in a Reign of Winter game several times. Each one has involved a barbaric/oracular (either gestalt or leading to Rage Prophet) PC from the far north who has traveled to the southern lands. Would such a PC be a good fit for this party? He would not be really capable of main-healing or solo-front-lining, but he would be a solid mix of the two roles.

I know you said preferably core races, but would you permit a featured race if we have a compelling enough background to explain why they're willing to join up?

Because I think I've got something that would be amusingly fitting for this game.

Warpriest, skald and rage prophet are all acceptable. Odd races or other choices may be acceptable on a case-by-case basis, if the background is strong enough.

There are two reasons why I prefer a balanced party: 1) I am a lazy DM who likes to run things as written as far as possible and 2) lack of capabilities can slow down a PBP very badly. That said, I like Epiphany and would like to have her. I just can't promise anything at this stage.

Feel free to submit your characters so I can take my pick.

OK, gonna submit something, won't get round to it until next week, away for the weekend at the moment.

If you want the crazy cleric back I can resurrect him again ....

Cool - I will put together the PC and link it here!

There are two reasons why I prefer a balanced party: 1) I am a lazy DM who likes to run things as written as far as possible and 2) lack of capabilities can slow down a PBP very badly. That said, I like Epiphany and would like to have her. I just can't promise anything at this stage.

Thanks :) Well ranged characters are purportedly very powerful in PF so doubling up would be unlikely to be detrimental. Epiphany can actually "tank" as well as most martials having a good AC for a two hander and most of the time being able to simply step back and shoot. And absolutely understood only fair to review everything at the end, fingers crossed :)

Still working on him, but this is my submission. Droomag the Red, a kobold sorcerer with the Linnorm wildblooded bloodline, who wants to learn the history of his lineage and intends to travel north to the lands of the Linnorm Kings.

But first, he wants to address the issue of the unseasonal cold threatening his tribe. So he's cooperating with you softskins to figure out what's causing the cold, and how he can burn it to the ground.

I would like to build a an Ulfen Oracle. The mystery would most likely be ancestors. Working on the build now.

For what it is worth, MichaelCullen, my PC will be an Oracle of Winter with VMC Barbarian. I don't know how much we would conflict with each other, but I thought you should know...

I would like to present Erland Frey, human winter witch:

Heh, I must admit that I love Droomag. However, i promised spots to Mark and Deevor so I'll need to see what they come up with before I make any decisions.

I am sorry that I will have to disappoint most of you but that's the way it goes with these recruitments.

I don't know that I understand - are you closing recruiting?

If not, you can see my submission here.

Submitting Vesna. She's previously been in a Reign of Winter game, but it didn't get past the first half of the first act.

Alternatively, if Deevor is going arcane spellcaster, I could do an alchemical rogue.

Hmm... Had my heart set on playing my ranger/fighter archer concept, but since that's taken and I definitely want a spot in this game, so I'll come up with something else.

Hmm, I've also been considering a good old-fashioned cleric, so maybe I'll go that way.

Will have details done tonight. At work right now. Esentially character would be someone from the north who ended up roaming south to escape her painful past,( her father was killed by a winter witch), found community in Heldren and sort of interacts with them the way Shalelu does with Sandpoint.

Heh, I must admit that I love Droomag. However, i promised spots to Mark and Deevor so I'll need to see what they come up with before I make any decisions.

No worries. There'll be other RoW games if I don't make this one.

Dot for interest, let me read the players guide and see what I can come up with.

This is Tarondor's submission, a cleric of Sarenrae who hopes never again to encounter a Winter Witch.

Hello! Allow me to introduce Domitian Olavsgaard, a child whose father is an Ulfen Guard. Having grown up in Taldan, Dom has learned to fight like a Taldan and not an Ulfen, much to the disappointment of his father. Little does he know that as he strives to prove himself to be a hero, he will soon be brought up close and personal with his Northern ancestry.

In terms of the build, Dom is currently a strength-based swashbuckler. Which is a bit odd, but that's because he's really destined to become an Ulfen Guard himself. The idea is that a chance (or perhaps fated) encounter will bring Domitian closer to his northern roots, where he'll learn to achieve a unique blend of Taldan and Ulfen fighting styles.

Thanks for your consideration, and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Dotting for interest > will check back after reading through the players guide and checking my time commitment.

I've always wondered, would a fire kineticist be overpowered in Reign of Winter? It seems awesome thematically to have someone that embodies fire face the coming of winter, but I can imagine there to be quite a bit of fire weakness among the enemies.

Hello! Allow me to introduce Domitian Olavsgaard, a child whose father is an Ulfen Guard. Having grown up in Taldan, Dom has learned to fight like a Taldan and not an Ulfen, much to the disappointment of his father. Little does he know that as he strives to prove himself to be a hero, he will soon be brought up close and personal with his Northern ancestry.

In terms of the build, Dom is currently a strength-based swashbuckler. Which is a bit odd, but that's because he's really destined to become an Ulfen Guard himself. The idea is that a chance (or perhaps fated) encounter will bring Domitian closer to his northern roots, where he'll learn to achieve a unique blend of Taldan and Ulfen fighting styles.

Thanks for your consideration, and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

I've always wondered, would a fire kineticist be overpowered in Reign of Winter? It seems awesome thematically to have someone that embodies fire face the coming of winter, but I can imagine there to be quite a bit of fire weakness among the enemies.

I'm planning a build that's similar in the fluff to Tazo's, while mechanically closer to The Pale King's; the son of a retired Ulfen Guard and his Ifrit wife whom he freed from slavery in Qadira, he'd be an Ifrit with the Mostly Human alternate racial trait so that he could easily blend into human society. Class-wise I was wanting to go Warpriest with the Fire blessing, throw in the Scorching Weapons line and go to town with fire damage on these wintry foes. Blackened Flame Oracle has also crossed my mind, but I tend to prefer Gishy Jack-of-all-trades types to full casters. Either way, "Burn the Witch!" would be the core theme of the build.

I've always wondered, would a fire kineticist be overpowered in Reign of Winter? It seems awesome thematically to have someone that embodies fire face the coming of winter, but I can imagine there to be quite a bit of fire weakness among the enemies.

There definitely would, but I'd also think it reasonable to expect to find yourself the primary targed for things like frost giants and white dragons.

Not sure you're getting the better end of the deal when you're taking full attacks until you drop, because "Put that damn fire out!!"

It's like being the Paladin in the undead campaign. you get to shine, but literally everything is trying to kill you. More so than everyone else.

O ive got suchba fun idea for this

5d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 2, 1, 4) = 18= 180 starting gold

I present Ingrit. Ranger (eventually going Skirmisher at level 5).Stat's are up, working on background now. An intermittently familiar face in Heldren usually showing up with game for the The Silver Stoat or wild herbs for the Willowbark Apothecary.

This is more or less Ouachitonian's submission. This is from a previous application a while back, and I will be making some minor changes, but most of the important stuff (class, race, point buy, traits, etc) should be the same. I know I'm going to change his weapons from daggers to throwing axes for a more Ulfen feel. Probably some other minor tweaking. Might change the god he worships, but definitely someone with the Fire domain that will allow him to be good.

"You know nothing John Snow." *rocks back and forth humming attempting to stave off Game of Thrones withdrawal*

GM panic here

Talking of snow, my idea is for a kind of GoT wildling. A primitive pc living most of her life out with her tribe of snow elves out in the wilds. She now gains some coin working as a giuld cone hunter.

This is her alt

I wanted to keep her simpe, class wise thinking Barbarian hunter or Ranger giuld.

Her clothing and garb is that of a primitive tribe.

Image here

Gone with Hunter Class. As it gives me what I'm looking for in the build. Thinking her animal companion will be a gray wolf.

Starting Coin 4d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 4, 2) = 14 x10