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A mighty giant known as The Storm Tyrant rallies giants of all shapes and sizes (but mostly just big) to his banner in a bid to make those below his cloudy perch bend the knee. It all begins in the town of Trunau, a town on the edge of Belkzen lands that has managed to stand against the orcish hordes so far. It is not merely orcs the small settlement must contend with, however. Who will stand AGAINST THE GIANTS? *cough* ahem. . . will Trunau find itself ground to dust beneath the heel of a would-be conquering horde, or will an intrepid band of adventurers rise to the occasion and prove themselves deserving of the title: Giantslayers!
Now that we've got the theatrics out of the way: this is a recruitment for the up-and-coming Giantslayer Adventure Path. A fierce nod in the direction of Against the Giants, that beloved old giant-trouncing, city-liberating skip through the lands of Geoff, one can expect to find a fair good deal of classic sword-and-sorcerying and dungeon-crawling. However, we should remember it's Paizo we're dealing with here. I'm sure it's safe to assume there will be a curveball or twenty tossed into the mix.
As of this moment, I haven't seen the books. They aren't released yet. "Then how? Why!?" one might ask. Oh ho ho, but this is merely a recruitment, my would-be little heroes and heroines. What we do have is the Players Guide, which you can find at THIS BIG CAPS-LOCKED LINK I AM TYPING RIGHT HERE, WOW! Ten campaign traits. Madness! Utter madness! So, for those interested, go ahead and give that a download and a poke. It will give you more pointers about the AP itself than I'm capable of doing at the moment.
What I can do for the moment is go into a little more detail about the type of game this will be:
- This game won't be happening at a breakneck pace. I've learned my lesson with past games, so we'll be taking things a little easier this go around. I encourage people to post whenever and as often as they are able, but in general we'll be aiming for a bottom floor of a few posts a week. Prolonged absences or breaks should be anounced ahead of time. If people go dark for an extended period of time with no heads up, they'll be canned and replaced.
- I'm going to be shooting for a grittier game for this outing. This will be reflected in a lower point-buy entry and (hopefully) in descriptive text and goings-on in the game itself. Trunau is a town oft-beleaguered by encroaching orcish tribes, where people carry weapons called hopeknives and a knowledge of where to cut themselves so they can die rather than be taken captive—lends itself pretty well to a bleak atmosphere, I'd say. Descriptions are going to trend towards gory. If that sort of thing isn't your cup of tea, I'd recommend giving this one a pass.
- Being a slower game, I will be looking for players who are able to greatly expand on posts and give them some meat/heft. Perfunctory descriptions and dialogue are likely to get passed over. The greatest strength of the PbP format is a greater insight into what the players are feeling and thinking. Take advantage!
- Leveling will occur at moments I feel necessary, rather than by tracking experience totals. More simply put, I'll keep your group's XP tracked behind the GM Screen and tell you when to level your characters up. Rest assured, you will keep pace with where the adventure assumes/intends you to be.
Before we get directly into character creation goodies: I will show a certain amount of preference to certain persons I have gamed with heavily in the past. Fair or not, their caliber is already proven, and I wish to be as transparent about that upfront as possible.
I will also be making limited use of Roll20. It will mostly just be a place to host maps. Beyond that it will simply be a place to lounge and chat with one another.
Good! Great! Grand! Now let's get into character creation guidelines.
Level: Characters will be starting at 1st Level.
Attributes: Characters have the choice between a 15-Point Buy or Rolling. There's a catch: I will be rolling for characters who choose to do so (4d6 and drop one once, then 3d6 five times). Be cautioned, the Dice Gods giveth and the Dice Gods taketh (but mostly taketh).
Hit Point Generation: Max at 1st level. When characters level, you will be given the choice to take Average+1 or Roll. You will be locked into your choice from start to finish.
Classes: Pretty much anything officially released by Paizo is fine. I will not be accepting any 3PP builds of any sort.
Races: Again, pretty much anything officially released by Paizo is fine. Selecting something outlandish is going to require more legwork to impress me; justify why they are tolerated and explain why they are unlike the rest of their kind.
Alignment: Any, but you should keep in mind this AP revolves around thwarting the machinations of a giant bent on world domination. Also, please remember an evil alignment doesn't mean your character should read and play like a 70s cartoon villain.
Starting Wealth: Average starting wealth or let the DM roll for you.
Traits: Everyone will begin with one campaign trait and one other trait of their choice. Each player may take a single Drawback to gain a third trait. Traits should inform your backstory and feed into your character's overall narrative.
Submissions: Create a profile with relevant info contained within. I'm looking for profiles that are easy to read. If your profile looks like someone vomited a random block of numbers, words, and letters into a pile, I'm not going to bother reading it. Here is a decent example of what I'm looking for. Your profile does not have to be identical to this layout, but it should be similar.
All submitted characters will require the following: Character Description, Personality, and Background. Put some effort into this. As mentioned before, I'm not looking for perfunctory descriptions. A couple of bland sentences is not going to inspire me to consider an application.
In regards to Background, everyone should be considering why their character would be in Trunau to begin with.
One final step, and we're all finished. In order for me to consider a submission completed, I am requiring that everyone respond, in-character, to a few spoilered scenarios below. I'm not going to take a look at crunch or backstory or anything in between until this final step has been completed. I'm doing this so I can get a good idea of what sort of posts to expect from prospective players, as well as provide a little more insight to the characters themselves. And that's how you should all treat these little scenarios; respond to them as if you were responding to a post in the game itself. You can post them in your profile or in the Recruitment thread. Whatever floats your boat.
The giant deposits the broken, bleeding corpse it grips into the cauldron, where it lands with a splash in some unidentifiable concoction. Judging from the stench it kicks up, you would likely rather not know. One bulging eye seizes you as it begins stirring its feast, drool running unmitigated down the rolls of its chin and neck.
"Oi there, another one awake! Another awake. Maybe this one tells Old Brulk'tha a pretty tale. Maybe this one doesn't fill her belly tonight! Hurhurhur!" Her voice is wheezy but booming, and her jowls jiggle with each word.
After a modest mouthful of his own drink, he speaks, "Rumors flit about this place like a bee to the flowers. But all seem to agree that your. . . skills are worth every copper and more. Tell me then, friend: what brings you here and how can Ingmund convince you to allow him the honor of employing one such as yourself?"
"Arlanghar the Brave and Bold; the Wise and Learned; the Sly and Cunning. All truth and lies. Dead and alive, a tomb and a mansion." Another peal of laughter emerges before the voice trails off into silence.
At the center of the square room stands a three-armed gargoyle, each hand grasping a different weapon: a sword, a staff, and a bow. The far wall is dominated by a mural depicting what appears to be three versions of the same hero, each wielding weapons that correspond to those held by the statue.
Recruitment is going to remain open until Feb 25th. After that, when the books have been released, I'll work as fast as possible to get the game formally started. I'm looking to be taking Six Characters in total.
As a final piece of advice from yours truly, I'm looking for exceptional applications here. A few of the slots are more than likely already spoken for, so competition will be tight. I'm not interested in the usual barrage of I built this character for another game, but he/she got rejected, so I'm going to alter their point-buy and submit them for the 7th time. If you're particularly wed to a character like that, at least go back to the drawing board and figure out a way to make them more interesting. I don't mean to be a grumpus about this, but I see it happen in so many recruitment threads, and they seldom get accepted.
There are some issues with Paizo at the moment preventing new profiles from being created/edited properly. Feel free to spoiler something in your main profile until that gets sorted out, or a throwaway/dead profile.
Or, you can PM me stuff if you'd rather not clutter up profiles until they fix whatever's broken.
I hereby challenge ye, Dice Gods! Rolleth thine bones and I shall build from that soil a living thing!
Oh dear.
12, 6, 9, 15, 18, 13
I hereby challenge ye, Dice Gods! Rolleth thine bones and I shall build from that soil a living thing!
Edit: Most interesting...most interesting indeed...
I'm interested - Do your worst dice gods, for I will be doing mine! I will let you know what I plan to make once I have my rolls :)
I'm interested - Do your worst dice gods, for I will be doing mine! I will let you know what I plan to make once I have my rolls :)
Ouch.
16, 8, 13, 8, 9, 7
Swapping the 4d6 from top to bottom would be 13, 11, 11, 10, 7, 11.
I like your style Brimleydower, and I like the look of the Giantslayer Players Guide.
Roll me some stats, and I'll see what sparks of creativity they send flying through my head.
For examples of my PbP style, have a look at Hurgah the Reaver, Casimir or Jameena.
I'm interested - Do your worst dice gods, for I will be doing mine! I will let you know what I plan to make once I have my rolls :)Ouch.
4d6
3d6
3d6
3d6
3d6
3d616, 8, 13, 8, 9, 7
Swapping the 4d6 from top to bottom would be 13, 11, 11, 10, 7, 11.
Ouch, they really did their worst huh? Well with that array a skald and a race with bonus to cha could work I guess. I'll get to it.
I like your style Brimleydower, and I like the look of the Giantslayer Players Guide.
Roll me some stats, and I'll see what sparks of creativity they send flying through my head.
For examples of my PbP style, have a look at Hurgah the Reaver, Casimir or Jameena.
And another ouch.
13, 15, 8, 9, 8, 10
As with Runge, swapping the 4d6 from top to bottom yields: 10, 14, 10, 12, 7, 12
And another ouch.
13, 15, 8, 9, 8, 10
As with Runge, swapping the 4d6 from top to bottom yields: 10, 14, 10, 12, 7, 12
A whooping 5-point buy - but not too horribly distributed. With racial modifiers, there's enough to get a nice primary stat and only 1-2 dump stats.
I'll get cracking.
Man, dwarves are really treated well by the traits in this AP (on top of just being awesome at killing giants to begin with).
Oh fine I give in - gimme some rolls and I'll see what inspiration strikes.
Also - does the Paizo content extend to the occult classes?
Oh fine I give in - gimme some rolls and I'll see what inspiration strikes.
Also - does the Paizo content extend to the occult classes?
I'm going to say, tentatively, no to the occult classes. Mostly because I've not even glanced at them and to save myself a chunk of reading up on new material. If I end up getting a moment to check them out and decide they're okay I'll inform this thread.
13, 16, 9, 14, 8, 4
or 13, 14, 12, 10, 12, 5
Let's roll them bones.
Some fine turd-slingin' here.
12, 10, 6, 12, 10, 8
or 9, 14, 6, 9, 8, 13
Building a Draconic Bloodline Bloodrager, will build into a Dragon Disciple.
Yeah. Give me bones, please.
Yeah. Give me bones, please.
With gusto!
17, 7, 8, 11, 16, 14
or 14, 12, 7, 10, 14, 16
No worries on the no occult, and 13, 14, 12, 10, 12, 5 sounds like a fine challenge...
Edit: right and done, it'll be a Halfling Swashbuckler (Mouser) with the following array:
Str: 12-2=10, Dex: 14+2=16, Con: 12, Int: 10, Wis: 5, Cha: 13+2=15
As he's got to be lacking a bit upstairs as far as common sense goes to be three foot high and looking to take on giants...
Yeah. Give me bones, please.With gusto!
4d6
3d6
3d6
3d6
3d6
3d617, 7, 8, 11, 16, 14
or 14, 12, 7, 10, 14, 16
That went entirely better than expected.
Have an idea for a cavalier. Can you toss a couple of good die my way? :P
Have an idea for a cavalier. Can you toss a couple of good die my way? :P
There ye go.
11, 11, 13, 12, 11, 13
or 16, 9, 13, 10, 14, 9
All right, let's have a look at dem bones Brimleydower!
Gladly!
12, 14, 7, 6, 13, 15
or 12, 10, 11, 5, 10, 18
OK Brim, let's see if the Dice Gods favor my submission. A set of random, please.
OK Brim, let's see if the Dice Gods favor my submission. A set of random, please.
Maybe they just express their favor in strange ways.
9, 17, 8, 8, 11, 10
or 14, 15, 6, 11, 8, 9
I hereby challenge the dice to a duel!
I hereby challenge the dice to a duel!
Madness.
15, 13, 11, 11, 15, 10
or 15, 12, 9, 11, 15, 15
...picks up gauntlet from the floor and flings it back. Roll them and they will be assigned as follows,
Str 3d6
Dex 4d6
Con 3d6
Int 3d6
Wis 3d6
Cha 3d6So do your worst, Sah!
Boldly stated. But the algorithms of creation are terrible to behold.
Terrible indeed.
I feel it prudent to remind people, rolling is but one of two options (good fun that it is). You can elect to 15-point buy instead of surrendering to the whims of angry, cruel fate.
Well I ended up with a 23pt buy!
And french got a negative something terrible but bold none the less!
I don't know if it's possible to adequately express a 3 Charisma, haha!
He was a sickly child. Prone to infections. He honestly spent more time in his youth ill than healthy. It wasn't until he was near the age of acceptance that he finally began to blossom. He had even managed to convince a local beauty to accompany him to a social gathering that evening.
...and then the accident happened. It was a tragic encounter with the blacksmith's forge and a pair of horses hooves. Nobody is quite sure how it happened, but the young man was never the same after that. His skin terribly burned, his face disfigured. His left eye continually drained infection. His head had taken a misshapen configuration from the force of impact from the hooves.
Most of the flesh between the bases of his fingers had melted and fused together, though it seemed not to hinder his ability to use the hands. His voice had become gravelly and hard to understand, given his profound lisp. It wasn't uncommon to notice bits of hair fall from his scalp and litter the ground in a path behind the lad.
The accident had also cost him complete control of his baser faculties, namely the control of his bladder and bowels.
Just to be clear, do the dice rolls have to be used in order?
I feel it prudent to remind people, rolling is but one of two options (good fun that it is). You can elect to 15-point buy instead of surrendering to the whims of angry, cruel fate.
I like rolling - it gives me reason to think about the character details first, rather than the mechanical optimization. When I do point-buy, i often make an optimized character, and then think about the character secondly, giving me characters I don't really enjoy playing. Thanks for the alternative evened out option though, I would be hard pressed to make anything work with the original rolls ^^.
But don't you tend to make similar characters with point buy? Mine generally promote Dex over Con for instance. Rolling sets up situations like mine...never built a Cha 3 character before. That is fun and quite a challenge.
Generally I make casters and I totally don't have the stats for that, but I do for a melee type, interesting.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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I've already got my character concept (and that of my buddy) planned out, so I'd like to see if the dice will allow me to play him effectively at all.
We're planning to pair a Titan Fighter with a Vexing Dodger Rogue.
Can you roll for both of us? (Cartmanbeck and my friend jooker) Have at it, dice!!
Just to be clear, do the dice rolls have to be used in order?
They do not. You can place them as you wish.
I'm up for a roll of the cubes! Spill the ice!
I CHALLENGE THE DICE GODS YET AGAIN!
Bestow upon me the wealth of starting!
I've already got my character concept (and that of my buddy) planned out, so I'd like to see if the dice will allow me to play him effectively at all.
We're planning to pair a Titan Fighter with a Vexing Dodger Rogue.Can you roll for both of us? (Cartmanbeck and my friend jooker) Have at it, dice!!
Masochists! MASOCHISTS, I say!
18, 8, 10, 13, 8, 13
or 18, 12, 11, 8, 13, 13
16, 9, 7, 12, 12, 9
or 13, 11, 9, 9, 11, 14
____________________
I'm up for a roll of the cubes! Spill the ice!
9, 16, 10, 6, 11, 15
or 7, 14, 14, 6, 9, 15
I CHALLENGE THE DICE GODS YET AGAIN!
Bestow upon me the wealth of starting!
100gp for yans.
Hrm... Probably should have point buy'd it. But them's the breaks!
I've got some ideas. This is a long recruitment. I'll mull it over.
And this is the alias I am submitting. Crunch is mostly done, will work on a background over the course of recruitment, as well as eventually post my response to one of the scenarios.
Hey, I might as well. I have a few ideas. The dice shall be cast!
Normally I greatly dislike dice rolls. However, I think for this campaign I'm going to spice it up. Roll 'em up Brimely!