Call of the Forgotten Realms

Game Master Charles Evans 25

‘No. No. We have to burn them all. They want us to know. THEY WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW.’
-Former First Reader Tethtoril, being dragged away from the flames of the (former) great library of Candlekeep in the Year of the Haunting (1377 DR)

Wanted: 2 or 3 players for a slightly unconventional D & D 3.5 Forgotten Realms Play by Post game, likely to be set in the wildernesses around the Silver Marches region and its frontiers. First level characters, 27 point buy for ability scores, basic PHB/DMG races and classes only, although regional feats listed in The Players Guide to Faerûn allowed; availability of other Faerûn feats and spells currently under consideration. (Smokepowder not available outside of Lantan.) Game is likely to begin several days before a Midwinter Fair is due to take place outside the gates of the dwarven stronghold of Citadel Adbar, in the year 1383 Dale Reckoning. Party already has one cleric and likely fighter signed up.
NO EVIL PLAYER CHARACTERS.

NB
Events in the ‘official’ version of recent realms history are subject to alteration or cancellation.

I would like to put my hand up for this one.

I would like to put my hand up for this one.

I've only just posted this thread, Longreach, so I don't know what level of response I might get; could you please supply some idea of the character that you would like to play?

I would be interested.

Character idea: Gnome barbarian perhaps

EDIT: Additional info
He's a little bit crazy. His mother told him while he was growing up that she was raped by a Redcap (are those in the Realms? who cares.) So he thinks he might have some Redcap tendencies (he wields a scythe for example). He still kind of believes this despite the fact that everyone in the village told him that his father was in fact a traveling gnome bard, and his mother (who is a little off herself) was just making the Redcap story up.

LongreachJones wrote:

I would like to put my hand up for this one.

I've only just posted this thread, Longreach, so I don't know what level of response I might get; could you please supply some idea of the character that you would like to play?

Sure, how does a Gnome Wizard out of Waterdeep with a deep and abiding dislike for 'new-fangled Lantanese contraptions' strike you?

Hmmm. The cleric already signed up is a gnome also, so it looks like there could be a gnome-themed party....

I'd be interested also: I'm thinking of a skill-monkey. Something like a Bard, quite possibly. If it's only a 3-person party, we'll need to cover a fairly broad base.

Just to continue the theme, I have a Gnome Bard (using racial subs from Races of stone) concept I'd be interested in rolling out, however, to avoid over-gnoming, I may play a different race...

Am I in?

Psionic Fox: I'm looking for 2-3 more players because I already have a couple lined up, so it will be 4-5 total. But a skill monkey would certainly fill a gap that the others do not have covered yet, so a bard would be interesting. And if you went gnome, that would fit with the other three.

EDIT:
Races of Stone is out. I do not have access to that rulebook. The bard idea is interesting, but could you please confirm that you would be using a PHB race?

Psionic Fox: I'm looking for 2-3 more players because I already have a couple lined up, so it will be 4-5 total. But a skill monkey would certainly fill a gap that the others do not have covered yet, so a bard would be interesting.

I think I'll go for the bard then. Do you have the Races of Destiny AND/OR Races of Stone? There are some pretty nifty racial substitution levels for bards (one for Half-Elves, one for gnomes), which are awesome.

I'm happy playing either a Half-Elf or a Gnome (I'm leaning towards Gnome dominance at the moment, but I fear we could be over-gnoming it if I went that way). How many Gnomes so far?

Either way, the character will have as many Music feats as I'm allowed to take.

EDIT:

Races of Stone is out. I do not have access to that rulebook. The bard idea is interesting, but could you please confirm that you would be using a PHB race?

Just saw the edit. PHB race is a definite yes, the racial subs are just tweaks of standard PHB classes to kind of fit the racial profile by altering or replacing certain class features (eg. I think the Gnome bard gets a Counter Fear ability that replaces countersong, that sort of thing)... I think the rules can be found online, but if it's a 'no' that's still cool.

Heck, I'll write out the features verbatim for you, if need be.

Psionic Fox:
At the moment, with a gnome cleric, wizard, barbarian, and your character, that would make 4 gnomes total. I may be prepared to consider music related feats that already exist in the FR (for example one of the regional feats, available to 1st level characters, allows extra bardic music/day), and possibly FR bard spells, if you have acess to either FR source books or the Spell Compendium. (As far as I am aware the latter is likely to include all the FR Bard spells summarised in the Players Guide to Faerun.)

Psionic Fox:

At the moment, with a gnome cleric, wizard, barbarian, and your character, that would make 4 gnomes total.

If we're all heading down that path, I'll chip in a a Gnome too.

I may be prepared to consider music related feats that already exist in the FR (for example one of the regional feats, available to 1st level characters, allows extra bardic music/day), and possibly FR bard spells, if you have acess to either FR source books or the Spell Compendium. (As far as I am aware the latter is likely to include all the FR Bard spells summarised in the Players Guide to Faerun.)

I've got most of the FR books, so Bard Spells from there are good.

Restricting the game to Core is fine, if that's the path you choose, I just wanted to see if there were any alternative options available.

‘No. No. We have to burn them all. They want us to know. THEY WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW.’

-Former First Reader Tethtoril, being dragged away from the flames of the (former) great library of Candlekeep in the Year of the Haunting (1377 DR)

Wanted: 2 or 3 players for a slightly unconventional D & D 3.5 Forgotten Realms Play by Post game, likely to be set in the wildernesses around the Silver Marches region and its frontiers. First level characters, 27 point buy for ability scores, basic PHB/DMG races and classes only, although regional feats listed in The Players Guide to Faerûn allowed; availability of other Faerûn feats and spells currently under consideration. (Smokepowder not available outside of Lantan.) Game is likely to begin several days before a Midwinter Fair is due to take place outside the gates of the dwarven stronghold of Citadel Adbar, in the year 1383 Dale Reckoning. Party already has one cleric and likely fighter signed up.
NO EVIL PLAYER CHARACTERS.

NB
Events in the ‘official’ version of recent realms history are subject to alteration or cancellation.

I would LOVE to be in this. I'm a professional writer, LOVE first level campaigns, and LOVE the Silver Marches- my fave patch of all Faerun.

marcusrising@aol.com

Psionic Fox:

At the moment, with a gnome cleric, wizard, barbarian, and your character, that would make 4 gnomes total. I may be prepared to consider music related feats that already exist in the FR (for example one of the regional feats, available to 1st level characters, allows extra bardic music/day), and possibly FR bard spells, if you have acess to either FR source books or the Spell Compendium. (As far as I am aware the latter is likely to include all the FR Bard spells summarised in the Players Guide to Faerun.)

If my halfling makes one too many short folk, how about a female half orc paladin of Ilmater?

And of course I'm always down for a half-drow character - which is kinda Silver Marchy, but I don't think half-drow is PHB. But if it's okay...lemme know! I'd be a half-drow sorcerer, maybe taking rogue levels later...

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

Psionic Fox:

At the moment, with a gnome cleric, wizard, barbarian, and your character, that would make 4 gnomes total. I may be prepared to consider music related feats that already exist in the FR (for example one of the regional feats, available to 1st level characters, allows extra bardic music/day), and possibly FR bard spells, if you have acess to either FR source books or the Spell Compendium. (As far as I am aware the latter is likely to include all the FR Bard spells summarised in the Players Guide to Faerun.)

If my halfling makes one too many short folk, how about a female half orc paladin of Ilmater?

And of course I'm always down for a half-drow character - which is kinda Silver Marchy, but I don't think half-drow is PHB. But if it's okay...lemme know! I'd be a half-drow sorcerer, maybe taking rogue levels later...

Marcus:

Charles Evans

Charles,
Would you consider allowing other feats and such on a case-by-case basis? I am wondering if you'd consider allowing Monkey Grip, if you pick me as a player, for my character. It would actually be a weaker choice than picking say Power Attack, but it would work for the flavor of the character (loony gnome who thinks he's part Redcap).

Mathematical stuff for proof how Monkey Grip would be weaker than Power Attack in this case:

P.S. If you don't want to bother, that is fine, just something I thought of last night, and figured I'd ask.

If my halfling makes one too many short folk, how about a female half orc paladin of Ilmater?

I reckon that if we all go 'little' people, that would be really cool.

I'm currently flipping between Gnome and Halfling. Gnome gives me some neat abilities (the 1/day cantrips), but the Halfling gives me some good skill-monkey bonuses (The hide and move silently stuff). At the moment, I may lean towards the Halfling, simply because we have a number of Gnomes already.

Another quick question (partly for the PC's as well) - The Bard doesn't have any of the traditional trap-springing abilities of the Rogue, and I'm wondering which could be more useful. In other words, are we going to be facing many (if any) traps? If we are, it may be useful for me to pick up Rogue at level one (with plans of setting him up for Bard at lvl 2-3). Any thoughts?

Are we allowed to use the FR Subraces? Just checking.

No FR sub-races for first characters; for one thing most of them are +1 or more ECL, and I'm initially trying to keep it simpler for the benefit of those without FR source-books, at least until I see how it turns out.

No FR sub-races for first characters; for one thing most of them are +1 or more ECL, and I'm initially trying to keep it simpler for the benefit of those without FR source-books, at least until I see how it turns out.

I was meaning the normal ones - like Strongheart Halflings, or Sun Elves. That sort of thing. But if not, standard is fine.

Marcus:

At present I am waiting a couple more days for other responses to see what sort of size party I might be looking at; with you it would make six- although someone I was expecting to hear from has not yet replied. Six is borderline for what I wanted to run; whilst I like the idea of the paladin of Arvoreen (especially if you have the Players Guide to Faerun rulebook, saving me time over any Regional Feats you might be interested in) for a party of small (in game terms- I'm sure that Gnomes and Halflings see themselves as being 'normal' sized) PC's, I would appreciate it if you could please wait a couple of days for my yea or nay on this matter.

Charles Evans

No problemo, Charles! I'll leave it in the hands of Lord Ao.

Marcus

Charles,

Would you consider allowing other feats and such on a case-by-case basis? I am wondering if you'd consider allowing Monkey Grip, if you pick me as a player, for my character. It would actually be a weaker choice than picking say Power Attack, but it would work for the flavor of the character (loony gnome who thinks he's part Redcap).

Mathematical stuff for proof how Monkey Grip would be weaker than Power Attack in this case:
** spoiler omitted **

P.S. If you don't want to bother, that is fine, just something I thought of last night, and figured I'd ask.

Pres man, Monkey Grip (I am informed that it is in The Complete Fighter) is not in a rulebook that I own, so would definitely be out, however interesting the flavour reasons for selecting it may be.

Another quick question (partly for the PC's as well) - The Bard doesn't have any of the traditional trap-springing abilities of the Rogue, and I'm wondering which could be more useful. In other words, are we going to be facing many (if any) traps? If we are, it may be useful for me to pick up Rogue at level one (with plans of setting him up for Bard at lvl 2-3). Any thoughts?

Just repeating this question, in case it got lost.

PsionicFox wrote:

Another quick question (partly for the PC's as well) - The Bard doesn't have any of the traditional trap-springing abilities of the Rogue, and I'm wondering which could be more useful. In other words, are we going to be facing many (if any) traps? If we are, it may be useful for me to pick up Rogue at level one (with plans of setting him up for Bard at lvl 2-3). Any thoughts?

Just repeating this question, in case it got lost.

The biggest use for a rogue is not so much their trapfinding ability, although that is a fairly big aspect of their abilities, it is being able to disable those traps and open locks without the party wizard/sorcerer expending spells to do the same job.

PsionicFox wrote:

Another quick question (partly for the PC's as well) - The Bard doesn't have any of the traditional trap-springing abilities of the Rogue, and I'm wondering which could be more useful. In other words, are we going to be facing many (if any) traps? If we are, it may be useful for me to pick up Rogue at level one (with plans of setting him up for Bard at lvl 2-3). Any thoughts?

Just repeating this question, in case it got lost.

Psionic Fox:

From a DM's perspective I feel that I can comment that it is likely that the party's first outing will be as a hired 'armed escort' for a merchant wishing to travel through the wilds to the Midwinter Fair at Citadel Adbar in the year 1383 DR. Whilst the Silver Marches will be at peace ('The Army of Winter' inflicted massive payback on the Shades in Anauroch several years earlier in the version of history of this game, and the treaty with The Kingdom of Many Arrows has also been established for some time by now) there may still be brigands or wild animals about of which the merchant in question may have concerns.
Whether this sort of expedition is likely to require any trap-finding skills would be down to your judgement as a player. I understand the dilemma, and want to be helpful, but in the in-game version of history the official FR deity of divinations [Savras] went AWOL in 1377 DR (round about the time of the fire at The Great Library of Candlekeep), so specific predictions on my part regarding the likely presence/absence of traps ought to be ruled out!

charles and others,

I have the gnome cleric already to go when ever we get the word. I like the idea of a party of little people.

charles and others,

I have the gnome cleric already to go when ever we get the word. I like the idea of a party of little people.

Yes! The only person missing now is Meepo, Kobold Master of Dragons...

~Marcus

Just to be nice to everyone, I'll bow out of my slot, Marcus can have it.

If another slot opens up (not exceeding six members in the party), I'll jump in then.

Cheers

-PsionicFox

Well if it looks like it is getting a little front line heavy (fighter, barbarian, paladin), I can play a ranger or rogue or something.

Well if it looks like it is getting a little front line heavy (fighter, barbarian, paladin), I can play a ranger or rogue or something.

Or I could play a druid of Sheela Peryroyl.

Psionic Fox, are you sure you want to bow out? Not that I wouldn't appreciate a slot, but don't want you to have to suffer...

M

Well if it looks like it is getting a little front line heavy (fighter, barbarian, paladin), I can play a ranger or rogue or something.

That might be useful to the rest of the party, Pres Man. I have just been in contact with the other player I mentioned in my initial post, (who will hopefully post here at some point in the next twenty-four hours) and he has confirmed that he is interested in playing a fighter or barbarian. (A half orc, but one who thinks of himself as a gnome, having been raised amongst gnomes).

The game is likely to be beginning in the town of Deadsnows, in the foothills of a mountainous region, where there was a goldrush several years back; mining operations have now been consolidated under the control of a group of moon-elves (the FR equivalent of the PHB standard elf) who moved into the area and took over the 'claims' where the ore veins reached the surface with a combination of subtle persuasion and bribery. There is at least one practically exclusively gnome settlement (Graevelwood: 91% gnomes, 5% dwarves, 4% halfling) within a 100 mile radius, if the eventual players want their characters to come from the same home. If as a group the party had adventured to Deadsnows from there, I might be amenable to a starting XP score to represent those activities.

EDIT:
I hope to post a Discussions thread over the weekend to relocate character creation activities to.

Psionic Fox, are you sure you want to bow out? Not that I wouldn't appreciate a slot, but don't want you to have to suffer...

M

It's cool. I don't mind bowing out, although I will most certainly be lurking in the thread...

Hi!
I am up for playing (i am the one that charles 25 was waiting for!!)
sorry i took so long to reply!!

i would like to play a half orc babarian

he is a foundling who was raised by a gnome, pehaps he can have come from the same vilage as the other gnomes

his race as far as he is concerned is 'dopted giant Gnome'!

think a cross between forrest gump and the guy with healing powers from "the green mile"

he will be good aligned and very protective of his fellow gnomes
a bit of a gentle giant who when nessasery goes into a rage to defend his friends!

if i understand the point buy correctly he will be something like

str20
dex12
con 12
wis 9
Int 6
chr 6

i am aware i am min maxing but i am actually keen to try out a low int character!

he considers himself diplomatic, in a villge of gnomes he always got his way (it helps being 10 times the weight and 2 and a half times the height of everyone else!)so he thinks he is good with people!!

he always quotes his mama!! (apologies to forrest gump fans!)

does anybody want dibs on being his adoptive sibling?!!

i will play him as honerable and herioc but not reckless, if anything he takes time to come to a decision as he finds the world very difficult to understand!!
if bombarded with to much info he simply mentally shuts down!! or goes into slow mode!!

if asked what he does for a living he will say farmer, he is a good farmer!!!
and he is a gnome!! does anybody want to argue with him!!

what do you think? any comments welcome!!

his name will be gnomish of course!!

Rav

Pres Man, Marcus, could you please confirm what your preferred option if playing would be?

pres man wrote:

Well if it looks like it is getting a little front line heavy (fighter, barbarian, paladin), I can play a ranger or rogue or something.

That might be useful to the rest of the party, Pres Man. I have just been in contact with the other player I mentioned in my initial post, (who will hopefully post here at some point in the next twenty-four hours) and he has confirmed that he is interested in playing a fighter or barbarian. (A half orc, but one who thinks of himself as a gnome, having been raised amongst gnomes).

Ok, I think I'll go with a ranger (favored enemy: fey), so that I can stick with using a scythe for melee, though if necessary (if we ever make it up to 2nd level) I plan on taking the ranged attack style.

Charles Evans 25 wrote:

pres man wrote:

Well if it looks like it is getting a little front line heavy (fighter, barbarian, paladin), I can play a ranger or rogue or something.

That might be useful to the rest of the party, Pres Man. I have just been in contact with the other player I mentioned in my initial post, (who will hopefully post here at some point in the next twenty-four hours) and he has confirmed that he is interested in playing a fighter or barbarian. (A half orc, but one who thinks of himself as a gnome, having been raised amongst gnomes).

Ok, I think I'll go with a ranger (favored enemy: fey), so that I can stick with using a scythe for melee, though if necessary (if we ever make it up to 2nd level) I plan on taking the ranged attack style.

Thank-you Pres Man.

Pres Man, Marcus, could you please confirm what your preferred option if playing would be?

Well- you seemed to like the halfling paladin of Arvoreen- who could come from the nearby gnome community you mentioned.

Would also be happy playing a halfling druid of Sheela Peryroyl- so if one class suits your needs better...

Apropos of nothing- I just found out one of my short stories got an 'Honorable Mention' in Ellen Datlow's Year's Best Fantasy & Horror collection. Yippee!!!!!!

-Marcus

Hi!

I am up for playing (i am the one that charles 25 was waiting for!!)
sorry i took so long to reply!!

i would like to play a half orc babarian

he is a foundling who was raised by a gnome, pehaps he can have come from the same vilage as the other gnomes

his race as far as he is concerned is 'dopted giant Gnome'!

think a cross between forrest gump and the guy with healing powers from "the green mile"

he will be good aligned and very protective of his fellow gnomes
a bit of a gentle giant who when nessasery goes into a rage to defend his friends!

he considers himself diplomatic, in a villge of gnomes he always got his way (it helps being 10 times the weight and 2 and a half times the height of everyone else!)so he thinks he is good with people!!

he always quotes his mama!! (apologies to forrest gump fans!)

does anybody want dibs on being his adoptive sibling?!!

i will play him as honerable and herioc but not reckless, if anything he takes time to come to a decision as he finds the world very difficult to understand!!
if bombarded with to much info he simply mentally shuts down!! or goes into slow mode!!

if asked what he does for a living he will say farmer, he is a good farmer!!!
and he is a gnome!! does anybody want to argue with him!!

what do you think? any comments welcome!!

his name will be gnomish of course!!

Rav

This totally cracks me up! Sounds like a great character...

M

Davkul Gladdenstone is waiting in my profile for your perusal.

Davkul Gladdenstone is waiting in my profile for your perusal.

I have perused...

I take it that Davkol may have gone on the run because those nasty chaotic Selunites decided that they didn't like him simply because he happened to worship the mysterious human goddess Shar. I mean she's into unrevealed secrets and he's an illusionist, right? Whilst being on the run from Selunites is interesting back story, I don't know if once you see some of the game background you might want to reconsider whether he currently has an interest, or has possibly converted for the time being to another deity. One of the 'realms history' events I have tweaked is Shar was taken out several years prior to the start date for the game (30th Nightal, 1383 DR) and replaced by another goddess, Midnight, whom nobody seems to know very much at all about. Even defunct deities have hold-outs amongst their faithful who refuse to let go, however....

Edit:
On the other hand, I haven't quite made up my mind yet over whether the Shadow Weave may now partially or even wholly fall within the purview of Mystra. I shall think on this....

I have now posted a Discussion Thread over in the PbP Discussions section of the boards. *Click here.*
So far I have posted just some general background information that will be generally known; I will try to put more up including a reminder of character generation details, and mentioning a 'house rule' regarding skill points at further points over the weekend.
I am now cautiously optimistic of the possibility of getting a PbP going.
If further details of character generation could now take place on the dscussion thread, please, I hope that this thread will not be needed again for the time being.

EDIT:
Psionic Fox:
Upon reflection, and seeing how some of the other PbP games have gone, I think that it may be possible to go with six PCs from the start. I know you wrote that you would be watching what happens! Please feel free to follow to the Discussion thread if you spot this message before the end of January 2008. :)

Bronx Madcap is up and running, let me know if you see any problems.

Bronx Madcap is up and running, let me know if you see any problems.

Interesting so far. I have posted some information over on the Discussion Thread, where if possible I would now like to move the character generation process- you likely have skill points available due to a house rule I am trialing owing to a discussion that I took part in elsewhere on these boards, and there s bonus equipment available generally in the Forgotten Realms setting. (Usually to the tune of a couple of spell-scrolls, or the enhancement to masterwork quality of a weapon usually 'favoured' in a particular region.)

EDIT:
It is now 07:00 GMT here in the UK and I have been up most of the night typing. Please do not expect any further immediate responses!

PSIONIC FOX:

Charles, I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to be in this game after all (though I'll certainly be lurking!). As a player, I realize I wouldn't (currently) be able to give the campaign the time it deserves.

My apologies for any inconvenience I've caused.

~Marcus

Marcus has now bowed out so if you are interested in playing that bard or rogue and can respond within a couple of days of my posting this, there is a place potentially open for you.

Psionic Fox:
I have someone else interested, so at this time I can't wait any longer in case you want to reply. Sorry.

A new slot may be about to open up in this game. Party currently consists of four first level gnomes (and one 'giant gnome') with the classes cleric, ranger, wizard (specialist) and barbarian, although the Real Life status of the player of the wizard has been in doubt recently.
Character build restrictions would remain as above in this thread, although some XP might be started with to match that accumulated by current characters.