Castle Caldwell and Beyond: (A 5e Campaign) - The Wrecking Crew (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

I really hate to say it, but I'm going to bow out. This campaign was great fun, but after the delay, it all feels so distant that I can't seem to get back into it again. Past few days I've tried to come up with a post, but my head's just not in that space anymore, and I'm drawing blanks. I'm really sorry. I hope the rest of you can get back into the groove and have tons of fun, but I just can't seem to get reconnected after that gap. I'm sorry.

no worries

would you like to be removed from the roster?

Sure.

Perry has respectfully withdrawn, and Lijan seems to have gone missing, leaving only Magnus, Ayita, and Klodd

I know it has been slow. I am getting better, but if you want to end your participation just let me know. I am going to try to recruit a couple of new players for this game.

I'd like to see how the recruitment goes, then make a decision. I've had great fun playing Magnus, but we need an infusion of energy/new people if the game is going to continue.

I could go either way. I like my character but with how slow its been, I'm just "meh" about the whole thing.

Yeah. I'm like Ayita. If we can get the momentum back I'd like to continue with Klodd, but it is often difficult to get a game back once it's went on life support. I'll stick it out, and see if new life can re-invigorate it.

I put up a recruitment request, but I just reread it and I can see I made some mistakes. I might try again today, but it looks like I will not succeed in getting any new players.

I'm sorry for letting the good players in this game get away.

If you want to keep going I will make every effort to give you the best game I can.

Klodd, Ayita and Magnus

Thank you for sticking through this

If you are still interested I've got a few new characters who will be showing up here soon

We will start with entering the northwest tower as soon as they are ready. When they arrive at the castle (and they will arrive as a group) you will meet them.

Hullo all!

Quick intro to me and to the lovely lass Wylla.

I've been actively playing a variety of RPG type games since the early 2000's. I started (in earnest) with 3rd edition (although a few AD&D sessions peppered my youth), but spent more time with 3.5. Started playing Pathfinder a few years ago after a relocation to North Carolina. Most recently, I've been playing through a D&D 5e campaign with friends via Roll20. I love gaming and could sit coming up with characters and character concepts all day, given the opportunity.

I am married with three kids (2 of which are 2 month old twins!) and work behind a desk. Thankfully the kids are great and I find myself (usually) with enough time to post multiple times a day. Feel free to assault my inbox if I seem to disappear for any reason.

Wylla 'Opaleye' Spingle is, at first glance, a wild-haired tinker. Standing just over three feet tall, her eyes are bright and her mind sharp. She's forever leafing through a leather-wrapped tome she affectionately calls her Libra Schema. She openly wears a signet showing her rank within the Jeweler's Guild (she'll refer to it as Ruby's Glint when she's in her cups or not focusing on the conversation). She is a wizard, and she's not over-shy about using her magic or talking to anyone else about theirs.

I will be fleshing out her gear tomorrow some time. Aside from her scholar's pack, I'm not 100% sure what all she needs.

Greetings!

I've played Tabletop RPG's for about 12 years now. Mostly 3.5 though I've been running with pathfinder on the boards for several years, 5E is my preferred system. I work behind a desk 4 nights a week until about 7am. So you can expect posts anytime after 3pm CST until I'm off for the day.

Isaiah is a frail looking red haired half-elf, he prefers fine lightweight clothing and wields an air of nobility. He carries a pair of weapons at his hip, a dagger and rapier for fighting though he looks ill suited to put them to use. His pack seems to be spilling over with books and scrolls and even though he has a hard time dragging them around he seems not to mind the weight.

Hi All

As for myself I live in Broome in the Western Australian Outback (in the middle of nowhere). I have a wife and two girls age 3 & 5. I work at a desk mostly but I also do a bit of field work in isolated areas

I have been playing DnD since I was a kid. I had the original AD&D Monster Manual committed to memory by age 11. I only took it up again last year although I have been creative writing throughout. I have a fortnightly 5e homebrew table top game that I DM- I’m playing this Thursday. I started looking around for a way to play and found the Pbp method but I’m quite new- grateful to be included in this game- thank you Terquem

My character Grinling has dark brown hair, brown eyes and olive skin with a distinctive scar from his left ear downwards over jaw to his neck. He is very athletic and muscular whilst still being medium build. He walks with a sure grace, his eyes scanning his surroundings and the people in his vicinity

He wears very dark brown and worn studded leather armour, dark hood and cloak and has a 16 inch iron shield and a crossbow strapped to his back over his backpack. He has a sheathed scimitar and dagger on his belt as well as his bolt case

Grinling speaks softly and although taciturn he makes an effort to be friendly with his new team. Without being too overt he assesses each of the party and notices Wylla’s signet ring- her affiliation with the Jewelers (is that a spellbook?), Klodd’s holy symbol and insignia from the military, Ayita’s free movement, kind of similar his own, and her silvered shortsword (a weapon he would choose) and Magnus’ impressive stance, tattoos and weaponry. As his face cracks into a half grimace, half smile he thinks to himself ‘This could work…’

Tally ho! =)

Hi guys, I'm Atlas2112. I like long talks, walking in the moonlight, and giving descriptions of narrative that wonder, delight, and occasionally turn the meek stomach. =)

Hey Terquem, good to be working with you again. Still. Again.

I really like 5E and all that it does. I was one of 4E's lonely supporters, but I think they took many lessons learned from that and applied it here.

Wolfgang is a Warlock, which means that he's a bit touched in the head, and walks a thin line between the reality which those sane persons call home, and the ephemeral null-existence that his great old masters speak to him from.

Cry havok! =D

A fine-looking bunch of weirdos. You'll fit right in!

Four new players joining the game. I am having a minor issue right at the moment, but I will get them introduced in the game in the next day or two

I'm sorry for the delay

No worries, Terquem. You know I'm here for the long haul. ;)

P.S. I've always wondered: Why don't you have a Picture for your alias?

I'm really excited to see how Wylla plays out. Think absent-minded professor/mad scientist all rolled up in the pint-sized frame of someone unafraid of flinging magic fire around.

I'm going to make it my mission to out crazy Wylla. =)

What are you talking about, all my aliases have an avatar. ;)

So, is this is a situation where we're supposed to follow orders and discard the quest, or are we supposed to be all rebellious and do it because they told us not to? I'm not sure what you expect us to do, and to be honest I'm not sure what our in-character reaction would be. After the near-collapse of the earlier party, and now trying to get a new party started, the ambiguity is not helpful.

You're supposed to do what you want and not worry about what the DM expects you to do.

I'll be back to full posting as soon as the internet and power come back on.

Be safe Klodd

You're supposed to do what you want and not worry about what the DM expects you to do.

Also not helpful. Sorry Terquem, but I'm out. I enjoyed the game while it lasted, but I've realized I just do not have the patience for it at this point. See you around the boards!

Well that sucks, I am sorry I let you down Magnus

I'm not sure how to properly exit Magnus from the game, so I'll think of something

Meanwhile, Ayita and Klodd, thanks for giving this another shot. I hope it works out to your satisfaction

One of you will be in possession of the wand that can disable the magic spell keeping the door shut on the Northwest Tower.

Thank you, all of the new players for really putting for an effort to involve your characters in the setting and the story. I appreciate it so much. And remember if you have ideas about things you want to see added to the setting, or questions about what we've created so far, please don't hesitate to use this thread to speak up

Faiths in Baravkovia

Alright, I am setting the scene to enter the northwest tower, but I’d like to ask for some suggestions from the players.

Valarie Gordaue (NPC) is a cleric from Baravkovia, who claimed she was descended from a priestess who served the Baravkovian family who abandoned the castle fourteen years ago. Her faith (her deity) will be relevant to the next part of this adventure. So I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for a Pantheon for Baravkovian nobles. Anything from existing materials can be modified for our setting (Pathfinder, D&D, Ravenloft, or any other) or we can create a pantheon from scratch.

Does anyone have any ideas?

For starts, what flavor do you want it to be? Normal Good? Evil? Insane?

We could just pick a pantheon from the back of the 5E players Handbook.

Or we could get wild and start folding some of this craziness into the mix.

I can see Baravkovia being very closely tied to the Norse/Viking setup from our history. The description of it (cold mountains and forests, mist/fog blanketed valleys).

Equally, I could see it being more of a "horror"-esque area. Pantheon of mainly evil-based deities (neutral and lawful evil). It could easily be a more Ravenlofty feel.

Do you have an existing feel for what kind of magic you see permeating the area? E.g. heavy necromancy, primarily evil illusion/mind-affecting stuff, even mix of things?

Not exactly Wylla, we earlier decided, sorry I was not quick in informing you, that the archipelago off the southwest coast of Baylor (the dwarven island kingdom) called Vaayangur will be our "Hollywood idealization" of the Vicking culture here.

Baravkovia is more, well, "Ravenloft-esque" , high mountains of Germany/Black Forrest-ish

The pantheon should have mostly good/lawful (maybe LN) deities, and a few secret Evil cults (CE or LE, certainly no NE)probably with emphasis on either Undead or Deep Cave horrors/eldritch mysteries

Just to get it straight we are already mainlining the Forgotten Realms pantheon yeah?

How about Greyhawk? Remember Vecna is among them, so we could have some no, seriously, Vecna worshipers around.

I would prefer to not reference (specifically) anything from the Forgotten Realms (but if we use something from that setting, I suppose it is alright).

I would like to see us create our own pantheon (which could very well be taken mostly from other sources and only modified enough to give it our own flavor). I like the idea of a "Vecna-ish" cult in Baravkovia, we can work on developing that.

Now, we had a player, who sadly left the game because I was too slow, *sigh* who hinted at a strange authoritative cult that was present in Vurespania, which is north of Harrispania (where this game takes place) and also east of Baravkovia. Seems that the major battles of the recent Baravkovian revolution and war against Alodoa took place in western Vurespania, and as a result of the upset in that nation's stability, this "cult" called the Knights of the Opal Arm under the "Church of the Septumberate" rose to power and supplanted the regular Vurespanian parliament.

So we had a little introduction to Alodoan faiths through Vurespania in that event.

Right now I am sort of leaning and looking for a LG (very strict) Deity with mostly female priestesses that is worshipped in Baravkovia, to attach Valarie to.

You really want an original pantheon? =))

The high god is Propoket, the Many, the Useful, He that is All Things, The Spinning Coin, The Bringer of Light, The Emerald Sword. At his right hand is Imrael, Angel of Confrontation and herald of Propoket. Imrael is known to appear to mortals as a blazing angel, ringed in fire and clad in plate forged from purest platinum. He wields aloft a two-handed sword that blazes with the Fire of Righteousness as he advances the cause of purity.

The two most famously clashed when Therenger the Mind Mage and holder of the Blue Sphere of Thought was confronted by the demonic arch-priest Acheron. Each took the form of their respective dieties and battled for three days and three nights. At the end of the conflict Therenger's samite-clad foot crushed the head of the evil betrayer and brought Hope back to Man.

Um...how's that? =)

excellent

She shall either be a priestess of Propoket, or of perhaps a daughter of Propoket.

A following of clerics dedicated to preserving family shrines, and providing assistance to large family estates where rituals for good health and prosperity are routinely called for.

Ummmm, since it seems that some details are needed....

As Propoket is The Spinning Coin, All Things, and The Bringer of Light, his symbol is the golden coin, stamped with a ten-pointed sun blazing in the middle with each ray striking out to the very edge.

This represents not only the Sun, who's flashing light destroys the darkness and abolishes all shadows it touches, but so too the coin of the realm, used by one and all to purchase that-which-is-needed. When coins are freely given from purse to hand, that represents the ultimate freedom--to freely exchange one's labor for items of desire.

I will collect these posts into a single narrative and move the information to the Journal.

Anyone else who wants to contribute to developing Baravkovia, is welcome to do so.

Thanks Wolfgang.

You are welcome! =D

Ummmm, since Magnus dropped, are you open to another player?

I'm just asking because Alexander was a well thought out character. ;)

I don't remember an Alexander, but yes there is room for another player in this game.

He was in the other recruitment thread. =)

Alexander is a well thought out character (I am still not sure why you chose a Pathfinder Society Alias?). The character's background could easily be placed into the uprising of Baravkovia against Alodoa. We would just want to decide who's side he was on (I think you might begin to see why I am not a fan of orphan backgrounds)

Since we've got continuity, can we say that Wolfgang and Alexander know each other? It makes sense, since they're level 2, they would have had some adventures.

oh, alright, the PFS character, do you know the player?

Both of these aliases, Wolfgang and Alexander, campaigned together briefly in a star-crossed homebrew 5E game. He's a solid player with a good track record, if that's of any worth.

Terquem, what did we have to open the door? I forgot. A wand of dispel magic or something?

an earlier post

I was going to give you a scroll of Dispell Magic, but the risk of the spell not working correctly is too high in my opinion.

So I decided to create a non-standard magic wand

It is a Wand of "Knocking"

A Wand of Knocking is a non-standard Magic Wand, which works like other magic wands and it regains 1d6+1 charges every day, if you use the last charge roll a d20, and if you roll a 1 it crumbles into dust.

using a charge of the wand reproduces the Knock spell

Does it require attunement? Most of the wands do with the exception of Magic Missile and I think Detect Magic.

The wand was provided to the team before they left to return to Castle Caldwell the second time, so it would be attuned, I would think

As a reminder, we are not using the optional rule for a Grid combat system, and you can describe your movement in anyway you like. We are using the "helping a friend in combat" rule, and not using "Flanking."

Opportunity attacks can be taken, and it will be assumed, by me, that once you see the area map and can identify the monsters (each orc will have a different colored border) you can choose to engage specific enemies, and if those enemies move away from you you can have an opportunity attack against that enemy

I have removed Lijan from the game as he has not responded to multiple messages.

There is a map at the top of each game thread, titled Current Map, this is a link to an image in a drop box folder I share publicly.

Each orc has a different colored halo, red, orange, and yellow

I apologize for the floor of the tower being grass, I am still working on learning how to make maps.

Klodd, can you please select Red, Yellow, or Orange as your target?

Being colorblind makes that difficult, so I'll just say the one closest to the door on the right...

Oh no! You too with the colourblindness! Can I change my attack to middle/orange(?) Orc then- otherwise keeping the same flow

The map is great DM!