Chummy's Mask (Inactive)

Game Master chubbs

This is a mummys mask campaign please dot, I will go over the rules shortly. I prefer everyone looking at everyone elses character and see if there are any ways to work each other in. or if you want a common enemy. Also tell people about yourself, don't be shy.

1. I have been playing Dnd for almost 25 years. may of it table gaming. I started doing the PbP and so far everyone has really enjoyed my games because I make it a emphasis on RP and not as much on Builds. I keep my encounters very challenging. like in real life I believe that if you don't work for it you don't appreciate it.

2. I am a stay at home dad. I have one daughter and I work out every day. ( my wife says I would be a trophy husband if a wasn't a dork) I used to be a VP at a bank.

3. I love football, and Video games currently my Favorite is XCOM 2

4. I prefer to give people chances that are new to the game in the Pbp so I like to chose one newb per campaign this time is our gunfighter. so everyone reach out and help him if needed the Pazio community is very good about this I have found. ( this stems from me trying to play World of Warcraft and most people I met were dicks. unless you knew people, I started too late for people to have patience.)

5. I am loyal to my crews I have chosen. If you play in my campaigns and try out for any of my other I typically give priority preference solid posters are my #1 concern.

First, thank you for choosing me for this game. I know Teos might be a little "plain", but I try for the more ordinary character thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Ok, so a little about me.

1. Been playing RPG's since 1978 (wow, 39 years...that's crazy!!) Have played many systems in my years and find this 5th edition of D&D a wonderful change.

2. Father of twin boys who also game, but more on-line then table top.

3. I work as the Heritage Coordinator for the town of Peace River, Alberta Canada...and have work with many different museums over the last 20 or so years.

4. Anything else you might like to know, just ask! I promise I wont bite!

Hi folks!

Happy to be here, thanks for the opportunity.

Like both our DM and Teos, I've been playing for an absurdly long time, about as long as you, Teos. Badhru is the latest of a long proud line of half-orc characters of mine. This one I think basically stems from my having just finished the most recent season of Archer, so "half-orc" became "half-orc PI with a gun". Big stretch, right? :)

This is a bit of a departure for me in that I usually tend toward more "direct" guys of the apply-axe-to-enemy-face type. I promise I will not be the guy who fires his pistol ineffectively, then throws it at the advancing mummy.

I'm one more dad, two boys. The 7yo likes to leaf through my old Monster Manuals and look at the dragons to get ideas for drawing, the 4yo, well, maybe later.

Out of character, call me Ghorrin, Redblade, Felix, whatever works for you.

I look forward to not dying horribly with you all! :D

Badhru

EDIT: if you see any portraits that you think might work for this char, chime in!

Thanks for choosing me, with this much experience around should make for great gaming.

I'm a bit shy, or more precisely paranoid, so I keep personal info limited in public forums. However, I am also an old hand at rpgs; my first OD&D experience was June 4, 1977. (Yep, I remember that date - important ones not so much.) I spent many years telling computers what to do, now I game, read, and visit friends. No children of my own, I do have nephews and nieces.

Hello! Thanks for the pick GM, and also, thank you all for any future help I may need. I'm fairly new to the tabletop scene (especially compared to this table) with about a years experience. I'm a 30 year old husband with no kids that runs a few restaurants near Memphis, TN. What I lack in experience I will make up for in my effort at keeping you entertained by my writing (I hope.)

I absolutely loved playing through XCOM2 multiple times. It never gets old. I've gotten stuck on throwbacks here lately downloading emulators and playing FF9 and the Breath of Fire series. As far tv shows go I highly recommend Harmonquest. A neat little gem I found online that uses Pathfinder rules to animate their show. It has a really good production value considering the premise so don't let me ruin it with my summary.

Characterwise as the GM said I'm pretty new the whole thing but Gabs is a gunslinger through and through with his life being pretty much turned upside down realizing his grandparents were terrible people. Still trying to understand if the ends justified the means and if he should follow suit or forge his own way. Leaving his home in search of answer both within himself and in the world.

Hey all!

Really pleased to be picked, and look forward to gaming with you.

I try to keep personal info to a minimum, but I've been playing D&D (and many, many other role-playing games) for 30+ years now. Switched to PbP from tabletop when I moved cities a few years back (I'm in the UK time zone, which means my posting will probably be out of sync with most of yours).

Having (quickly) looked through all the characters, it looks like we have massively different backgrounds: I think only Teos and Neve are from Osirion (Rani might be too, but he's clearly well-travelled) while Sefanit, Gabradon and Badhru are from Rahadoum, Cheliax and Absalom, respectively. Should make things interesting RP-wise!

everyone also double check and let me know if you cant get into the slide at the top. I will be adding more info within the next few days when we get started.

@Telos of An, Hi Dan glad to get to game together after all the recruitments we posted to together. I'm thinking maybe if you guarded a caravan to Quantium once and not able to get a new caravan at once took a temp job with the Quantium militia to herd a bunch of conscripts around looking for bandits. Most were guttersnipes or terrified guild apprentices but one scholar was different, smarter and tougher than most. So Rani and Telos struck up a friendship and Telos taught Rani survival tricks. They've kept in touch through the years and on hearing of the opening of the Wati tombs when off to make their fortunes together. Sound good?

@Badru - A bit strained but I'm thinking you might have accompanied your mentor to Quantium once on a mission, some bigwig had stuff stolen, and you investigated. The Mudrunner Clan seemed implicated, but you determined they were setup to be the fall guys. They ran away anyway of course, they're hardly innocent, if not guilty this time. But
you met Rani, a skinny scared kid. He saw that cooperation with you was the better option and with his info, found the real culprit. You overlooked some other stuff of his doing, so he sort of owes you but you owe him too. You're surprised to see him on the caravan years later, a wizard and all.

@Neve - From about as opposite social worlds as possible. Rani's travels were mostly as a beggar and thief with his clan usually on the run. How they show up where not wanted, and escape authority and slaver time and again is one of life's great mysteries. Perhaps as part of The Talk you were shown how your family operates, they used the Mudrunners as example of disposable trash that can be used for a quick steal of documents that then be manipulated to your families advantage. Rani was the kid they sent into an office, and gave the document to you as instructed. He noticed your disgust and the terror toward your family, telling you it's not your fault, you can't help what family you have. Now you meet him, ambitious and a wizard having escaped his background. He seems self-involved but there is something more to him. Maybe you can guide him on a better path.

Still working on possible links to the others, it's getting tougher. Of course looking for suggestions.

I seem to have the best disable traps skill- think I'll add lockpicks to my character. Badru would be much higher with only one point. Maybe Rani could corrupt- er - help him to achieve his potential.

Edit: I see the google doc fine, I gather they are the important NPCs on our journey.

Rani, re: locks, I absolutely intend to be on that, but starting gold limitations savaged me (I have neither theives tools not an alchemy kit). Soon as I can afford lockpicks, I'll hit the ground running on that.

I'll chew over the background ideas you suggested, see what we can come up with. More later.

Has any of you done the Mummy's mask AP? I'm not concerned about spoilers because I change a little to every path. just curious, because I can give additional info on a couple of key villains possibly just enough to tie your characters in for a more personal experience. we will probably start the AP on Wed, after you have gotten to know each other a little and I get everything set up. I like using slides and doc for additional info. (the downside is finding what you need on the internet or Pinterest or do it yourself).

Hi DM, nope, not a lick of this AP before. And oh yes, I can see the Gdoc linked above.

I played Neve in a previous campaign of MM, but we barely got 50 posts in, so there's no risk of spoiling anything!

@Rani - I like the idea of The Talk including some blunt information on how to use assets, but nobody at the "disposable trash" level of the organisation would know who their orders come from: a noble family needs a very, very high level of plausible deniability. If Rani did 'errands' then he'd never meet anyone from the upper levels.

Also, Neve is running from her past and wouldn't willingly hang around with anyone who could identify her as a Khamutep, however well-meaning they are. You're right that they are from opposite social worlds, and it seems likely that Rani would have the best idea of anyone that Neve is clearly high-class (at the least) and trying hard to hide it. What he does with that knowledge is up to him.

I like your idea of her seeing him as someone else who is on the run from his past, and wanting to guide him on a better path. She probably has a reasonable impression of the sorts of things he has done, but if he has done work for the Khamuteps then neither of them would know it, since plausible deniability works both ways.

(OK, now we're just giving the DM horrible ideas for screwing with us so I'll stop there :P)

Never did the the Mummy's Mask, know only what's in the player's guide, and reading about a few countries and cities in the area.

@Badhru - Sorry about misspelling your name, chew all you like, it's not going to be easy to get these random strangers to trust each other. They really never should but if a few already know each other it could work. I've taken the lockpicks and put it on my character sheet. Rani's going to be looking for a quick score funds running low.

@Neve - I see your points, hard to contrive any reason they would have met before, maybe we can connect through a mutual party member. When I first read your entry I thought how much alike and totally different our characters were.

@DM: Never played any of this AP, but really looking forward to it!

@Rani: Not too sure that would work, as Telos has never been that far afield, and his fear of open water keeps him to the interior..sorry.

@Neve: In my background the "Viceroy" took my families farm, forcing my father to work in a local quarry. Perhaps your family could somehow fill the roll of "viceroy", having somehow swindled good o'dad out of the farm. Would give us a link (though somewhat negative). Maybe she met Telos when he ws a guard and befriended him, keeping the secret of ruining his family from him to this day??

@All: As a guard for hire, Telos could have met or escorted any of the other players around the interior of the country (remember he is deathly afraid or Open Water, and will not go anywhere near deep water...the river is fine, he grew up with it!)

Ugh, how silly of me. I popped in here to start the discussion thread up since nobody else had done so, only to realize that of course you don't get message notifications until you've already been there.

It's nice to meet all of you, and I'm looking forward to playing with you as well!

As for myself, I played D&D a little in high school but really only started about 4 years ago. I began with PSF but after a couple of years the group stopped meeting. Since I didn't know of any tables where I live (Portland, OR) I figured I would try out PbP and decided it's the format I prefer.

I have a 10 year-old son and I also run a casual table for him and a couple of his friends. Otherwise I freelance doing user experience and customer experience research.

Looking at the other characters and their backgrounds I'm not seeing much that would allow linking Sefanit's past to theirs. I suppose it's possible for her and Gabradon to have been on the same ship to Sothis since Rahadoum and Cheliax are so close. But aside from that it looks like she will be meeting you all on the caravan.

Other business:

I don't have previous experience with this AP.

I can access the google doc.

I don't typically play full caster classes, but I seem to have a soft spot for witches.

@Neve - When I first read your entry I thought how much alike and totally different our characters were.

Hah, yeah, me too! Looking forward to seeing how it plays out. Of all the characters, Rani probably has the clearest understanding that Neve doesn't 'belong' in the world of low-lifes.

@Neve: In my background the "Viceroy" took my families farm, forcing my father to work in a local quarry. Perhaps your family could somehow fill the roll of "viceroy", having somehow swindled good o'dad out of the farm. Would give us a link (though somewhat negative). Maybe she met Telos when he ws a guard and befriended him, keeping the secret of ruining his family from him to this day??

I like it! Let's go with it.

@Sefanit: witches are awesome, and I love your scorpion familiar! The idea that the two aren't quite 100% on the same page agenda-wise is compelling and I look forward to seeing where you take it.

I've never run MM but I am beyond excited by looking at this group. You're all amazing writers, and quite frankly, it's a little intimidating. But I won't let you guys down!

@Sefanit, I like the idea we met on the boat. I too was having trouble finding a way for characters to cross paths with Gabs' limited travels. He is somewhat guarded now after feeling betrayed by his grandparents with their secrets, but perhaps feeling alone in the world he latched on to the first person he semi bonded with through conversation. He would be weary of anyone associated with death but maybe he's desperate to see the good in anyone at this point.

If anyone has traveled through Cheliax, even just through the ports, maybe they've run into each other there. Or one of you recognize the engravings on his gun from his mother (Or was it his father's? He doesn't know.), or knew his mother and recognize him from seeing him as a near baby.

I can also open Google doc.

@Neve: I've never been much of a "pet class" person, which is one of the reasons full (arcane) casters haven't been much of a draw for me. I haven't managed to do much with familiars beyond carry them around in the past. Might as well be stuffed animals. I'm hoping to break that habit this time by sort of putting the familiar in charge. Sefanit isn't so much a witch as a historian with this side job she has to do, and it's Kushi's job to make sure she's ready and does it.

@Gabradon: It's easy to imagine a ship stopping in Manaket would also put in at Westcrown. They're close to each other on opposite sides of the Inner Sea. Sefanit isn't going to be particularly forthcoming about things either until well away from Rahadoum. The Pure Legion could easily have a spy aboard the ship. They can keep secrets from each other together!

@Badhru: For that matter it's easy to see the same ship stopping over in Absalom before going to Sothis. You can join our cruise as well if you'd like.

@Sefarit @Badhru I think that would be perfect. Gabs would be eager to learn all he could about their destination and the says to come, he's a very curious dude. Most likely the one to initiate conversation. While not one to give up personal information he is always one for conversation and isn't shy by any means. He's always friendly and always smiling regardless how he feels inside and this makes him easily approachable. That along with his small stature makes it seem as if nothing about him is threatening on any level. I imagine him as that wide eyed little brother type that you can't help to humor his inquiries.

@Gabradon, Sefanit and Badhru: Once you are in the "great City" of Sothis, you might find you need a guide/guard for your trip down river (or in a caravan). and Teos could be one of the people you encounter. Maybe he meets Neve in the capital as well, and she joins the caravan as well (to get away from a cousin who may be getting too close to your "new" life??) Both Teos and Neve knowing each other allows for us to slowly come together as a group over the trip south. Rani as well could have stopped by the Capital to gather information and supplies and finds himself on the caravan south....just a thought of a way to gather us all together...

@Gabradon: Well Sefanit is about as menacing as a kindergarten teacher so they should pair just fine.

@Teos: Sefanit will certainly be looking for protection. She's no "adventurer" after all. Paying market rates for bodyguards might be a problem so they may have to work a deal.

Hm, maybe protection even earlier than Wati. If the pics under "caravan" are of people who are in the caravan as well, Sefanit says "The priest is looking pretty hot, but the rest are mostly kinda creepy."

@Teos - How about this? Teos and Rani never met but everything I said earlier happened between Peren and he and Rani kept in touch. So just before you left Peren recommends that you meet up with Rani at some point. That way we share a mentor and gives some reason to trust one another.

@Sefanit - Rani might look a bit creepy himself being large and strong and not very sociable but he does have some scroll cases, mostly empty and sometimes gives the air of a scholar.

@GM Chubbleston - Can Rani be working passage on the caravan as a scout? It's not like he has a lot of money. His duties would end at Wati.

Edit: Added a picture of Rani in my description in my profile. Can everyone see it? I think it will work well enough.

@Rani: Yes, the pic is there. Sefanit rates him a difficult to sort hot/creepy mix.

I've added character art for Sefanit in "Homepage URL" also. A bit closer than the avatar to what have in mind. Minus the freckles though. Nobody does freckles in fantasy art it seems.

Hmmm.

Lots of good ideas getting floated here.

Rani, on one level I like the idea of "The kid from the Quantium job," but I can't quite get myself wrapped around the idea of something having pulled Woodrose halfway down the Garundi coast. Would've had to be something big, y'know?

(And yes, he'd probably think of you as "The kid" even though, hell, you might even be older than Dhru. Mainly because that's how Woodrose would've thought of you.)

Sefanit, Gabradon: I could easily have met up with you on the passage to Osirion. I'd probably have been impressed with Gabradon's choice of weapon.

(Which reminds me, I'm trying to come up with an answer to why Dhru doesn't have his pistol at the outset, beyond an OOTS-like utterance about what level one gets class features. I've got half a notion about the gun still being in transit to Osirion somehow, but why would he have parted with it?)

Teos, any chance that, after we arrived in Sothis, I saw and interfered with the assassination-that-was-supposed-to-look-like-a-mugging-gone-bad the Lamashtu cult had laid out for you?

Oh, and one more thing. Anyone who calls Badhru "Bad" immediately gets dismissed as a dumbass roshka. His name always shortens to "Dhru". :)

@Badhru - Hmm - yes if you see Woodrose as Sherlock Holmes only interested in big cases. But if he was a little more interested in a big reward, then maybe a bigwig with more money than sense offered the Great Woodrose an all-expenses paid vacation with bonus to solve a minor case, just so he could boast that he could hire the best. Just a thought.

@Badhru & Rani: Hm, maybe you "have" the gun at the beginning, but it's non-functional. It's broken, missing a piece, or whatever. It's a one-of-a-kind specialty piece and you need to track down the maker, who (TA DA!) now lives in Orision somewhere. This brilliant but eccentric gunmaker is originally from Quantium, where Woodrose was given the piece as part of his payment for a job he was contracted to do there. In fact, promise of receiving one of this maker's guns is why he could be lured so far away from home. Only the maker can replace the piece and/or show you how to maintain it.

Dhru, Nancy? :p

@ Rani - That is a great idea. Teos would trust anyone that Peren would recommend. Perhaps Peren was more interested that Teos "watch out" for him, as a favor to the elven warrior.

@Badhru: That is possible, but Teos does not know the cult is after him...would Dhru? How did he stumble onto this "attack"...sounds exciting! Maybe Dhru decides to stick to the warrior to discover what reason the cult would have to want him dead!! Cool!!

@Sefanit: Was thinking he could have escorted you all the way from the capital...gives us more time to get to know each other.

@all: Also added a better picture for character in url. Loved that his armor looks like crocodile skin and he was holding a khopesh.

If anyone has traveled through Cheliax, even just through the ports, maybe they've run into each other there. Or one of you recognize the engravings on his gun from his mother (Or was it his father's? He doesn't know.), or knew his mother and recognize him from seeing him as a near baby.

Can't help there, unfortunately. Neve hasn't left Osirion - she knows it would be a sensible thing to do, but she's tied to this land (and its gods) for better or worse.

Maybe he meets Neve in the capital as well, and she joins the caravan as well (to get away from a cousin who may be getting too close to your "new" life??) Both Teos and Neve knowing each other allows for us to slowly come together as a group over the trip south.

Makes sense.

(And yes, he'd probably think of you as "The kid" even though, hell, you might even be older than Dhru. Mainly because that's how Woodrose would've thought of you.)

As the sage said: "It's not the years, it's the mileage" :)

At 25 or so, Neve is probably one of the oldest, but in many ways is the most unworldly.

(Which reminds me, I'm trying to come up with an answer to why Dhru doesn't have his pistol at the outset, beyond an OOTS-like utterance about what level one gets class features. I've got half a notion about the gun still being in transit to Osirion somehow, but why would he have parted with it?)

Stuck in customs/bureaucracy hell? Dhru's a half-orc foreigner, so I can't see the border guard being happy about letting a firearm into the country. Osirion strikes me as the sort of place that invented paperwork (papyruswork) - you'll get your gun when the Form 14675A has been counter-signed in triplicate by all your remaining relatives and hand-delivered to the sub-bureau (open for 30 minutes on alternate Oathdays), and not before :)

@Badhru - Gabs would've been drawn to anyone near his age, hoping they could relate to being young and on their own. Especially if had asked about his weapon, he never forgoes the opportunity to tell someone all about it. How it works, where he thinks it's from, etc. He would also think your profession was really cool and have a million questions to ask about it. And if you go the gunsmith route Gabs would like to accompany you there to ask about his gun.

@Teos - I think you being an escort is perfect. Especially if you're pretty cheap, seeing as Gabs is broke. Gabs has a very inquisitive mind so he would've found a local to chat up hoping to get more information about where he is going.

@ Gabradon: If your group mentioned going to the tombs, Teos might just join for a cut of the profit and a chance to help his parents out. He would also talk to his friend Neve, telling her about the opportunity, knowing she was in need of money as well. He might even consider bring along Rani in an attempt to help him set himself up in the city.

This would kind of give us two groups then....the people coming into Sothis by boat, and those already here. I see it something like this:

Teos gets word from his friend Peren that he want him to meet and escort Rani wherever he needs to go. Being a trusted friend, Teos agrees and goes to Sothis to meet the boat. While there he meets Neve, who has been looking for work. He tells her why he is in the city and agrees to bring her back with him when he returns to An. Meanwhile Gabradon, Sefanit and Badhru arrive on a ship. During the voyage they got to know each other, and decided to form a group to explore the tombs. They look for a guide once they arrive, and stumble upon Teos fighting off some thugs. They help (and Dhru discovers they are more than they seem - cultists). In gratitude Teos offers his services for almost free (he has to make some money), and the two groups come together. The trip down to An gives them a chance to talk, and Teos, Neve and Rani decide to join the group in their exploration of the tombs.

Sound good as an overall story to get us together? This way each person can hammer out their personal attachment to whoever was with them, but we all get together in a nice, organic way...I think.

@Rani, point conceded. There's certainly folks out there with more gold than common sense, and it's not like Woodrose was ever gonna turn down a paying gig (within reason).

"Pack a bag, kid. We're going to Quantium."

(Badhru gives a blank stare)

"It's in Nex. It's the capital."

(second stare just as blank as the first)

"Oh, fer...! Fine, pack a bag, and the geography books."

@Teos, when I had the idea, the impression in my head was the Dhru is as in the dark over the true motives as you are. He just managed to spot two mooks about to jump a guy, he made a snap judgment which side to go in on, and here we are.

I think figuring out the first try was more than just attempted robbery is something that will happen the next time they get attacked...

In general: Now I'm thinking that some of Badhru's stuff got damaged in transit*. His lockpicks and alchemy kit were a total loss, and Lunda** was damaged all to hell and back. I think Neve is absolutely right that a smashed up crate full of alchemical tools and a half-damaged gun is going to be eyed with suspicion by Osirian customs agents. all of that mess got held up in Sothis, and it will be forwarded on to Dhru once Form 35119 (the counterpart to 14675A) has cleared customs. (I'm thinking Mother Kiya, the Pharasmin priestess I mention in my BG, may have helped moe things along.)

Thanks for helping me brainstorm that out.

*He can't tell (and me I don't know) if it was an "accident" and not an accident; at least, Badhru didn't see any clues to foul play.

**His pistol. Of course his gun has a name...!

@Gab: I think that works just fine.

Love all these ideas flying around!

Have given this some more thought, and I've come to a view that there's almost no way that Neve would be in Sothis - way too close to her family's seat of power and far too hard to blend in. That last may sound counterintuitive, but cities are only great places to hide if you can blend with the commoners to become part of the faceless masses; and Neve can't (to be fair, she's learning).

My guess is that she joined the caravan on the first or second night out of the big city, and the presence of so many foreigners was a positive - they won't know who she is, and they'll be in need of a guide.

Since then, she's learned a bit about the group (she's easy to talk to) and realised that Teos' family was ruined by her own; this would make her determined to stay and try to atone, although exactly how is unsure.

She can tell that Rani (possibly Badhru as well, although it's harder to be sure with foreigners) is her social opposite, which makes him easy to relate to: there's no danger that they know anyone in common. As far as she knows. There's also the fellow feeling of recognising someone else who's on the run from their past, which - hopefully - means that they won't ask too many questions about her own.

Gabradon & Sefanit: to be determined. Hopefully they recognise the advantages of having a local guide and the need for a 'face' type.

If Neve is being all helpful-native, Dhru will certainly appreciate it ("Kid, never burn the locals. Remember that."), but he'll probably think something is up, as he's rocking like a +8 SM skill against humanoids. (HeroLab is listing it as a +6, but I think it's not taking in the "additional +2 racial using these skill vs humanoids", even though it explicitly says that bonus stacks with Overlooked Mastermind's base +2.)

@Badhru - How about this?

Note Rani doesn't see a difference between an investigator and a bounty hunter.

The clan is trapped - Rani knows this with growing panic, the large reward offered for their capture means they will be betrayed. The elders continue to bicker as the bounty hunters are closing in. Unnoticed Rani steals away, he has heard the someone is looking for more information, rumor has it the he works for the most brilliant bounty hunter in the world who wants always to be right. He goes to the tavern where he is suppose to be.

Badhru is glum, he has investigated the minor burglaries his mentor required of him, clearly the clan Mudrunner are bunch of low-life thieves, but to steal from the very rich? Unlikely they could, or would, and he is sure that that little shop was burgled by them the same night. Why bother if the big score is coming? But he lacks proof, when the door opens and a skinny, scared kid enters, looks around, locks eyes, and nods to the outside, and leaves. Badru follows.

Rani, is very frightened but it's the only way out. The very young guy, wait, is he younger than me? Doesn't matter it's what he can convince his master to do. As the stranger comes up Rani speaks, "You're the servant of the great bounty hunter that the Great Master hired. We didn't do it. I can prove it. We were far away stealing from some shop. Here take this item that we stole from there. Call off the dogs on us as waste of money. Please."

Badhru replys, "I'm sure you're right, this time but it's not enough, we need the real culprit or you hang just the same." Rani is even more nervous, but says, "The household warrior that told we were the ones, he's part of the real thieves, I know he was with his whores at the House of Endless Pleasure that night, spending his bribe. Break him and you will learn all." Rani is terrified but holds his ground.

Badhru sees that this is no ordinary kid, smarter than most, just a bad break in life. This could be the break he needs, now to get this to Woodrose.

Later the clan hears that the reward for their capture has been withdrawn, they flee into the dark wilderness.

@Teos - How's this?

Rani is not happy to be taken from his only future to this collection of rabble. Then a rare sight, an elf, this is the little groups commander. He is more than competent and pushes the group into a passable unit. But he sees more in Rani, and starts talking to him. Eventually some of Rani's story comes out. He tells Rani some of his long life too, and they as much friends and the old and young could be. He teaches Rani the ways of the desert that his own clan refused to do. They part but Rani and Peren keep in touch, and one day a special letter will come.

A letter from Peren arrives, the tombs of Wati are open for exploitation. Not only does Peren recommend he goes, but another of his friends will be going as well. Meet with the caravan at Sothis, with the man with khopesh and crocodile armor, name Teos of An. He will know your appearance as well, trust him, he is a good man, and watch out for him as a favor to me."

Peren tells Teos, "As you go to Wati, meet another friend of mine, Rani Doompalm. I'll tell you how to recognize him, in a bit. He may seem a bit aloof and a weakly scholar and wizard but trust me, he is a better man than even he knows. Watch out for him as a favor to me."

If Neve is being all helpful-native, Dhru will certainly appreciate it ("Kid, never burn the locals. Remember that."), but he'll probably think something is up, as he's rocking like a +8 SM skill against humanoids. (HeroLab is listing it as a +6, but I think it's not taking in the "additional +2 racial using these skill vs humanoids", even though it explicitly says that bonus stacks with Overlooked Mastermind's base +2.)

Heh. Neve has a +8 to Bluff so we're even ;) She also has a +1 to the DC of her mind-affecting effects thanks to the Overwhelming Beauty trait, assuming that Dhru counts as "human;" which I think half-orcs do. (I'm not planning on using this against fellow players - it's just something to bear in mind RP-wise!)

Still, everyone with a past needs an inquisitive foil to play off, so go with it! One of the best campaigns I'm in on these boards involves this, with my character as the inquisitor (literally, as in that's her class) - I'm looking forward to playing it from the other side...

Yup, half-orcs have the human subtype, so it works. I certaily don't think Badhru would think anything nefarious was going on, but he'd have Woodrose's growling in his mind.

"Sure, kid, Sarenite monks're that nice. Anyone else wants somethin' for it."

(Side note: in my mind's eye, Woodrose looks like a much less alcoholic version of Jeff Bridges' take on Rooster Cogburn.)

EDIT: Rani, forgot to say, yes, I think that works pretty well.

If Neve is looking for hire as a local guide Nefanit would be happy with such an arrangement. She's not going to be looking closely at anything and wondering if you are who you seem to be or anything like that.

Her take on the trip is very straightforward. She's going to collect data so that when she goes back home she have something to change the conversation about her there. She's tired of being that girl who "all the rumors say she died and came back and what's up with that?" to being the authority on Wati and the events that made it the "Half-Dead City".

She's no adventurer, more like an adventure tourist or fieldworker. Of course she needs a staff to take care of mundane things, she has to be able to concentrate.

Her only concern aside from mundane hazards, and that's what the local staff is supposed to be taking care of, is the possibility of Pure Legion spies. As long as she omits certain events from her past in conversation and keeps magic use under wraps, even surveillance, if it's happening, isn't a problem.

I'm not really sure how to treat the Pure Legion actually. There's not much written about them. They aren't like Hellknights or Grey Gardeners for sure. They seem more like the old East German Stasi from what there is, so I'm going with that sort of interpretation.

I like the two group idea and us coming together for various reasons. Gabs would also be interested in having a guide, perhaps him, Safarit, and Dhru decided they should pitch in for one together since they had they same destination. I assume they'd spend most of their trip going over knowledge and rumors of the area attempting to learn as much as possible. And also going over the skills they all posses to determine the role each character will play.

Since a lot of us are fairly young it would made sense that we would band together. Mostly because other groups probably wouldn't want to take on those that are so green.

One quick question: Are we playing with encumbrance hindrance? I only ask because my strength is pretty low and may need to toss a few items or let a party member hold on to some things if so.

Yes encumbrance rules apply, however I'm pretty relaxed about it. as long as you don't take advantage of it and do the best you can to keep it real.

I'm about 20 lbs over light, but if someone could hold 9 torches and a rope (19 lbs total). I'd have a few pounds of wiggle room. We can cross that bridge when we come to it though. Thanks for the quick answer :). I made a few revisions to my character as far as gear goes. Picked up a buckler since I'm going to forgo CON bonuses. Playing him as someone of such small stature I figured it wouldn't make sense for him to have a ton of extra health.

In order to get the FCB for human gunslingers extra grit every 4 levels I couldn't use +1 HP for first 3 levels then remove them at 4th level for the grit right? I've never taken that route for a class so I'm not sure.

I've also added a photo link of Gabradon in his profile. He might look familiar but it is almost exactly what I had in mind. :)

Gabradon Photo

@Gabradon: Yeah, maybe we could pitch in together and afford some nominal pay. If I could wedge it in somewhere I'd take the Rich Parents trait and just put you all on the payroll. But there's no room for it at all.

One thing we should consider some is we're without a divine caster while playing an AP called Mummy's Mask. It isn't too hard to guess what we'll be seeing a goodly amount of, and many of the better options for dealing with undead like channeling are off the table. We'll also have trouble with easy healing and condition removal.

I looked to see if there were any healing-oriented witch archetypes I could add, but there weren't any options there. I can do a little, Neve can do a little, but this is going to be a problem that will take some forethought.

Neve and Rani, we should coordinate some on spell selection and casting roles as time goes on.

Its ok I'm going to introduce a divine Caster I didn't care for the choices on the clerics too much, I felt they were not as strong as some of my other options.. so I am going to add one or intro one pretty early. stick with the archetypes you have but any additional help will be helpful to your party.

@Rani- please set up your character bar under your character name like the others.

@Gab- no you cant take the HP then remove it.

So if Teos and Rani are with Neve when we go to aquire her services are we paying them as well? Or are they paying her? Or do we decide to follow them to Wati instead of paying, since we are all headed to the same place anyway. Maybe instead of paying her as a guide we offer to join forces to increase our chances of survival/success. I'm okay with whatever the consensus is, just trying to make sure there aren't any holes.

I set the beginning up that you are two different groups both heading there to Wati that after talking to each other you decided to join forces for equal shares of the loot and treasure. I just posted the start.

I wouldn't get too deep into this idea of literally putting Neve on a payroll of some sort. (Badhru sure as hell can't afford to be paying someone else just now.) I interpreted what Neve was getting at as more playing up her native knowledge as something she brings to the table. Or did I misinterpret, Neve?

I like that idea better Dhru. It makes more sense to me that way. GM did a great job setting up, I was just trying to visualize the group dynamic as best I could.

No, that's right, there was no thought of actual payment! Tagging along with you guys will do, for now :)

EDIT: Sefanit, I agree on co-ordinating spells. I can't prepare them, I'm a 'spells known' type, which makes things complicated, but I'm planning to pick up CLW next level - and we should try and get a wand, first thing.