@Pluck Stoutbarrel What is personality like? What's his alignment? What does he care about? What happened there? How does he have flame oracle powers? How have they manifested? How has he dealt with them?
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@Balodek Waiting to see it. There will probably be limited opportunity for mounted combat. It's just difficult to fit into an urban setting.
I assumed this would be true, which is why I wanted to check before building a fighter or cavalier around the concept. For your consideration, Solangus Wintrish:
Name: Solangus Wintrish
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Class: Fighter (Polearm Master)
Alignment: LE
Stat Block: Str 18 Dex 12 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 12 Cha 12
Appearance:
Of average height at 5'8" Solangus does not tower above a crowd. His head is covered in black stubble and he is clean shaven. His eyes are light blue.
From the time he was old enough to walk his parents strapped pieces of metal to his body and forced him to carry a thick wooden pole. This training has resulted in thick muscles and a head that appears to be built directly on his shoulders.
Backstory:
Born to expatriate Chelaxians Solangus has always been pressed to excel. His family were once minor nobles in Cheliax and they wish to regain their stature in Korvasa. When fate gave them a son they saw the perfect opportunity.
Strapped into armor and given a wooden pole to take everywhere, Solangus was expected to attend every course in armed and armored. His parents, Lord and Lady Morvius Wintrish, hired men to ambush him and attempt to steal these items, beating him badly if he failed to defend himself. This has made Solangus cold and distant.
Tutored extensively in the law and squired to a Hellknight of the Order of the Nail Solangus has been training for his ascension to the Hellknights for years now.
Personality:
A cold man, Solangus has nevertheless learned the value of comradeship and civility, no matter how false. He has no qualms about manipulating others to his ends but follows a strict code of honor. Those he trusts are trusted implicitly, and any who betray that trust are never forgiven.
Only the law is a comfort to Solangus, for it is the only constant he understands. He follows the letter of the law no matter how abusive or wrong it may be. It is only through order and discipline that the world will be brought to safety and prosperity.
Solangus is used to following orders from his superior without question, and any petty lawbreakers in Korvasa have leared to fear his halberd.
Goals/Summary:
Solangus' only goal is to become a Hellknight, no matter the cost. He would turn in his parents if they were found guilty of breaking the law.
The one weakness Solangus has in this area is those who show him true kindness and trust him. Though he would never break the law for them, he would occasionally put their needs above his own.
Taking part in a revolution may be seen as difficult for one so strict, but the reality is if ordered to form a revolution against an unlawful government by his superiors, or a lawful government that has lost it's ability to enforce those laws, Solangus will not hesitate.
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Why is he a weapon master? Why the greatsword? What does he plan on doing with the 14 Charisma? Seeing as House Endrin and House Jeggare are allied, how would he interact with Luca? With the long history of Endrins joining the Korvosan Guard, why did he not join them? (Perhaps he did, and resigned his commission to run the family when his father died.) What allies and contacts did Alejandro and his grandfather make?
After reading back over my backstory I certainly did leave some huge gaps. I apologize for that.
Why the greatsword?- It was originally going to be because his Grandfather favored the Greatsword, but I think I am going to change it to the Longsword. Why the Longsword? While in Absalom, his Grandfather brought him to the temple of Iomedae. There he witnessed a Cleric of Iomedae working with the Longsword, the weapon of his Deity. Inspired by this heavily armored, hulking Holy Man, and the fluid grace he exhibited with his Longsword, Alejandro decided to focus his training in this, the weapon of Iomedae.
What does he plan on doing with the 14 Charisma?- Alejandro is, first and foremost, a Nobleman. He was raised in the circles of Nobility, if looked down upon. As such, he is well versed in the ways of Court etiquette. The Charisma bonus is to allow him to circulate through the higher Society, and aids him in his search for powerful allies. It also reflects his good looks.
Interaction with Luca- This I purposely left out of the back story, as Vagrant Poet had not included it.
Luca and Alejandro are childhood friends. They became so, after Luca's accident. Alejandro became something like a bodyguard for the youngest Jeggare son, seeing it as his duty to stand up for his friend, after his ill luck. Alejandro, to this day, still sees it as his duty to aid and protect Luca in any way possible, even though the man is more than capable of taking care of himself.
Alejandro knows of Luca's alias, the Gull, and does not approve, but keeps it wholly to himself. It was during a posting with the Korvosan Guard, that Alejandro spotted a beggar, who seemed oddly familiar. He dragged the man down a side alley, under the pretense of giving him a "stern talking to", and cornered the man.
He did not know at the time that it was Luca, did not even suspect. He had thought, maybe, that the man had once been one of his Grandfathers old associates, and had not wanted to be seen greeting a beggar, lest it call undue attention to the man. It was not till they had argued for a little, the subject being, whether the man had been an associate of his Grandfather or not, till Alejandro had thrown up his hands and exclaimed that the man was just as infuriating as "That Gods damned Lucadeno Jeggare!". Realization hit him like a lightning bolt and Alejandro had pinned the man to the wall, his Longsword against his throat, swearing he would drag him to Jail, least he admitted the truth. Not wanting to face possibly being ousted, Luca had come clean.
To this day, Alejandro makes sure to always gift coin to a beggar, lest it be his friend.
Korvosan Guard- I had not really come up with a solution to that, but that sounds ideal.
He joined the Guard, after his Grandfathers death, in order to honor the man that had taught him so much. Later, he resigned his commission, due to the death of his father. During his time as a Guard, he worked to better the lives of the everyday person, from the inside, making sure every and all resource he could muster, with the Guard, was being used for the good of the common man.
Allies- During their travels, his Grandfather made a lot of contacts, some within the highest ranks of society and some the lowest. In Absalom, his Grandfather found Allies within the Church of Iomedae and the Pathfinder Society. In Andoran, he became fast friends with an Eagle Knight Captain. In Westcrown he made contacts within the underbelly of the city, making friends with thieves and thugs.
His greatest network of allies was to be found in Korvosa however. Here he had friends and allies from the slums up. He was known amongst the beggars of Korvosa, as a kind man who could always spare a coin. And although his work in the Korvosan Guard distanced him from making friends with the Criminal underbelly, he was noted as being a fair Guard, one who would not tamper with evidence, or "work out his frustration" on any man caught by him. His willingness to help out and lenience, made him a well loved and well respected public figure, in the eyes of the common man.
Here are links to a few PbP's I am currently a part of, just to give you an idea of how my Characters tend to interact.
EberronPbP-Darius Kirisallin
Mercenary Squad PbP-Pvt Fury
New Carrion Crown PbP-Olav the Grim
Wheel of Time PbP-Lain of the Iron Mountain Sept of the Taardad Aiel (Lain of the Taardad Aiel)
Lucendars Advanced Kingmaker-Zalana
Thank you for the questions. You gave me a lot to think about.
DM Barcas, I fear your questions have led me to rethink Alyosha a good bit. I think that I do wish to play a character with a higher charisma and so I re-envisioned Alyosha as a sorcerer with the Rakshasa bloodline. Doing so caused me to question a lot about the character. I recognize that changing character concepts late in the application process might be obnoxious. If you'd rather not deal with the hassle and would rather leave me on the sidelines for this campaign, I'm okay with that.
Instead of an agitator for social change, this Alyosha has used his sorcerous abilities to climb up the ladder of Korvosa. He still advocates for the poor, but rather than being a budding revolutionary, he is the sort of do-gooder who hangs around with the rich and powerful, seeking patrons for this scheme or that scheme to make the lives of the poor better. Often the end result of these schemes is merely to increase Alyosha's wealth or to make him a few new contacts.
I can imagine Alyosha attending a party thrown by one of the dock families, seeking to convince the people there to give some money to some scheme to educate the poor. He might find a few takers, but spends most of his time displaying his charm and telling entertaining stories about growing up in poverty. Perhaps flirting with some of the wealthy daughters of the nobility.
He's still convinced that he wants to help the poor, but he's not so sure if he's willing to give up his newfound success to do it.
Name: Alyosha Baradin
Race: Human, Chelaxian (Native to Korvosa)
Class: Sorcerer (Rakshasa bloodline)
Alignment: CG (but maybe not for long)
Appearance: Alyosha is a small man, skinny, and still boyish in appearance. Often people assume that he is younger than he is. He has mousy brown hair and brown eyes. He has recently taken to dressing in finer clothes, seeking to give the impression of a young man on the rise in Korvosan society.
Background:
Born in poverty in Old Korvosa, Alyosha was one of the innumerable children surviving in the slums of Korvosa through a combination of small jobs, beggary, and petty theft. Likely, he would have been consumed by the city, dying, as is often the case, at a young age through violence or disease. But then his sorcerous powers manifested themselves, including a silvery tongue. Using his capacity to lie and his charming personality, Alyosha has swiftly ascended out of poverty. Starting by ingratiating himself with churches, such as the the church of Saranrae, that ran small charity programs in Old Korvosa, Alyosha quickly launched himself on a career as reformer and advisor to those who wish to ameliorate the conditions of the poor of Korvosa. In his role as a self-appointed speaker for the poor, Alyosha has caught the eye of several powerful members of local churches in Korovosa and those among the Great Houses and Dock Families who wish to appear to be concerned about the poor. How much of this attention is the result of his sorcerous abilities is something that Alyosha himself may be unsure of.
Currently, he spends much of his time advocating for the poor among the magistrates and arbiters of the government and hatching plans to harness the wealth of the noble houses and churches for various schemes to improve the lot of the poor such as expanded apprenticeship opportunities for children and a school for particularly bright children of the slums. Most of these schemes have gone nowhere, but they have brought Alyosha a bit of attention and, through the patronage of a few select nobles, a bit of money.
His most recent goal is finding some way of convincing the church of Abadar that they should take an interest in the welfare of the poor, an unlikely proposition, but Alyosha is sure that he can find the right combination of argument, public pressure, and spells to arouse the interest of the church.
Personality: Alyosha is a charming man who is at ease in most social circumstances. Publicly, he is devoted to the welfare of the poor, trading on his charming personality and inspiring life story as a man who pulled himself out of poverty by working on behalf of others. Most people also don't know that he is a sorcerer.
Some people living in Old Korvosa–such as Auntie Miriam, the follower of Grandmother Crow who has for decades watched out for the children of the slums–mutter that Alyosha has lost track of his goals, that he is more interested in attending parties with the rich and famous of Korvosa, and the he is more interested in his own wealth.
Privately, Alyosha is starting to wonder about himself. He started out conning his way up the social ladder as a matter of survival. He then realized that, by trading on his charms and abilities, he might be able to help others like himself. But recently he has become increasingly aware of his opportunities to make money and advance himself socially, and he is not so sure if he would be willing to trade his new position in order to make a permanent improvement in the condition of the poor of Korvosa. After all, he deserves some success and it is natural that the wealthy and powerful of Korvosa would be interested in someone like Alyosha who has earned every bit of his success.
In most situations, Alyosha is constantly considering two things: how can I use this situation to help others and how can I profit from it? As he has advanced, the second concern has increasingly guided his actions. Sometimes he wonders who is becoming.
Hey, hope it's not too late to apply. Love the mix of the APs, sounds like fun.
Sebastian Creed
Race: Human (Korvosan)
Class: Fighter (Pole Master)
Alignment: CG
Statistics: Str 18 (16+2), Dex 14, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 10
Appearance: Creed, as he prefers to be called, is 6'2" and very muscular, with short black crewcut hair and green eyes that conceal his intelligence. He has a scar on his right cheek from a sparring session with his father when he was young.
Background: Creed is the medieval equivalent of an "army brat", the only son of Harvin Creed, and native Korvosan. His mother died at childbirth and from a young age, Creed accompanied his warrior father to tournaments, always proud of his father's exploits with the fauchard and secretly always trying to measure up but never achieving it. Sebastian Creed can never recall the time that his father called him by his first name, as he always referred to him by his surname, as was customary in the ranks of professional warriors. Harvin did his best to train his son, teaching him the importance of tactics and taking your enemy's feet from him. Creed learned his lessons, sometimes the hard way, as evident from his scar. However, once his father joined the King's Guard in Korvosa, the Royal Family's retinue of bodyguards, Creed had little contact with him, though he kept up his training, usually through trainers paid by his father. Secretly, Creed felt his father was ashamed of him, paying for his home outside the palace in the city of Korvosa. Either that or he wanted him to learn humility, learn to work for a living through one's hard sweat. Creed wishfully hoped it was the latter. Now, at the age of 18, Creed still had little contact with his father, who led a busy and secluded life in the Palace, and spent little time with him, except for those rare holidays. Still, Creed dreamed his father would live to see him a great warrior as well.
Unfortunately, this was not to be, as a month ago, Creed received the shocking news that his father died, under rather mysterious grounds. In fact, Creed suspects that his father discovered something he was not supposed to and was murdered! After a week that drove him nearly to suicide, Creed snapped out of his depression and swore to his father on his tombstone that he would find those responsible and make them pay! And if in fact it was someone in the royal family, then he would personally bring down the kingdom. With such fury and passion burning inside of him, Creed remembered his father's lessons: bide your time, seek out like-minded people. It wouldn't be difficult, there were enemies of the Crown everywhere. Now, he just had to be patient..
Personality: Though deep at heart, he is a good person, Creed right now is only thinking of himself and his desire for vengeance and screw the political causes. However, he knows that attitude will not win him any support so he is likely to join any cause that brings down this monarchy, feigning outrage over social conditions, but his true motives remain the same. Psychologically, Creed uses his desire of revenge as a way of dealing with the loss of his father and the pain may one day be too bear alone, not to mention the abandonment issue he is dealing with now, as basically an orphan. He hopes he will measure up to his father if he finds his murderer. Creed is a calculating and patient person. In combat, he is the same, striking out with his polearm, keeping his enemies at a distance, tripping them, and making them vulnerable.
I've created an alias for my fighter. Also, I may have her be LN instead of CN, it's worth the same so I don't have change anything.
@Pluck Stoutbarrel What is personality like? What's his alignment? What does he care about? What happened there? How does he have flame oracle powers? How have they manifested? How has he dealt with them?
Sorry I didn't include personality stuff yesterday. Had a lot to do.
2. His alignment was previously CG, but it's now CN and sliding downward.
3. Right now, he cares most about his parents, who are still living in Korvosa. They've seen his burns, but have learned to pretend they're not there, something that he is grateful for. He also cares for the city of Korvosa. He remembers how it used to be in his youth, an easy place that was, if not safe, at least not as foreboding and poised for a civil war as it now is. He'd like to change that, as a war would mean endangering himself and his father, and he doesn't much care who the head of the government is. After all, in the end all those superior types with their fancy titles and fancy dress are all just the same: looking hungrily for more power. It doesn't matter to Pluck which jackal looms over the city, as long as their power-mongering doesn't get in his way.
4 and 5. On the island, when the fiery creature was found, the crew slowly approached it, weapons at the ready. It slowly advanced upon the first crewmates, who attacked with swords. Their weapons passed harmlessly through, and it retaliated with a swipe of its flaming hand which incinerated the two. After seeing that, the crew was more than ready to turn tail and run. However, before that happened, it moved with unearthly speed to Pluck (who was standing next in the crew) and touched him with its huge outstretched finger. His eyes glowed an unearthly color, he lifted, convulsing, off the ground a few inches. Then waves of fire burst out from him, taking out much of the crew. At this, the fiery creature took its leave, disappearing in a huge flare. The remaining parts of the crew gave Pluck a wide berth, making sure not to come within 100 feet of him but watching him intently. After grieving over the bodies of his crew-mates, and cursing himself after realizing that he was the one who did this, he fled back to the boat, took one of the row boats off of it along with some provisions, and took off in the direction he hoped was the Varisian coast. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he knew he had to get away from the site of that horrible occurrence. As Desna would have it, he did find the coast, and from there took a ship towards Korvosa. He's been in Korvosa for only a few months, but his parents have told him about the whispers of a bloody coup, and he has witnessed the unrest himself.
6 and 7. His powers were at first uncontrollable, coming unbidden at times of extreme emotion (he almost burned his row boat down in the middle of the sea). However, he's slowly learning to be master over them, attempting to control the fire that is spreading through him (actually, he's only controlling the most obvious portion of his contact with the being, which is the powers he can manifest. He hasn't even an idea of the taint upon his soul, the slow and subtle creep upon his humanity.) He hates the burns, as they separate him from the populace immediately, putting him at arm's length from any normal life he might have lived.
I was wondering how long you are leaving recruitment up? I didn't see any mention of that in your initial post and wondered how much longer we have to finish and tweak our characters.
Another day or so. I'll have another set of questions tonight to help hone everyone's characters. If anyone wants to submit more characters, I'm still undecided on several spots. We have a glut of fighters and rogues, so future submitters can limit their competition by submitting ranged characters or casters.
Hi again DM Barcas, I have an update about my Inquisitor character Winston Chareth. I was brainstorming backstory elements about a Heretic Inquisitor of Iomedae in Korvosa, and couldn't make things fit the way I liked so I decided against it. I'm changing the deity to Erastil and will provide the backstory later this afternoon--working on it right now.
@DM Barcas: I am hurt, Narnel IS a ranged character...sort of... :-)
There are a lot more melee characters than ranged. Don't worry. I didn't forget anybody. Just pointing out that the competition is stiff for melee characters and semi-thick for divine casters. It is less so for ranged characters and almost none for arcane.
It would not take too much effort to change a few things around on Ruhk and instead turn him towards an arcane caster.
He could easily have made off with a spell book from his former mistress, and his life on the streets might have honed him into a fighter who studies his prize on the side.
He could become a wizard at second level and then an eldrich knight.
@Boggbear Or a magus, combining curious magical learning with natural tengu swordsmanship.
I don't really know anything about the magus, haven't got access to Ultimate Magic.
This sounds like a very interesting game--I'm at work now, but I'll see what I can come up with tonight at home.
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As an alternative if Solangus is not chosen I present Kazmuk, the LN Dwarf Sorcerer Elemental Water bloodline.
Kazmuk the Dwarf. Kazmuk the Stout. Kazmuk the Cursed. All of these and more Kazmuk has heard in his life. His family was exiled from the Five Kings Mountains for alleged dalliance with an ice devil. Kazmuk's grandfather was born half-devil, and Kazmuk's blue hair and pale blue eyes are a trace of this lineage.
His mother and father moved to Korvasa shortly before he was born, having lived in Cheliax after the death of Aroden and the rise of the Thrice Damned House of Thrune. Although it seemed a haven for those of devil blood, after the murder of his grandfather Kazmuk's family fled Cheliax for it's northern outpost, seeking a sense of normalcy amidst their flight.
Kazmuk has always had an affinity for ice and cold for it seems that his dwarven heritage protected him from the infernal blood of his grand-sire, while still granting him arcane power often unheard of among his folk. Having lived in Korvasa all his life, Kazmuk has felt the brunt of intolerance and bigotry because of his mixed blood while still gaining a sense of community from the local Chelaxians who treat his blood as a blessing.
Having been raised in strict discipline all his life by parents embittered by hardship, Kazmuk seeks order in his daily life. He has learned that love is a weapon when used by the evil, but despite his upbringing he has come to believe that a dwarf must make his own destiny. He denies that the evil in his blood must mean he is evil, and strives to be better than those who hate him.
Vil-hatarn here--I'm thinking of adapting this alias--it was for a Serpent's Skull game that didn't get far. Perhaps an Academae student, or perhaps he was rejected for reasons unknown...going to ponder for a bit, see what comes up.
Quariel
Elf (aquatic trait from APG) Wizard (water elementalist)
Alignment: CN. Quariel values his own freedom strongly, but at the moment does not spare much thought for the freedoms of others. This is likely to change over time, as he spends more time in Korvosa and sees the suffering of its people.
Statistics: moderately high strength and dexterity, very high intelligence, slightly low charisma (probably an 8)
Quariel grew up in the seclusion of Kyonin, born to a small riverside clan. His childhood was spent in the water as often as out, and when he was apprenticed to the clan's wizard, he showed remarkable affinity with water magic. The majority of his spells utilize ice or water to achieve their intended effect, whether that effect is sealing a doorway, knocking a target over, or forcing someone to drop their weapon. This affinity was even more apparent when he called his familiar; he bonded with a black river rat who he calls Reeds.
What began as a talent has become the focus of Quariel's studies. Upon completion of his training in the ways of the wizard, he departed Kyonin, the better to research the ways other races and cultures utilize the power of elemental water. His master's parting gift to him was a handmade spellbook with a water rune blazoned on the cover; Quariel records only his favorite spells in this book, keeping others on a variety of ancillary notebooks and scraps of paper. His other signature possession is a unique two-pronged spear used by his clan, a gift from his mother to see him safely through his travels.
Quariel has traveled the northern Inner Sea regions for nearly a decade, acquiring a wealth of experiences and insight into his research. He first traveled south, to the deserts of Qadira, where he harnessed the power of steam. More recently he visited northern lands and augmented his water magic with ice. He has just arrived in Korvosa, hoping to gain some knowledge at the Academae, but was rudely rejected (want to flesh this part out a little more).
DM Barcas: What are your feelings on modified spells? For example, I would describe a grease spell cast by Quariel as a sheen of ice, or a hold portal as him freezing the doorframe.
DM Barcas, do you accept multiple submissions?
Hmmm, that was interesting, and works pretty well with my idea of the concept. I'll modify my character and repost it as soon as I have a little bit of time.
Edit: Right, it's done.
If it matters, the more I look at it, the more I think I will go Rage Prophet later - which will never make me a primary caster, but still.
My table top CotCT game just died, so hopefully I'll be able to still play this character, if you're okay with me having already played parts of the first book. I'm normally not as narrative as you'd probably like, but I'm wanting to push myself, and I'd be more than happy to provide a writing sample.
Name: Rica Hismar
Race: Human, Chelaxian (Born in Korvosa)
Class: Summoner (Master Summoner)
Alignment: CN
Age: 22
Appearance: Rica is of medium height at 5'5", and has a thin, almost lanky build. Her hair is cut just above her shoulders, and is a deep black. Her eyes, however, are the most striking thing about her. They are amber, but look painfully bloodshot. Otherwise, Rica is fairly attractive, dressing in well-fitted, flattering suits and walking with a black cane. Why the cane? Because it gives her something to gesture with as she casts, and it's fancy too!
Background:
Rica was born an only child to a Chelish couple in the Heights of Korvosa, the largest city in Varisia. Her mother was minor nobility, while her father was an artisan, specializing in decorative furniture. Truth be told, Rica's parents weren't particularly keen on the idea of having a child, but they did so to satisfy her mother's family. They did little to raise Rica, letting her spend most of her time with Astin, an elvish member of the family in fealty to the Hismars. He helped raise her, along with her house servant, Lydia. Lydia and Astin were fine company, but Rica always yearned for attention from her parents. It wasn't until she was 12 that she decided that such hopes were silly, and that she should instead work to improve herself.
It was Lydia's stories of magic that first got Rica interested in the arcane arts. She told Rica of the Acadamae, and how it was where the greatest conjurers got their schooling. The idea of summoning creatures from other planes thrilled Rica like nothing else, so at the age of 17, she began begging her parents to let her enroll. Her parents were reluctant, what with rumors of the Acadamae using failing students as test subjects, but they eventually agreed, if only on the hope that Rica would make something of herself, something worthy of the Hismar name.
Luckily for Rica, the Acadamae saw that she had an inborn talent for magic, so they admitted her as a regular student. Though Rica had talent, she barely scraped by in her classes, lacking the discipline of most students. She failed in most all schools of magic besides conjuration, but she was the best conjurer in her class. She even permanently damaged her eyes once when she attempted to craft a potion, a mistake that her teachers forbid her to completely fix. Irritated by what seemed to be a lack of commitment on her part, the teachers pushed Rica into a group exercise in which she'd have to fight for her life in order to pass.
Her instructor summoned two imps, and set them on her and her fellow students. While most of the students reacted to the threat by casting magic missiles at the imps or by raising magical shields, Rica panicked as the imps seemed to focus their attention on her. She forgot everything she'd learned, and instead locked into a series of fearful thoughts. She wanted -something- to save her, -something- to protect her. To her surprise, something answered her call.
Green smoke erupted from the air in front of her, and from it came a creature that spoke to her in her mind, linking itself to her. It appeared to be a large, green canine creature with a long tail and yellow eyes. Rica's instructor dismissed the imps, and quickly ordered Rica to 'dismiss her monstrosity'. She blinked for a few moments, unsure of what to do, but somehow dug within herself to remember how to release a summon.
After that incident, Rica was kept locked in one of the empty dorm rooms for three days while the instructors and Headmaster Toff decided what to do. They had never seen someone summon a creature such as that, and a few of the teachers wanted to study Rica to see exactly what was in her that had pulled such a creature. Luckily for Rica, Headmaster Toff instead decided to study her from a distance, explaining to Rica that her talents were 'unfit for the Acadamae'. At the Acadamae, you either graduate, or you're never heard from again. There are no dropouts, so Toff letting Rica leave was a big deal, to say the least.
As for Rica's view on things, she truly believed herself to be 'too good' for the Acadamae, so she left without much of a fuss, once she realized what she could do. She found that she could summon her green companion at will, and that she could even share it's thoughts. She reveled in the control she had over it, and soon had it reduced to a whimpering slave. Little did she know that the creature was, in fact, bonded to her very soul, and was in a way a reflection of her subconscious.
Personality: Rica, at her core, wants to be noticed. If she has to gain power to achieve that end, then so be it. When she found she could summon up a large, green wolf to her side, she used that power almost to the point of abuse, having Acid follow her around wherever she went.
Rica has problems with authority and discipline, and gets by mostly on her natural talents. She would much rather prove herself at something she knows she can do than to try something she's unsure about and fail. In her mind, Rica is a master summoner, and that's all she cares to be. In this way she appears lazy, but if something catches her interest, she'll stop at nothing to see it through. She failed at everything but summoning because it didn't interest her...at least that's the way she sees it. In truth, she is in many ways immature and insecure.
Rica acts in many ways that suggest she has narcissistic personality disorder. She's confident in her abilities at summoning, and believes that she's special. Why else would Toff have let her go? Even so, she's subconsciously afraid, insecure, and self-hating. She worries that she might not be able to measure up to the image she has of who she wants to be, and a part of her hates what she's become; a haughty girl who doesn't know how to build anything meaningful in her life. Most of the time though, she quickly shoves such painful thoughts to the side. She puts a lot of work into maintaining her image, especially to herself.
Rica has a strong, commanding personality, despite having little knowledge of how to deal with people, her only friend being an introverted elf. She gets by in most social interactions with being forceful, which had a tendency to get her into trouble with her teachers. Part of her craves social interaction, but she doesn't quite know how to go about it. When meeting someone new, she tends to go on and on about herself, as if they should accept and like her by the very virtue of who she is. It's not that she's not interested in other people, she just has trouble shutting up about herself. She's used to Astin and Lydia nodding and accepting whatever she says, so when people confront her, she doesn't know how to react.
Deep down, Rica knows there's something wrong with her, but she's afraid to examine herself to find out what that is.
Notes: I haven't read Academy of Secrets yet, so if the backstory contradicts anything from there, I apologize, and am willing to change it. I made her ability as a summoner rare based on a comment by James Jacobs a while a go stating that summoners didn't really have a set place in Golarion yet. I'm thinking of having her be of the master summoner archetype, to better reflect her interest in summoning many different types of creatures as opposed to forging a relationship with her eidolon.
Motivation?: Rica revels in attention, so I could easily see her doing something that amounted to near-treason, especially if there was some sort of reward in it for her.
@Nazard & Balodek I normally don't allow multiple characters. You've got to pick a horse and back it! (Though that doesn't preclude anyone, as has happened a few times over the course of this recruitment, from starting over.) Balodek, tell me which one you prefer and I'll include it in the spreadsheet.
Senjin Senjin's original campaign looks to be recruiting for a new DM. If so, do you want to submit a different character or resign in that one? Is he a ranged or melee character? If he gets a hippogriff to ride, which will he be? Has he ever thought that perhaps the Sable Company is "better" than the Guard because they have the benefit of not being down in the trenches? Law enforcement (which is what the Sable Company is, though they also engage in military defense) is akin to a gang, though one that sees itself as better than the criminals because of laws and morals. (Gangs, though, are a surprisingly lawful bunch in the non-traditional sense of the word. They have set hierarchies and rules and traditions. They simply have a different opinion on what the legitimate authority is.) They're also the biggest and baddest of gangs, mobilizing resources that criminal gangs could only dream of. (This does not hold true in failed, corrupt locales.)
@Alistair That's the idea. Hopefully it makes everyone (myself included) better at this great game. Play-by-post is a medium that really lets you stretch a character to their maximum potential.
@Gathien I must have been tired when I wrote that last one. I don't know why I thought that they were wrong.
@Pruitt Korvosa is a cosmopolitan city. Does Pruitt keep his opinions to himself, his close friends, or anyone who will listen? Has it been a strain on his relationships with his fellow soldiers, a small number of whom are nonhuman? Has he ever made, or is currently making, an exception that he says "isn't like the others"?
@Lorelai Has she made any progress thus far at finding the nobleman? Has she made any effort? How does she deal with men in general? Does she have any hope for romance, or did belief in love die in that room? Where's her mother now? If she is LN instead of CN, how does that change her personality?
@Alyosha Considering his advocacy for the poor, especially in Old Korvosa, House Arkona would likely want to take him on as his patron. Their strange combination of philanthropy and criminal activity is well-known, if not commonly spoken of. How would he respond to such an offer? What kind of spells does he know?
@Sebastian Creed How did he deal with the world before his father's death? Does he have any friends in Korvosa, people to help him grieve? What did he do to "work for a living"?
@Ruhk Isn't there another tengu avatar? That one... It makes me think of a half-fiend ostrich. Magus doesn't need TWF, not if you want to cast spells. Why did he steal the book? Since he's proficient, he may want to use something more exotic like a falcata. What sort of jobs has he been accepting?
@Quariel I'm fine with cosmetic changes to spells. What caused the Academae to reject him? What is his personality like? Why was he drawn to ice, especially in Kyonin? Korvosa is a coastal city, so you'd get some benefit out of aquatic traits.
@Rica Hismar Does she summon the devilish creatures that the Academae tends to favor, or does she have other things that she summons? What is the current status of her eyes? She sounds like she could slip into CE if she isn't careful. Does she tend to utilize the summons and leave Acid in his home plane, or is Acid her primary combatant? What do her parents think of it, if they know? Does she ever consider that she has basically enslaved a sentient creature, or is it another one of the things that she doesn't think about?
@Everyone The way that I do this is that I assign scores to each character's backstory (up to 10), potential hooks (up to 5), and writing style (up to 10). So far, the highest backstory is 8 and the lowest is 3. The hooks go from 1 to 5. Writing style has ranged from 10 to 3. After I have tallied everyone's score, I rank them numerically. The current top score is 23, with 2 19s, 4 18s, 1 17, and 2 16s. (The average score is 16.1.) These numbers are subject to change as the process continues. The top two or three, depending on how mechanically different they are, will get selected. The remaining party slots will generally be filled by role, diversity, or alignment from the next five or six. It's a delicate art, but I think I generally put together really solid parties. I may have one more round of questions if I find the time tomorrow. I'll probably pick late Friday night so I can write an introductory post before my work week starts.
CURRENT APPLICANTS
Lucadeno Jeggare, CG Human Male Oracle (Veils)
Elrithrathiel, CN Elf Female Rogue (Sniper)
Narnel Falerathon, CN Elf Male Rogue (Sniper)
Gathien Toran, CG Halfling Male Barbarian (Elemental Kin)
Grusk, N Half-Orc Summoner
Pruitt Nellis, LN Half-Elf Male Ranger (Urban Ranger)
Senjin, NG Human Male Ranger (Skirmisher)
Alyosha Baradin, CG Human Male Witch
Alejandro Endrin, LG Human Male Fighter (Weapon Master)
Lorelei, CN Human Female Fighter
Alistair Corinth, CG Human Male Inquisitor of Milani
Ruhk "The Dandy", CN Tengu Male Magus
Tristain the Chalker, NG Half-Elf Druid (Urban Druid)
Sebastian Creed, CG Human Male Fighter
Quariel, CN Elf Male Wizard
Rica Hismar, CN Human Female Summoner
Just for completion's sake, can everybody answer the following questions for my chart? (Even if it's somewhere else in the profile or thread, I'd appreciate having it in one easy place.) For Projected Build, it's not a contract or a promise, just an idea where you might want to take the character. For Personality, try to keep it to one or two words, three at the max. As for Concept, you get a whole five words! If you have them, I'd appreciate a link to some of your writing on the boards. (If not, don't worry. We can work around that.)
Name:
Race:
Gender:
Age:
Class:
Alignment:
Projected Build:
Combat Role:
Personality:
Primary Deity:
Concept:
Name: Quariel
Race: Elf
Gender: Male
Age: 143
Class: Wizard (water elementalist)
Alignment: CN
Projected Build: 100% wizard
Combat Role: battlefield control and support
Personality: adventurous
Primary Deity: Gozreh
Concept: itinerant water wizard/sailor
And a revised description below the spoiler:
Quariel grew up in the seclusion of Kyonin, born to a small riverside clan. His childhood was spent in the water as often as out, and when he was apprenticed to the clan's wizard, he showed remarkable affinity with water magic. He chose for his familiar a river rat, a creature as at home in the water as himself.
As his studies continued, Quariel grew more and more restless, feeling pent up like water behind a dam. The sound of the nearby river filled his dreams, its current calling him to faraway lands where he might research water magic in all its forms. His master's parting gift was a new spellbook, bearing a rich blue cover emblazoned with a rune for water. Quariel records only his favorite spells in this book, the others scattered between ancillary notebooks and scraps of paper. His other signature possession is a clan spear, a gift from his family to keep him safe. The loss of either would be devastating to him; they are his only link to Kyonin, which he has yet to return to.
It has been a decade since Quariel departed Kyonin. In his travels, he has acquired a wealth of experiences and knowledge, as well as becoming a competent sailor. His most recent stop was the Land of the Linnorm Kings, where he harnessed the power of ice, greatly increasing his spell repertoire. From the northern lands, he gained passage to Korvosa on the cargo ship Blue Trident serving as a ship's wizard. He hoped to study the Acadamae's libraries, rumored to hold ancient treatises on the nature of elemental water. Here, however, he ran afoul of the school's elitist admissions officers, who were less than impressed by the salt-encrusted elf and ejected him from the Acadamae grounds. A sailor through and through, he reacted to this disappointment by heading to the nearest tavern. The beginning of the adventure might find him either at the tavern that night, or severely hungover the following morning.
Most of the time, Quariel is fairly quiet, talking as much to his familiar as anyone else. A couple of drinks makes him much more outspoken, which has on occasion gotten him into trouble. Even among other elves, he is known for unpredictably changing moods, which can bewilder non-elves attempting to hold a conversation with him. His thought processes reflect his favored element, and an innocent comment can easily remind him of long-lost friends and his distant family.
Guidelines I'd use to rework his stats: positive Str and Con modifiers required, Cha and maybe Wis slightly negative. Keep Breadth of Experience. Keep profession (sailor), swim, add climb. Could I repurpose the 'Jenivere crew' trait, as it's where he's getting Swim as a class skill from?
For writing sample, I would recommend looking at my character Aeldris Caresti, here.
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Race-Human (Chelaxian).
Gender-Male.
Age-23.
Class-Fighter (Weapon Master).
Alignment-LG.
Projected Build-Full Weapon Master Archetype.
Combat Role-Heavy Hitter / Damage Sponge.
Personality-Kind, understanding and stubborn.
Primary Deity-Iomedae.
Concept-Noble warrior with golden heart.
Also, just to make it easier, here is a list of all the PbP's I am currently a part of-
GM Levi's Eberron PbP-Darius
GM Ringtail's RotRL-Flitter
GM Jonasty's WoT PbP-Lain
DM Ryuko's CC-Olav
The_Grinning_Dm's Kingmaker-Zalana
GM Pentor's Mercenary PbP-Pvt Fury
@Lorelai Has she made any progress thus far at finding the nobleman? Has she made any effort? How does she deal with men in general? Does she have any hope for romance, or did belief in love die in that room? Where's her mother now? If she is LN instead of CN, how does that change her personality?
She has managed to track down the name of the house associated with the coat-of-arms she saw, but has not been able to find the name of the individual yet.
She still has hope for romance, but feels that her scars ruin her appearence and feels that no one would love her looking like she does and also worries that she'll never be able to trust anyone again. She has not been intimate with anyone since that night and is not sure how she would handle being intimate with someone now.
Her mother died when she was from a severe illness when she was 15 years old. The master of the house kept Lorelei on as an employee.
I was thinking that LN might actually suit her personality better.
Name: Lorelei
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Class: Fighter
Alignment: LN
Projected Build: straight Fighter
Combat Role: upfront melee
Personality: Shy in social situation, but not in battle.
Primary Deity: The Lady in the Room
Concept: Former prostitute turned fighter
I haven't made extensive posts yet, but hopefully you can get an idea of my style. You can check out my writing as DMWaterSprite here: http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/community/gaming/playByPost/waterSprit esSeafarersOfGalorian
Name: Gathien Toran
Race: Halfling
Gender: Male
Age: 18
Class: Barbarian (Elemental Kin)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Projected Build: Flame Oracle/Rage Prophet
Combat Role: Mobile Switch-Hitter (Later, secondary heal/buffer)
Personality: Protective / Rebellious
Primary Deity: Cayden Cailean (Freedom)
Concept: Underestimated; now finding his power
Well, the two weapon fighting fits well into Ruhks personality. Because he has endured a lot of physical pain in his past, he is...not a coward exactly, but unwilling to risk pain if he thinks he can take down a foe fast. As such he carries daggers to throw and two short swords. In a battle where he feels the enemy is not too defensively capable, he will draw both swords and try to take the foe down with a fast flurry of attacks before it can retaliate. The longsword (or Falcata or bastard sword or whatnot) is for when he faces a foe he cannot treat in such a way. Then he will draw his "main weapon" and attack with either it and a spell, or holding it two handed.
Ruhk is not as resilient as many other combatants, as such, he focuses on tactics and is more than willing to walk into battle AFTER others has joined it.
The reason he stole the book was mainly as a form of revenge. After his mistress thought him sufficiently broken, she would often taunt him. She would leave daggers on tables in clear view for him, even when entertaining guests. Tempting him to strike back, secure in her knowledge that he was too broken to try.
As Ruhk noticed how much she cared about her books, scrolls and other such things, he swept up the book he thought was her favourite as he ran, trying to recover a little bit of his pride in the process.
The Falcata is a nice idea, but in keeping with Ruhks wish to avoid pain, maybe the Urumi would be a better weapon as it has reach but can still be used against foes up close. Is the Urumi swordlike enough to count into the natural swordsmanship of the Tengu? Otherwise I’ll make a Falcata his main weapon instead.
Ruhk has mainly been brought in on jobs where the opposition is expected to be a little tougher. More than once, his exotic looks and a quick spell has been enough to shatter morale on the other side.
In the shadows, not many true wizards work.
In addition, because of his ability to detect magic, Ruhk has helped break into places where magical wards could be expected.
Name: Ruhk “The Dandy”
Race: Tengu
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Class: Magus
Alignment: C/N
Projected Build: Full magus
Combat Role: Secondary fighter, offensive spellcaster, arcane lore.
Most likely go into battle last, focus on finishing of damaged foes first. Avoiding one to one combat if at all possible.
Personality: Conflicted
Primary Deity: none
Concept: Tortured soul seeking redemption (unwittingly)
Name: Lucadeno Jeggare aka Luca the Gull aka Indrio Brusar
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Class: Oracle (Veils)
Alignment: LN
Projected Build: Straight oracle, a mixture of combat and spells, and lots of shapechanging and trickery magic at later levels.
Combat Role: Secondary combatant, healer.
Personality: Courteous, or Gregarious, or Fanatical.
Primary Deity: Sivannah, Erastil and Abadar.
Concept: Crippled informant and noble son.
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Ah, sorry, this line "If anyone wants to submit more characters, I'm still undecided on several spots." threw me off. Please only consider my first submission, the fighter.
Name: Solangus Wintrish
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Gender: Male
Age: 21
Class: Fighter (Polearm Master)
Alignment: LE (could be LN as written if LE is not allowed)
Projected Build: Fighter/Hellknight
Combat Role: Heavy Armor melee with damage output and tripping
Personality: Personable but untrusting, dedicated to the law
Primary Deity: Asmodeus
Concept: Aspiring Hellknight who follows orders to the letter and wants to see Cheliax on the throne of Korvasa, backed by the Order of the Nail
Name: Narnel Falerathon
Race: Elf
Gender: Male
Age: 158 years Old
Class: Rogue (Sniper)
Alignment: CN
Projected Build: Full Rogue Build with the sniper archetype. No plan for multi-classing or prestige classes.
Combat Role: Ranged combatant, making use of stealth and high initiative modifier for sneak atack damage. In melee, will build towards finesse with rapier and bluffs to gain sneak attack damage.
Personality: Self-Centered and vain.
Primary Deity: Calistria
Concept: Fame and fortune through rebellion!
DM Barcas:
How did he deal with the world before his father's death? Since his father was so hard on him, with training and such high expectations, Creed lost himself in booze and women, seeking the affection he never received from his father in short-term dalliances with members of the fair sex (with his 12 Charisma and muscular nature, it was not hard for him to find company).
Does he have any friends in Korvosa, people to help him grieve? Though he enjoyed his lifestyle, when his father died, there was no female companion to help him grieve and no family. His only "friends" were his weapon trainers paid by his father but they were more mentors. In this huge cosmopolitan city, he felt alone, sank into depression, and almost committed suicide. However, as he stood on the roof of that building about to jump, bottle of alcohol in hand, he looked out over the city and saw the King's Palace sitting atop the pyramid and realized he could not die without first seeking vengeance.
What did he do to "work for a living"? Due to his heavy drinking and womanizing, Creed never held down a job for long and was fired from many places of employment for non-appearance. He did find work as a guard at a local mercantile warehouse, which was the steadiest employment he could find that paid enough to pay the rent, and buy food and drink. We can rationale that his starting gold in game is the inheritance he received after his father's death.
Name: Sebastian Creed
Race: Human (Korvosan)
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Class: Fighter (Polearm Master)
Alignment: CG
Projected Build: Fighter all the way
Combat Role: Front line, tripper
Personality: Vengeful, Reckless
Primary Deity: Cayden Cailean
Concept: Adventures for vengeance and redemption
Writing sample: My PbP
Name: Elrithrathiel (Elrith)
Race: elf
Sex: Female
Age: 136
Class: Sniper/Scout (Rogue)
Alingment: CN
Projected Build: rogue. May take some levels in assassin if it makes sense for the character.
Combat Role: archery support and scouting
Personality: cold, calculating, sneaky, but loyal and not deliberately mean-spirited
Primary Deity: Erastil
Concept: sniper with developing god complex
PbP Samples: My urban PBP
My favorite current character (Gilfroy Fezziwig)
Me playing a low Charisma character (Ryarg Gravemaker)
I'm looking at other peoples answers and see too many fighters and rogues. I'm moving around stats and making Lorelei a Cleric of Calistria. The main difference in her backstory will be that she ran away from the brothel when she realized no one there would help her get justice for what was done to her and acted like it was his right as a noble to do as he pleased. She found refuge at the local temple to Calistria.
Race: Halfling
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Class: Oracle
Alignment: CN (going to change to CE during the campaign)
Projected Build: Oracle of Flame bomb, probably not gonna multiclass. Gonna get buffs as a secondary thing.
Combat Role: Bomb spellcaster/little bit of buffs.
Personality: He's gonna start out as mostly a nice guy, but quick to anger. However, as the story moves on, he'll become less nice, and more sadistic. There might be a point where he realizes what's happening, and tries to confront the evil.
Primary Deity: Gozreh, as a sailor.
Concept: A simple and cheerful sailor who encounters an outsider that grants him powers, but slowly takes away his humanity.
Also, I'm offended that I'm not on your list. :P (not really)
Name: Alistair Corinth
Race: Half-Varisian, Half-Chelaxian Human
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Class: Inquisitor of Milani (Preacher archetype)
Alignment: CG
Projected Build: Straight inquisitor
Combat Role: Leaning towards ranged support at the moment.
Personality: Resolute, Emphatic, (mildly) Naive
Primary Deity: Milani
Concept: Save the People with Revolution
Samples:
DM for Rise of the Runelords
DM for Curse of the Crimson Throne
Tarith Ordin in Kingmaker
I have more, but I believe those are the best. Unfortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to really let a character shine just yet. This game would be the second PbP I am active in (the first two having died) along with the two games I DM.
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Teach me to read instructions right after waking up. Concept shortened and links added to writing.
Name: Solangus Wintrish
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Gender: Male
Age: 21
Class: Fighter (Polearm Master)
Alignment: LE (could be LN as written if LE is not allowed)
Projected Build: Fighter/Hellknight
Combat Role: Heavy Armor melee with damage output and tripping
Personality: Personable Untrusting Honorable
Primary Deity: Asmodeus
Concept: Aspiring Hellknight Order of the Nail
Finneas Glen, my first PbP character
Going to go with the Theologian Archetype since it specifies that you focus on one aspect of your deity and since Lorelei is focused on revenge, that makes sense for her to take.
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Name: Tristain Stone, aka Tristain the Chalker
Race: Half-elf
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Class: Druid (Urban)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Projected Build: Urban Druid X, pure spellcaster
Combat Role: Spellcaster, Buffer
Personality: Energetic, Talkative, Artistic
Primary Deity: Shelyn, but really the city itself
Concept: Druidic Guardian of Living Korvosa.
I enjoy PbPs, I would love to play in your game.
Appario Lind, Soldier of the Church of Abadar
Kast Phaer, a knight to be
Wren the Feathermage
Also, I'm offended that I'm not on your list. :P (not really)
You're in the spreadsheet. That list is more for everyone else's benefit than mine, thus I'm not quite as vigilant about updating it as I am the master spreadsheet.
Name: Senjin
Race: Shoanti
Gender: Male
Age: 21
Class: Ranger (Skirmisher/Sable Company Marine)
Alignment: LG(?) See below
Projected Build: 100% Ranger
Combat Role: Switch-hitter (Archer - 2 Handed Weapon) Ranged Support - backup Frontline Fighter; later aerial mount possibilities.
Personality: Protective, Eager
Primary Deity: Desna (but they haven't been formally introduced)
Concept: Street urchin does good
1) I definitely feel a little guilty shopping Senjin around, but that game is currently dead with a slim chance of revival. If I had played through the AP before, I might just see what happens. But I can only experience the AP for the first time once. At this point I would like to hitch my wagon to a proven and creative DM, then pass on this opportunity to potentially limp along with a third temporary DM. (you posted this about 2 weeks too early as either that game would really be dead-dead, or we found a new dm :-) ) I have emotionally invested in the character and would like a chance to see it grow. If selected, I would withdraw Senjin from the previous game (At this point when I think Korvosa, I think Senjin..I tried for 10 min. to think of a potential replacement character and nothing came to me). That game is trying to fill a player slot too as well as a DM, so I would add to it I guess. If not selected I will try to rally that previous game from the ashes.
2) He is currently a switch hitting ranger. He originally started off with a two-handed weapon ranger build but planned on taking archery feats with his free feats. That can be switched depending on party need with archery first-front line support second. Weapon loadout is not an important part of this character. He was not really supposed to be THE front line fighter, but the other campaign lost its paladin and he had to step up. This applies to the Hippogriff too. That was a far away goal (actually, that archetype didn't exist when I started this character) But archery there would probably make more sense too. I thought it more like cool transportation because I didn't know if the AP supported the use of mounts much. Oh...favored enemy will likely be human at 1st level from his gang activity.
3) To paraphrase - "He must be a King because he doesn't have sh*t all over him" Yeah, he definitely likes that the Marines are 'above' it all. Protecting the city, is something Senjin can aspire too. The fighting he does enjoy on a certain level, and to have it sanctioned and against those who want to harm the city and its citizen's - that's gravy. Kicking in doors of petty criminals not so much. Although as he knows full well, that there are some dangerous people down there. But he escaped all that..hadn't he? He can feel the draw (guilt?) that he left others behind. But does he risk his future by getting involved? Does he risk those he wants to help? Like you mentioned earlier, the Marines know he is a street urchin. He knows his gang past would not reflect well with the Marines, but if it does not remain his past and becomes his present..I could see the Outsiders potentially trying to blackmail him, or try to make nice and corrupt him, or threaten his friends to at least get his cooperation. All interesting hooks...feel free :-)
4) Gangs and Alignment. He definitely likes the family feel of the barracks. Living , eating, fighting together. That appeals as a substitute for the families he has lost. You make a good point and I can see him even being LG, but it definitely would not be lawful stupid. It would be a code that he lives by, not that he wants to strictly enforce the laws of the land. He can respect the laws and appreciate what they are there to do, but he is no Judge Dread. Definitely Good, and then either Neutral with Lawful tendencies or Lawful to oneself
ok thats enough for now, back to work for me. take care
@Pruitt Korvosa is a cosmopolitan city. Does Pruitt keep his opinions to himself, his close friends, or anyone who will listen? Has it been a strain on his relationships with his fellow soldiers, a small number of whom are nonhuman? Has he ever made, or is currently making, an exception that he says "isn't like the others"?
Pruitt knows that he can't just spew bile amongst the ranks. He manages to only work with Human or other purebreds in the guard, and he has a few friends he knows share in his philosophy. Some are the younger generations of the friends that his grandfather started with, kind of that whole cop families that grew up together sort of thing. There's others in the guard that know he has predjudices, but like him they tend to avoid working together. He doesn't have any exceptions, as of yet, since he has never given any the opportunity to prove themselves to him.
Name: Pruitt Melburgen IV
Race: Half-Elf
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Class: Urban Ranger
Alignment: LN
Projected Build: Rgr/Sor to maybe Eldritch Knight or Arcane Archer
Combat Role: Melee Caster (weapon attacks and touch spells)
Personality: Stern, Rigid
Primary Deity: Abadar
Concept: Half-breed Racist becomes accepting
Writing examples (these are the ones that I did after my last entries into your campaigns)
Tyrus Julty
Holbrecht Bastionne
Durvin Tamish
Delia Pilachet
Answers
Name: Grusk Tan'hul
Race: Half-orc
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Class: Summoner
Alignment: TN
Projected Build: Summoner for single level, then rogue, then ranger
Combat Role: melee rogue
Personality: Eager to make friends
Primary Deity: Gozreh
Concept: Loner who ends up seeking companionship through innate talents of summoning but quickly decides he needs others.
While I review my spreadsheet and get ready for my final round of questions (expect them in about four hours), I'm really impressed by the entries. I feel that I could conceivably use a random selection of 6 players and find a great bunch. It's a pity I can't make an 18 person party, or that I don't have the time to run three more groups simultaneously.
Once I have my final questions up, one more round of comments and then everyone is locked into their entry. I'll pick tonight around midnight (10 hours from now).
I'd like to say that I'm interested, albeit in a little late. I'm working on an Elven Monk of the Lotus, I think it'll offer alot of rich RP opportunities. I'll post a write up in the next couple hours, any questions or comments would be great, thanks.
Are you okay with alternative racial traits? I'd like to take Lightbringer.
Ack, you're grading me on my writing! The whole time I was crafting Alyosha I was bemoaning the degradation of my writing skills. Oh well. If you want some sample writing from another campaign, I played Agnatha in the Kingmaker campaign that Pruitt and DukeRuckley were in.
Alyosha would leap at the opportunity to align himself with House Arkona. They are influential and rich and–with his help–the house would have the chance to a do some good for the poor of Korvosa.
In other words, Alyosha's capacity for self-deception is as powerful as his capacity to deceive others. If given the chance to work with Arkona, Alyosha would work vigorously to overlook any of the house's more criminal activities. If he was put in a position where he couldn't overlook such activities, he might just invent some sort of excuse for them.
Eventually, Alyosha might wake up to what he is doing and who he is becoming, but right now he is a bit intoxicated with the opportunities that have opened up for him. One of the questions I have for him, one of the things that I would like to find out if given the chance to play him, is how far Alyosha is willing to go, how many of his ideals is he willing to sacrifice, to secure a comfortable, successful life for himself.
I don't know. It would be something I would discover by interacting with the other player characters and the world of Korvosa.
As for spells, currently I plan on him using enchantment spells quite a bit, with a side of illusions. I assume such spells would fit better in a city campaign and take advantage of the Rakshasa bloodline's emphasis on secrecy. I am, however, a bit annoyed that the bloodline gives Charm Person as a bonus spell at 3rd level. That seems like a spell Alyosha should have access to from the start.
Okay, I know I'm pushing it on the late side... but I've been busy of late, and trying to keep up on my PbP's while writing out 43 years of Winston's life was a bit of a chore (current PbP's took precedence :P). The backstory is a bit long, but I think I glossed over it as much as I could without leaving a bunch of gaping holes. I'd of course appreciate any comments, but I understand completely if it's too late for that and I have to throw my application in without any feedback. Also, I have a mostly-completed character sheet ready, but I wanted to get this out there and not risk me missing the deadline. I gave you the bare bones, but if you have any specific questions about the first level build, please ask: I probably already know the answer.
All that being said, I want to say that after skimming through many of the character concepts in this thread and the questions DM Barcas has posed in return, this is one of the highest quality recruitment threads for a PbP I've ever seen. Congratulations DM Barcas, I think you're going to have an awesome game on your hands no matter who you choose :)
Str: 12 (13 - 1), Dex: 14 (15 - 1), Con: 10 (11 - 1), Int: 14 (13 + 1), Wis: 18 (15 + 1 + 2), Cha: 13 (12 + 1)
Traits: World Explorer (Knowledge Local) for sure, then Without a Past (Linguistics) OR Erastil's Speaker (Diplomacy)
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Winston Chareth was born to his mother and father, Bree and Dastan Chareth, in the Midlands only six seconds after his identical brother, Harold. The two of them spent their childhood in Korvosa until their parents decided the city life was too dangerous a place for the young twins. The family sold most of their possessions and moved to the countryside surrounding the village of Harse, where they purchased a farmhouse and spent the next two decades living off the land's bounty and appreciating the finer gifts of a rural community--where civilization was but a distant problem with an unimaginable solution, but it did not worry the family because they felt safe in their sanctuary.
Winston and Harold were the closest of friends, and both of them dedicated their lives at a young age to Erastil. They became farmers and hunters, relying on the wilderness to survive and eventually flourish. As their parents grew older, they took on more and more responsibilities at the farm house, and became known in their community as a family of good, kindred spirits. Their neighbors appreciated their company, and often came to the Chareth family for help when problems arose among the local community. They held no title but the one granted by mutual respect, and were perfectly content with it.
One evening, when the twins were nearly 24, a caravan of travelers passed through Harse, returning to Korvosa. Dastan Chareth was in town at the time, and overheard the caravan master ask a tavern keeper if they had room for almost twenty guests: one of the wagon's had broken down just outside of town, and they were worried that it might not make it to Korvosa without permanent damage. The man was informed that nearly all of the rooms were full. Being a kind and generous gentleman, Dastan invited the caravan master to bring his people out to the Chareth residence, where they could spend a comfortable and safe night in the family's barn, free of cost. After discussing this over with the caravan, they agreed to spend the night. It was this fateful caravan, and a beautiful girl who accompanied them, that eventually caused the Chareth brothers to be driven permanently apart.
Her name was Samia, and she was the daughter of a priest of Abadar. She had been visiting distant relatives and was returning to Korvosa after being gone for almost a year. Winston and Harold fell in love with her that fateful evening, and they both promised to themselves that one day they would travel to Korvosa and try to win her hand in marriage. Neither of them disclosed these plans, and the tragedy that was forming was not to be revealed for many months. Harold acted on his love first, declaring to the family that he had been called by Erastil to service in a dream, and had to move to Korvosa for some time and visit the small church established in Old Korvosa. What he did not tell them, however, was that he did not plan to return without Samia on his arm.
The family mourned the temporary loss of Harold, but of course could do nothing to prevent him from going. They did not even ask it of him--it was obvious his mind was made up. Harold moved to Old Korvosa and found a small place he began renting using what little savings he had. After a week, he had visited Samia and she remembered him fondly. Within a month he was courting her, and they had become very happy. It wasn't long, Harold thought to himself, before he would ask Samia to marry him and return to the farmhouse to meet the family.
Winston felt at a loss without his brother there, especially with thoughts about Samia muddling his mind, and his parents noticed it. One day Bree, his mother, approached him and told him that she and Dastan thought he should go visit his brother in Old Korvosa for a week. They could handle the farm well enough, they told him. He thanked them for their generosity, and wrote to his brother that he was planning the trip. When the day of Winston's visit finally arrived, he called upon his brother at his humble flat to find
him talking flirtatiously to someone in the washroom. "Excuse me, brother," he told Winston, still ignorant of his brother's love for his lover, "You remember Samia, don't know?" The girl, wrapped in a bathrobe, exited the bathroom, and Winston recognized her instantly as the woman he loved.
He excused himself that evening, heartbroken but unable to express it in fear of causing a terrible scene, and returned home that evening to pack his bags. He slipped into the house by cover of nightfall, and there he wrote two letters: one to his parents, and one to his brother. He explained the situation in its entirety, and told them he was leaving for fear of driving the family apart if he stayed. Leaving the letter on the kitchen table for his family, he then returned to Korvosa and hand-delivered the letter to his brother's flat before heading to the docks and finding passage to anywhere but home. At the door, instead of Harold as he expected, Winston was surprised to be greeted by Samia herself. "Harold isn't home, Winston, but can I help you with anything?" she asked him. He handed her the letter and said, "Make sure he gets this: I haven't time to explain." If the heavy backpack packed full with the supplies of a homeless traveler didn't give him away, the tears in his eyes surely would have.
He fled Old Korvosa to the docks and began speaking to ships' captains, searching for a reasonable charter. After an hour of deliberations, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and was confronted with Samia herself once more. "You can't leave," she told him, "I read the letter." He looked painfully at her as she explained, "That night so many moons ago, when I first met you and your brother, I too fell in love: with you, Winston, with you. But when your brother called on me and we met here in the city for the first time, I was so taken with him that my love grew for him as well. I did not expect it, but I cannot deny it. And if you leave, you will tear your family apart," she pleaded, "You know it to be true."
"Be that as it may, but I love you and I could not exist around you knowing that you have chosen my brother over me, and," he said through bleary eyes with a passion he'd never felt before, "I love my brother, and I could never live knowing that he knows of my love for you. We would be driven apart anyway, and it would be even more painful. No, I must leave. My parents can handle the farm, and they could hire local boys for the extra farmhands using the money they would have used just to keep me fed." He could not be reasoned with, and the longer he lingered the more it hurt. Eventually, Samia left and Winston fled upon the nearest boat accepting passengers, and had left Korvosa in less than an hour. His destination: Kaer Maga, the city of anarchy.
The following years left Winston jaded. He accepted work where he could find it, advertising his skills as a handy worker who was good with people, farm tools, and the longbow. He wrote home before long, telling them he was okay and learning a lot. He gave them temporary addresses each time he wrote them, but he was moving so often most of the letters never reached him. The letters that did, he sealed in his journal and kept, reading them whenever times were difficult. And times grew more and more difficult indeed in Kaer Maga: his community-building skills served little purpose without the universal laws to keep them relevant, and he had to resort more and more to vigilantism. His prayers to Erastil grew darker and darker as the sights he saw grew more painful and often more gruesome.
In one of the letters that reached him from his parents, Winston read that Harold and Samia had gotten married, but had not moved back to the farmhouse. Samia had become a cleric of Abadar and Winston of Erastil, and together they were working in Old Korvosa to maintain order and a safe community. Inspired, despite the painful pang of jealousy of his brother, Winston decided his time in Kaer Maga had come to an end. He had done his best, and he had helped good people in need where he could (mostly through political guile and the occasional hinting of violence), but he finally realized that there was nothing for him in Kaer Maga. He joined a cross-country caravan and began sightseeing the old fashioned way: on foot and going slowly.
Winston spent the next many years travelling, avoiding conflict whenever possible. His contact with his family was cut off completely for almost six years while he traveled, but he thought of them often. He learned a lot about Varisia and its varying cultures during that time, and he also gained a fascination with linguistics. Beginning with Varisian, and then Elven, Winston's thirst for new languages seemed it could not be satisfied. And as he went up in the years, his mind sharpened with experience and the wisdom of an older man--though he began to notice how his once-young body was slowly deteriorating. Nevermind that his questions were still unanswered, he told himself, and his wanderlust was still unfulfilled. He knew there was a calling for him out there, somewhere.
Eventually Winston settled down in yet another city of chaos and crime: Riddleport. Here he spent the last few years before his return to Korvosa. He established contact with his family again, giving them a new address where he could be written to. They wrote him fondly, explaining how Dastan and Bree had grown too old to run the farmhouse alone, and while Harold and Samia were too busy with their work in the city (and raising their beautiful baby boy!) to help, the elder Chareths had sure enough found some farm hands they could afford, and were living quite comfortably at the farmhouse in Harse. Winston went through several jobs in Riddleport, but his main goal was always solving the problems of the good people he met and eventually learned to love. Winston had finally perfected the role of a community's cornerstone, and had done so by avoiding direct confrontation with most of the potentially-dangerous problems that arose (of which there were many in the notorious city of pirates and gamblers).
Life was going well for the now-aged Winston Chareth, until one fateful day he received a letter from Bree that turned his world upside down. Harold and Samia and even their child had been brutally murdered in their home; their killers were believed to be a local gang that disliked the way they had been enforcing laws in an often lawless place. Things in Korvosa were getting worse, and often violent. Winston was devastated. He packed his things and, with only a few words of farewell to his friends in Riddleport, he got on the soonest charter to Korvosa. He would take the lessons he'd learned over the past two decades and pick up where his brother and his wife, the love of Winston's life, had left off. He would find their killers, and bring them to justice. He would serve the people of Korvosa, as he had learned to do his entire life. After an impossibly long journey, he was finally returning home.
Name: Winston Chareth
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Class: Inquisitor (Heretic)
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Projected Build: Pure Inquisitor for now, though maybe a dip into Cleric or Urban Ranger depending on the direction of the campaign. Will have a big focus on out of combat utility: Heal, Linguistics, Survival, Bluff, etc.
Combat Role: Ranged support (longbow), back up healing, stealthy scout.
Personality: Extroverted, kind, jaded.
Primary Deity: Erastil
Concept: Avenge brother, help Korvosan community.
Rupert Hentzau in motteditor's Kingmaker Campaign.
Kirk Spearborn in DM Zyren's gothic Heart of Light Campaign.
Bonzo Rozer in DM Zyren's spelunking Heart of Darkness Campaign.
I have been a player in the first two campaigns since the beginning, but my character only appears about halfway through the third campaign.
EDIT: I have a friend's birthday party to attend tonight... I may or may not be able to answer any questions once they're posted. I'll do my damndest, though.