| DM Easy |
Greetings and salutations everyone!
I am looking for a group of 5 rather courageous individuals for my homebrewn campaign. I am currently working on the project, so everything isn't fleshed out just yet. The story is completed, so I just have to write it all down and create maps and what not.
I recently finished what I need for the first chapter, so in truth; I'm searching for players that are in this for the long haul and want to explore the crossroad-realm of Prism with me. I think that it will be easier for me to fill in the gaps if I just throw the campaign out there, and see how players respond to it so far.
Creation Guidelines:
20 Point Buy, not lower than 8 and not higher than 18.
Standard Starting wealth.
Books allowed: CRB, APG, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Magic and Ultimate Equipment.
Roles: 1 Frontliner, 1 Healer, 1 Arcanist, 1 Trap-Finder, 1 Random.
Traits: 1 Normal, 1 Campaign.
Background: Use the player's guide and information in this post to create your background story. Who you where before might not matter much on the crossroad plane, but it matters for when and if you're selected.
No evil characters, if you please. I am not experienced enough to handle something like that.
Information about me as a DM: I've never done it before. I'm playing multiple PBP campaigns at the moment, enjoying each one as much as the next. I'm not 100% on all the rules yet, but I'm willing to take it slow and steady if you guys are. As such, I am looking for semi-experienced players.
I live in the EU, so my posting times are based upon that piece of information.
If I screw up or do something out of order/don't explain things well enough - let me know in the discussion thread once the game starts. I'm here hoping to learn and improve, in addition to work on my homebrew. I'm a patient guy, so here's to hoping the lot of you are as well. If I at some point end up unable to keep the lot of you interested, let me know as well. I don't have too much confidence as a DM to expect too much from myself, but be sure to know that I will do my utmost to keep you entertained.
I have no idea how to make maps, so we might not be using any - even for combat. It all depends on how far I get on the campaign, and how much spare time I have to create maps and learn how to do so.
If this sounds interesting to you, please use this bare-buckled player's guide when you create your characters:
In this Adventure Path, you and your fellow adventurers help unravel the Planar-Plague ravaging the crossroad-plane of Prism, explore the wast city of Door and do battle against one of the more prominent people of Prism. But before you set off on this quest, this guide will prepare you for the challenges you and your companions will surely face. Pay close attention to the wisdom contained herein, for it may save not only your life, but your very soul. You have been sent through a wormhole created by the wizard Abduris Sevalth, as ordered by the venture-captain of Absalom for your high marks during the first tests to join the Pathfinders - to find out more about the Planar-Plague ravaging the crossroad-realm of Prism.
Adventurers
Prism is a crossroad-plane of deception, hate, passion and lies. The city of Door homes some of the vilest creatures to ever walk the planes, in addition to planar-adventurers seeking to pass through to the other planes. Afflicted by the Planar-Plague, the city is in dire need of assistance, before all hope is lost and panic and disharmony rules the streets. The following section presents information on the most common races that might rise to glory during the course of Plane Escape.
Races
Door is primarily inhabited by Aasimars, Tieflings, Humans, Demons and other planar creatures, but other humanoids of any type can be found in the crossroad-realm. Seeing as how your character presumably hails from Varisia, ask your GM for permission to play one of the slightly more powerful races listed.
Dwarves
Very few dwarves find themselves upon the crossroad-plane of Prism, and even less so in the city of Door. The few that do make their way into the city are usually captured and sold as either slaves or used as gladiators in the Grand Arena – valued for their tenacity and strength of arms.
Gnomes
Gnomish adventurers with a flair for magic sometimes pass through the crossroad-plane in the hopes of learning ways to learn magic native to the planes or to amass the knowledge to summon and bind powerful devils. Some gnomish wizards hire out their aid to various planar-travelers or set off to explore the wastelands surrounding the cities of Prism.
Halflings
Like dwarves, very few Halflings make their way to Prism and especially Door, as they are the favored slaves of House Gral. The few native Halflings are often descendants of freed slaves, having paid for their freedom through secretly spying for House Gral or one of the lesser noble houses.
Half-Elves
The Plague quickly consumed most of the Half-Elves living in the City, and the few that survived find themselves broken and lost inside the City Within.
Half-Orcs
Valued for their strength and power, the Half-Orcs that end up in Prism tend to work as bouncers or bodyguards for several noble families across the crossroad-plane.
Humans
Human adventurers seeking to learn more about the planes find themselves scattered across Prism, and many native humans are descendants of planar travelers. Though outnumbered by both the tieflings and aasimars, humans are tolerated and not treated nearly as badly as the other races.
Tieflings
Many tieflings call Prism home, and many of them are descendants from one of the noble families. The Triumvirate forces mainly consist of tiefling soldiers, though their bloodlines have been severely watered down through the ages.
Aasimars
Like the tieflings, many Aasimars are born in Prism and an agreement was formed long ago between the two races. Many Aasimars have prominent positions within the cities of Prism, though their good nature has somewhat changed. Most of them are neutrally aligned, leaning more towards lawful than good.
Campaign Traits
Campaign traits are tailored to a specific Adventure Path, and give your character a built-in reason to allow passing through Prism seemingly unnoticed. All of the following traits resolve around elements that are important to the Plane Escape Adventure Path. You can look at these traits to get a general idea of how your character changed when you ventured through the wormhole leading to Prism.
Scarred
The wild surges you experienced when stepping through the portal to Prism ripped and cut your body as it passed through the planes. Deep scars riddle your body, leaving your entire body marked with dagger-like wounds. The injuries do not hamper you in any way and while some people might find you grotesque and ugly, others might come to fear you more.
-1 Charisma, +4 Intimidate
Transparent
The tumble through the portal to Prism touched upon the Negative plane, leaving you changed somehow. Your body seems to flicker, lose its humanoid glow and blink in and out of reality. You appear to have one foot in the negative plane, making you less aware of your surroundings but harder to hit.
-1 Spot, Listen +1 AC
Planetouched
The wormhole ripped out some of your racial benefits, merging you with the soul of a being from the planes. You no longer feel like a true member of your race, as something else lingers within your bodily shell.
Pick one racial trait from Aasimar, Tiefling, Fetchling, Ifrit, Oread, Sylphs or Undines and remove one of your racial traits.
Haunted
Something delved into your mind as you were tossed through the planes, eating away at your thoughts and memories. The ordeal shook you to your core – and it has made you cautious, alert and deeply disturbed. You no longer cast a shadow.
+1 Listen, Spot – Something seems to follow you in the shadows, haunt you in your dreams and speaks to you when you are alone. Whatever it was, it is always watching. Watching YOU.
Bargain
Before you emerged in Prism, you briefly ended up in the Abyss – appearing inside the home of a demon. To survive the encounter, you made a deal with the demon before he would send you on your way. Allowing the demon to touch your soul, he drained some power from you and gave you some of his own – but the price was high. Should you perish or ever venture to the Abyss – he would find you and your soul would be claimed by the demon. The smoke and fire from the demon’s home has touched you in some way, and you now reek of the Abyss.
+1 Strength, -1 Intelligence.
Forgotten
Crashing through the portal ripped your mind apart, only to put it back together again - changed. You have no memory of who you where, what you have done in your life or where you are from. The man or woman you might have been is no more and perhaps you have been given a chance to forget the wrongdoings of your previous life. Your eyes seem to have lost the glow they once held, and now appear as deep black voids.
-1 Wisdom, +2 Perception.
Unraveled
As you soared through the wormhole, the planes opened up to you and told you all their mysteries and secrets. You were a god soaring above, transcended – made whole like no man or woman should be made whole. In the end it was too much to take in, and you fell from the skies, burning as you crashed back into reality. Some of the secrets stayed with you, but your body has somehow weakened – making your skin appear brittle.
+1 Intelligence, -1 Constitution.
Separated
When your body left the material plane, your soul was wrought from your body – only to manifest as some kind of tattoo on your skin. The tattoo moves and shifts as your mood changes, revealing your intentions. The separation has made it harder for one to affect your will.
-1 Diplomacy, Bluff, +1 Willpower
Prism Environs
Door lies on an island in the middle of the crossroad-plane of Prism, surrounded by the Shifting Sea and the Endless Void. Ruled by the Triumvirate, a faction of high power in Prism – the city seems troubled not only from the plague – but the constant harassment from the City Within, where a large group of thugs called the Shapeless dwell. The House Gral, the largest noble houses, have the highest authority in Door, as the Triumvirate is based on the three largest noble houses in the three Cities.
A day’s ride north of the city of Door, lays Gallow’s End, home to House Bralesh. Ruled with an iron fist, few travelers venture to this City, and instead trade at the gigantic market located outside the city’s walls. Lord Bragyn Bralesh is known for his notorious love for Aasimar women, and keeps a large harem filled with the celestial-touched.
To the south lies the City of Fleeting Dreams - the capitol of Prism, ruled by The Lady Dreamer – a Half-Demon woman of House Mier. Many travelers make their way to the City to experience what the Society of Fleeting Dreams has to offer. It is said that one can experience all ones dream’s desires within their halls. The Lady is feared for her power over the dreams of those inhabiting the crossroad plane, and rumors tell of people forever lost in their dreams for crossing her.
| DM Easy |
Level 1 would be correct.
@Shadowtail I'm at GMT+1, so I will post minimum once per day, as expected from the PCs aswell.
@Waterhammer Very true, count the two as -perception instead.
@Aurora Yes, I would very much like you to do so.
@All I like your character concepts so far, I will keep recruitment up for a while just to make sure I get the right crew and to buy time looking at maps.
| JonGarrett |
If you have Google Docs you can make some basic maps using there spreadsheet program, like this. They're quick and you can set it so we can move ourselves around the map. Feel free to mess with the map I set up, to see how it works for you.
| DM Easy |
Also, a couple of notes concerning the campaign:
Most of Prism's inhabitants speak common, but the favored language is Abyssal.
If you have any questions you feel need answered concerning character creation, please let me know - I have tons of information in my head, and sometimes one feels like everyone knows what you're thinking but you haven't expressed your thoughts thoroughly enough.
| DM Easy |
I am sure we can work things out, I've got all the books needed (plus there's tons of information to be gained from the Paizo site itself) - so that shouldn't be a problem at all. It might impact the encounters, but if the group waltzes through every encounter, I just have to throw harder monsters at you, don't I?
| DM Easy |
I don't really see why not, if it fits and you can weave it all in nicely - I don't really want to deny it. Just make sure everything is thoroughly explained in your character profile, and make sure you're not making your character either 'overpowered' or 'gimped'.
I haven't GM'ed before, like stated above - so I might need to ask a few questions as we go along for such things, but as long as you or anyone else don't mind - it should all work out.
| Tarial |
Bar tweeking, Tarial should be done.
Two notes - her exceptionally high Diplomacy is created by the Illuminator Trait (+2 to Diplomacy, makes it a class skill so a further +3), a high charisma (+4), a point in it (+1) and a Thrush Familiar (+3) with a minus from Separated = +12. I can, however, change it if you like.
She also doesn't currently have any fire spells on her list. That's because Burning Hands is the only available one at first level (I think) and it's a bonus spell at third level, so I've left it off. However, I can covert spells to fire (elemental fire bloodline) so it's no biggy, I shall be all burning soon enough.
| DM Easy |
I really like the concept, Garrett - and it seems to me like you've spent some time working on your character, I like it.
So far we have two submissions completed:
Arcanist:
Tarial, Female Gnome Tattooed Sorcerer of Elemental Fire (Seperated trait)
Random:
Aurora Silverbow, Human (Elven heritage) Fighter (Archer) (Forgotten trait)
I'll be sure to spend some time with these two characters as I await more submissions.
| Divinitus |
DM Easy, since Aasimars and Tieflings are included, can we use material from Bloof of Fiends, Blood of Angels, and the Advanced Race Guide as well? I know you had a list of books posted, but if the issue is not having those books, you can find them on the PFSRD, which is free.
Also, am I detecting a hint of semi-Planescape fluff here? If so, you're missing drunken angels, moody demon bards, and insane frog-people dressed as ballerinas! :D
| DM Easy |
Like I've told Garrett, as long as you can weave it into your character at an acceptable level and bare with me as I am not very familiar with those books - then yes, you can use them.
As long as I can find it at the PFSRD it should be fine, I reckon.
Hah, any planar-adventure has some form of vague smell of Planescape, don't they? I'm using Paizo-stuff only, so I'm not sure you'll be seeing any insane frog-people, at least not for the first chapter!
| Divinitus |
Yes! I think I may make a female Tiefling (Kyton Heritage) Bard who worked as an extraplanar 'escort' for the rich and depraved and who has a prediliction for magic whips and chains! :D
Or perhaps a crazed Aasimar (Agathion Heritage) Oracle of Life with an obsessive need to check his pocket watch so he isn't 'late for an important date'!
| Ladder Stonewall |
Introducing Ladder Stonewall, AKA Prestor Young, AKA Kdet Grush. I was thinking a caster for this quest but the bargain trait works with Ladder's background too well to pass up.
Ladder Stonewall, Cleric 1 (Divine Strategist) (Bargain). Ladder is a frontline character. His archetype takes away no channel energy and the plan from level two on is to go to Fighter (Armor Master) and then to Stalwart Defender.
The Impression (Enchantment from the Temple of Mysteries):
You are not who you seem to be. No one else knows this. You are actually a male human adventurer named Prester Young whose soul has been trapped within the Temple of Mysteries for some unknown amount of time. You have no idea how long it has been since your soul was trapped here, but you entered and took control of this new body just moments ago, as a bright light flashed.
The body you inhabit now is that of some other adventurer, somewhat unfamiliar to you, though you know the basics of that person’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Your own skills seem to have atrophied over time, and you no longer remember what they were. Perhaps that will soon change. You have dim insight into the memories of the person whose body you inhabit, and you certainly bear that individual no ill will. The other adventurers here are almost certainly after the fabled treasures of this place, but mostly you would like to just get out. Perhaps you can find some magic that will rightfully restore your soul to your proper body and allow you to relinquish control over this one. If not, though, possession of this body might be your only chance to escape this place.
For the time being, it is probably best not to tell the other adventurers your secret. There’s no telling how they might react to the news that you are not actually the person they think you are. Later on, you might be obliged to tell them, if the situation warrants it. You’ll just have to make that judgment call on your own.
---
The Personal Insight:
I am Prestor Young. That was the message given to me so many days ago in the Temple of Mysteries. I can’t remember much of my life before that temple, just this one all consuming thought; I am Prestor Young, and this is not my body. Or at least, this is not my original body. My soul is trapped, and I long to be free. To escape this worthless form and find the one that I truly belong in. But I cannot tell people that, I cannot share who I really am. I made that mistake once, and I regret it. I must be Prestor Young in secret and Ladder Stonewall in real life. The actions of this body do not come naturally to me, and so I must make up a story and a personality for myself as I go. My real personality is driven, and focused towards a single goal. That doesn’t work in the real world though, so I have to make up interests and styles and personality as I will. It’s fun, like a blank slate to do whatever I want. Or at least, it would be fun without the cruel torment of living in someone else’s body.
----
The Whole Story
Kdet Grush is a dwarf with powerful magical resistance. As a learning dwarf though, Kdet has very little control over this ability. The resistance works more on it’s own than under Kdet’s control. Recently, Kdet and his crew entered the Temple of Mysteries. Halfway through the temple, the team was struck by the same enchantment (see above). Under the influence of the enchantment, the team decided to leave many of the riches aside and leave the temple. As the players leave, a counterspell falls onto them. The counterspell does not take affect immediately, but after a certain amount of time it wipes the enchantment away and all memory of the past day. Unfortunately for Kdet, it was then that his magically resistance chose to act. And so, Kdet is stuck with the memories of the and the soul of Prestor Young.
----
The Hook
In constant search of a way to escape this body, Prestor Young jumps at the change to travel to the Prism world.
| DM Easy |
I'll be leaving the recruitment up for the remainder of this week at least, I've got work coming up this weekend and this should buy enough time for everyone to go through their characters and allow other players to submit characters.
So far we have:
Frontliner: Ladder Stonewall, Cleric (Divine Strategist) (Bargain Trait)
Arcanist: Tarial, Female Gnome Tattooed Sorcerer of Elemental Fire (Seperated trait)
and Random: Aurora Silverbow, Human (Elven heritage) Fighter (Archer) (Forgotten trait)
At least I've learned how to create maps, so that is no longer an issue. I'm still working out the encounters though, I think some of them might prove a bit difficult - but it all depends really. I don't want to kill off an entire group the first time I run a campaign, but I don't want the PCs to just waltz through encounters either.
Recruitment is still very much open, and I haven't selected anyone yet - as that wouldn't be fair.
You are correct though, stephen - no submissions for Trap-smith and Healer thus far.
| Shadowtail24 |
Encounters are tough. I finally managed to get a few friends of mine to GM this summer and that was the part they struggled with the most. Example: one kid kept telling me that he was worried it was going to be a TPK. Instead we defeated the encounter and no one was damaged. It's very much a learn as you go skill.
| DM Easy |
Aye, it's hard to anticipate both player skill and luck of the rolls to be honest. It all depends.
Luckily for me I can tweak encounters as the PCs travel through a dungeon, maybe adding a EL or more to adjust. In addition I feel quite free in terms of the campaign, seeing as I wrote the whole thing myself.
Still, I don't wish to just throw random enemies at the players either, it has to fit both the setting and the story.
| Marcus Teric |
OK I am still fitting together the crunch but here is the gist of the character. Aasimar plane touched ripping out spell like for tieflings skilled.
Marcus walked out into the waste once. He knows not why. Maybe because he had a death wish. Maybe because he thought he could be a hero. Maybe because he was bored. Whatever the reason was he walked out..... right into a hole in the cosmos. He was sucked out into the far planes beyond. His mind ripped apart by the terrors and his soul laid bare before them. He has since returned, and though he will not speak of the experience often he does speak of a mysterious deity he calls the savior. He worships his savior and has even carved a symbol for him. A strange skull with roses for eyes. The others treat him kindly enough but they don't understand him. He is no longer part of his people. For some reason he feels as if he is part of both the main peoples of Prism... and some how neither. Something dark seethes in his soul. Something that he dare not name.
| Kyla soulhearth |
characters done, my half-elf bard
Name: kyla soulhearth
Race: half-elf
Classes: bard 1
Alingment: NG
Diety: shelyn
Age: 20
HP: 6
Stats: 16 14 14 8 11 11
STR: 8 (-1)
CON: 11 (0)
DEX: 14 (+2)
WIS: 11 (0)
INT: 14 (+2)
CHA: 18 (+4)
Spells:
0: prestidigitation, dancing lights, ghost sound, lullaby
1: charm person, hypnotism
Abilities: bardic knowledge, bardic performance, versatile performance, well-versed
Feats: skill focus (strings), combat casting
Skills: perform: strings 1, knowledge: arcana 1, bluff 1, intimidate 1, knowledge: local 1, knowledge: history 1, sense motive 1, disguise 1, acrobatics 1,
Languages: common, elven,
Gear: 17.9 gp, rapier, studded leather, 10 sunrods, lute, backpack, bedroll, tent, 20 days rations,100 ft. silk rope
Traits: charming, planetouched (-multitalented, + aasimar spell-like ability)
| DM Easy |
@Taurven I like your character, and I have a question: Seeing as how Taurven grew up with so many siblings, and where always given hand-me-downs; how will he react to traveling with a group (and perhaps especially around loot)? Is he a character that desires attention, or is he used to standing in the back - giving his siblings more time in the spotlight?
@Marcus I noticed how you've created your character to be a native of the Crossroad-plane. The only problem I really have with this is that how do you plan to be hand-picked through the Pathfinder's Lodge in Absalom, as you are not actually in Varisia? I see that you haven't picked a campaign trait either.
@Kyla Would you care to write a background for your Bard?
@Joseph Feel free to submit a character, I'm having a blast exploring both the character-sheets and backgrounds for those that already have submitted.
Current list (completed):
Frontliner
Ladder Stonewall, Male Cleric (Divine Strategist) (Bargain Trait)
Arcanist
Tarial, Female Gnome Tattooed Sorcerer of Elemental Fire (Seperated trait)
Healer
None
Trap-Smith
Taurven Wess, Male Human Rogue (Haunted Trait)
Random
Aurora Silverbow, Female Human (Elven heritage) Fighter (Archer) (Forgotten trait)
Incomplete:
Random
Kyla Soulhearth, Female Half-Elf Bard (Planetouched Trait)
Healer
Marcus Teric, Male Aasimar Cleric (Separatist)
Note: I haven't picked anyone yet - as recruitment is still very much open. This list is just to keep track of submissions thus far.
| Marcus Teric |
Sorry put that at the very start the whole plane touched pulling out the spell like ability and placing in the skilled from tieflings. Missed the part about absalom lodge... can tweak so it is worldly instead of prism backstory. Or could have been returned to the world of varisia by "the savior" instead of prism and it will come as a shock when he finds himself back home whenever that happens. Whichever works for you.
| DM Easy |
@Marcus I like the concept, even though your character seems to be very fragile. Then again, I do enjoy characters that aren't built to be overpowered. Concerning your background, if you can write how you ended up in Varisia and why you wanted to join the Pathfinder lodge - I'm sure we can work things out.
Remember, I am much more inclined to pick characters with good background stories that fit the campaign, rather than powerhouses that focus merely on their characters stats and abilities.
| Taurven Wess |
Taurven would have been mostly ignored by his parents, who were very busy. They would certainly not have approved of him becoming a thief, if they ever knew about it.
Taurven knows right from wrong, He would never steal from a another member of the group. He would regard them as fellow Pathfinders and so, as close allies, if not friends. It looks like this campaign may be on the gritty side, that's why I went with Neutral. So Taurven can do what needs to be done with out moral qualms. Normally I prefer to play good alignments.
I'll try to play him as more of a quiet watcher type.
| DM Easy |
@Taurven Sounds like a solid character, thank you for the reply.
@Kyla Thank you, I'll be sure to familiarize myself with your background.
I would like to thank those that already submitted for giving me the chance to GM something of my own creation. Here's to hoping it will be an enjoyable campaign!
Completed or near completion:
Frontliner
Ladder Stonewall, Male Cleric (Divine Strategist) (Bargain Trait)
Arcanist
Tarial, Female Gnome Tattooed Sorcerer of Elemental Fire (Seperated trait)
Healer
Marcus Teric, Male Aasimar Cleric (Separatist) (Planetouched trait)
Trap-Smith
Taurven Wess, Male Human Rogue (Haunted Trait)
Random
Aurora Silverbow, Female Human (Elven heritage) Fighter (Archer) (Forgotten trait)
Kyla Soulhearth, Female Half-Elf Bard (Planetouched Trait)
Incomplete:
None
I will leave recruitment open over the weekend, seeing as how I've still got to flesh out a couple of encounters (no rush really, chapter 1 is pretty much done at this point) - and make some more preprations. I'm working evenings this weekend, so I'll stumble by the thread every once in a while.