Most of you should know the drill by now, here's the OOC thread for the game. Introduce yourselves, figure out if any of you want to have met prior to the beginning of the game. As I said in the recruitment thread, there's the holiday this week and additionally I have my sister in town this week so I don't know exactly when we'll get started but it should be by the end of the week I hope.
Feel free to ask me any questions you have and otherwise welcome aboard!
Thanks for the selection DM
Any thought towards the DM selected traits for each of us?
Franco's open to intertwining backgrounds, but I'll have to look over everyone's profile again to see what fits, and I encourage others to do the same.
SO EXCITED! Really looking forward to this game. Looks to be a great one with some great people.
Alexei is open to intertwining backgrounds as well for any that make sense.
Cassandra's story is pretty well self contained, I think it would be difficult to intertwine her story with another. On a side note someone should consider taking Aklo as a bonus language otherwise it might be difficult to communicate with her during combat.
Pleased to be on board! I am open to working with others to integrate backgrounds. I'll have a look again at everyone's profiles to see if anything sparks my interest.
So happy to be here! There were a ton of great submissions and I wasn’t sure if I would get picked. Really happy with all of the characters that were selected too, should be a great group! Also I wanted to tell you Mortimer that I originally wrote up Vharg to be a Ranger with the Undead favored enemy, based on fallout from the alliance between Belkzen and Tar-Baphon, but after I read your entry and back-story I had to change Vharg out to something else. Your history was fantastically good! And Franco, I love that you wrote up your Rogue with the Sczarni tie-in, I know I already mentioned it once in the recruitment thread, but I had to say again that I thought it was a perfect fit. I am really looking forward to this campaign.
Hey everyone, and thank you for the selection Jonasty! Looks like it's once more into the breach, eh Cassandra? Been reading back-stories for everyone else, and it looks like we have a pretty solid group.
As far as inter-party connections, I spotted one that wouldn't required too much juggling: if Mortimer ever did any lectures in Absalom, it's likely that Calavas would have sat in on one, and perhaps at least attempted to keep correspondence, as '...undead are one of the most common hazards encountered by those in the Society, and it would be best to go in forewarned...' There's a slight connection with Alexei and Franco (Westcrown and orphanages respectively), but I don't think they'd be strong enough to use as prior connections. Be something to talk about in character though.
All in all, looking forward to Friday!
So here's my picks for your second traits. I'm really open to suggestion on this, so if you want to pick your own or think of something better, that would be fine. These are just what jumps out at me from your backstories.
Franco: Iron Liver
Cassandra: Sacred Touch
Alexei: Ever Wary (Tiefling)
Mortimer: Heirloom Weapon
Vharg: Dominator (Belkzen)
Calavas: Cosmopolitan (Absalom)
I may suggest for Mortimer;
Jaded
Rich Parents
Ustalavic Noble
The Rich Parents one is the more metagamey choice, but has some character applications. I can spend the extra on masterworking the Heavy Crossbow and some other things like silvered bolts, Holy Water - an Undead-Hunting kit, but also a Noble's outfit, signet ring, etc. Ustalavic Noble is much less metagamey, and still lets me buy the Noble's Outfit and such. The skill bonuses don't really apply, but it's a characterful choice. Finally, Jaded just seems to suit Mortimer.
Mortimer: Of the three, I'd probably prefer Jaded over the other two as of right now. It fits well with your backstory.
If you want to take either of the other two, I'm fine with either although I would just ask you add some material to your backstory to justify your choice a little more. There's brief mention of your family in one part but for the most part I didn't really take away that you were the son of a noble family which the other two traits imply. Your thoughts?
I am thinking on some additions to the backstory, but it makes just as much sense to go with Jaded and work some other stuff into the advancement of the character. My thoughts are that his family is faded aristocracy, and Mortimer has left them behind in pursuit of his 'White Whale'. He has had to pawn a lot of his things, and he'll reclaim them throughout the campaign as he gains the money and the prestige to do so. I wanted to start with a Noble's outfit to reflect that and his pride. Now, rather I'll just RP that he is dressed in nice, if somewhat threadbare attire. If and when he gets enough money, he will re-aquire some of the things he had to pawn.
I'm good with my trait. Thanks DMJ!
Also I made a few tweaks to my character. I went with Beastmorph instead of Grenadier and altered his stats a little bit. Nothing drastic.
DMJ,
I like the trait pick, and no complaints there as I have been thinking of going the demoralize route. I think I am going to switch out Indiomitable Faith for Tusked and Toothy for Sacred Tattoo. A few other minor changes to skills and stats, but like Alexei, nothing too drastic.
DM, I like the trait selection, it certainly suits Franco's hard boiled life, but it's going to encourage me to play him as a bit more of a drinker once he has the coin for it. The stoic type though, not the wino or town drunk type haha.
Gonna have a once over on my sheet to see if i need to fix or finalize anything, but beyond that I'm excited to get started with this group, looks to be an interesting mix.
Glad to see people excited for the game! As for the tweaks and updates, no worries. Last minute changes are inevitable. If you're changing your race or class, we might need to have a talk lol.
Game thread will be up by Friday although I'm hoping to have it up sooner, schedule this week is just a little wonky.
Also a note. I've updated the Campaign Info tab with the PC's current status and other things, currently the NPC list. For those of you new to games I run, I keep a LOT of info in the campaign tab and I expect my players to check it regularly. This allows me to provide info you might have but forgotten without having to troll through the posts to find it.
The biggest thing to check is when things happen to PC's (damage, status effects, etc) I update this in the campaign tab. What is listed in the campaign tab is what I go by when it comes to PC status. This is not to say that I won't adjust things if something is pointed out to me, but by default I go with what's in the campaign tab. So just make sure what I have matches up with what you have.
The campaign info tab is your friend, make sure to use it.
Very handy to have, thanks! If I may mention, I fixed one thing on my sheet - my hit points are 11. Forgot to include the favored class bonus.
Sorry all, I'm still here just been a busy week (Today is my Daughter's birthday and Thursday is my Wife's). I'll get a response on the trait choice up later tonight. Thanks for your patience.
I'll be working alot on Thursday and its unlikely that I will be able to do any major posts until Friday. Wanted to give a heads up.
DMJ,
In the APG, humans can get the following favored class bonus for Barbarian:
Barbarian: Add a +1/2 bonus to trap sense or +1/3 to the
bonus from the superstitious rage power.
Based on my background anad Vharg being very superstitious and fearful of Shamans and Priests, I would like to have the option to use this. I am planning to take the superstitious rage power at 2nd level, and I am planning to RP Vharg in this respect. What are your thoughts?
Vharg, sounds good to me.
DMJ,
I just about finished Vharg, but after looking at how I eventually want to build him, I would like, if its all right with you to go with Tusked as my bonus trait.
This would allow me to go back and take Indomitable Faith, as I first wrote up Vharg with. I really like Dominator (Belkzen) and I think its a great fit, but if I am being meta gamey, I am not sure how much initimdation I will go, esp since Franco has the Thug archtype, and seems to be building himself that route.
Let me know how you feel about it, because it will determine my final build. For what its worth, as in my above post and character back history, though Vharg would never admit it, almost being sacrificed to Rovagug, and all of the canibalizim and orc sacrifices his tribal shaman indulged in, spooked the sh!t out of him. So I think my traits would still work.
Just checkin' in. Today's probably gonna be busy and I'll be having company from tomorrow through the weekend, so I'll post when I can, but expect it to be a little sparse, I apologize!
Also checking in. I work pretty much from 1pm cst to whenever on Fridays, so if we get started that day, my post may be a bit light as well, but I will try to get something in. I'm also good with my trait choice, works perfectly for a scribe and scholar-to-be. I'm making some slight changes to my sheet, mainly gear and spell related. I'll list them when I have him finalized.
Vharg, your changes sound fine.
Everyone, no worries right now. I'm super busy this week with vacation and stuff so it might not even be Friday when we start. Just glad to see everyone here. 4th of July week is always busy for me.
A couple things on shared backgrounds.
Alexei and Mortimer probably know each other. They are in different departments, but they are most likely casual aquaintances from around the University. Mortimer most certainly knows of Alexei given his unique appearance. If you are open to more of a connection, we can work one out.
Calavas and Mortimer might have been introduced by the Professor if Calavas was interested in his area of expertise. They may have corresponded to discuss the Undead. I don't know if Mortimer will have ever travelled as far as Absalom, but maybe that can be a fun interlude in his past to work on.
Sounds good to me Mortimer, what sort of work did you do at the university? Perhaps we collaborated on something?
Mortimer studies the Undead, especially how to best destroy them, but he has also studied religions and their connections to the Undead, and any methods they use to destroy or control them. He dabbles in nature and underground menaces such as Aberrations and the like as well. How about Alexei?
I read thru everyone's history's and unfortunately I don't really see any tie-in's with Vharg. Anyhow looking forward to getting this started. And by the way DMJ I read your Skull and Shackles campaign. God I feel bad for that dodo! You don’t pull any punches!
What's the fun if you pull punches? ;-)
Lol, people seem to think I've got it out for that bird but he's simply paying for his master's actions.
And finally, sorry for the delay guys. Still on vacation with the sister and I don't want to start the game with some pitiful couple of sentences. I'll have the thread up soon I hope. Monday at the latest as that's when I go back to work and I do A LOT of my posting at work. But hopefully before then. Thanks for the patience and I hope I haven't lost anyone.
Still here friends, excited to get started as well, But enjoy your vacation Jo!
Mortimer studies the Undead, especially how to best destroy them, but he has also studied religions and their connections to the Undead, and any methods they use to destroy or control them. He dabbles in nature and underground menaces such as Aberrations and the like as well. How about Alexei?
That works perfectly actually. Mortimer would be really interested in Alexei's supernatural invisibility to unintelligent undead I would imagine.
Alexei's work is primarily in the study of alchemy and chemistry but he also studies anything of an arcane bent as well as being a student of the natural world. I would imagine there would be quite a bit of overlap in their studies.
How might Mortimer have found out about Alexei's ability? And yes, he will have been very interested in that... I also expect they are going to travel to Ravengro together in the same carriage.
The ability was one of the reasons Professor Lorrimor brought Alexei to Lepidstadt so it would have been common knowledge for those that study undead. I also figured we would be "carriage-pooling" as it were lol.
Posting from a phone, so can't go too indepth, but I like the possibility you suggested Mortimer. I'll add more later tonight.
The game thread is Live, HUZZAH!!!
Nice!
what kind of time zonage are we looking at here fellas?
I'm in eastern US here myself
Eastern US (Boston) myself.
Eastern US (Baltimore) here.
It depends for me due to how much I travel, usually it's PST
Atlantic Time, so one hour later than Eastern.
Well I may have stated it but my posting is super heavy Mon-Fri, 9-5.
Alright I'm going to give Calavas and Cassandra another hour or so to post something and then I'm updating the post. They will be in the background so to speak for the moment.
If they haven't checked in by this afternoon/evening (US Eastern), I will replace them. I have stated my posting expectations clearly. And while I understand that things come up, you should at least be able to post a quick update in the OOC thread stating you're busy, etc so we at least know.
I hope this doesn't scare you guys or anything, trust me I won't drop you simply for missing a day of posting and I certainly don't expect you to be on the boards as often as I am. Cassandra hasn't posted anything since July 1 so I was already expecting some issues. We'll see if they show up but I won't delay the game hoping which would penalize the rest of you.
So we'll see but the next update will be coming soon.
Sorry about the delay in posting, I got murdered at work last night, and was too exhausted to write anything decent. Didn't mean to hold anyone up!
No worries, you posted pretty recently and I figured it was just a situational issue. Cassandra hasn't been on in a while and she's my main concern, especially as she's our group "healer". Well we'll see what happens but we'll continue on for now.
Sorry, apparently I'm not dotted in this thread anymore and never received any X New notices when I hit the focus button. Hopefully this post will remedy that.
About the trait you selected for Cassandra. I have to admit I thought about Sacred Touch as a possible trait but dismissed it as it's bonus can be done better(and from range) with Stabilize. I had chosen to go with Superstitious Ward as another 'arrow' in her quiver against undead. she's not very combat oriented and needing to get close to combat to stabilize a friend/ally is something she wouldn't be comfortable with.
No worries Cassandra. Yeah until you post in the gamethread, you don't get any solid updates which was a concern I had with the delayed start. Glad to see everyone on board and it sounds like we've got a game going! Huzzah!
Cassandra: I'm fine with Superstitious Ward.
Hey DMJ,
I do want to give a heads up. I am in the Military and occasionally my unit loses all internet. Its rare, but it does happen.