There! It turns out there's a problem with creating campaign pages with Google Chrome.
Discussion is open now.
Dotting in, it still needs a link to the recruitment thread though. Which I've just created. Go me!
Checking in.
To get us going I wonder whether people want to introduce their characters briefly, with a short synopsis of what they see themselves doing in and out of combat.
Caeleron is an elf slayer going down the two-weapon fighting route with his paired short-blades, but he's also capable with a bow and could act as ranged support if there's an overabundance of melee types in the party.
Out of combat, he's a fairly standard woodland elf - stealthy hunter tracker type, very much at home in the forest.
I'm looking forward to the wilderness survival aspects of this campaign - I've got a real soft-spot for early levels filled with exploration, self-sufficiency, and challenges that have to be overcome with skills instead of magic.
Callistra is a young, human female. She's a Witch, using the Herbwitch archetype. This means her first hex is taken by Herb lore. Which gives her 6 remedies a day for curing various conditions. Such as blinded, deafened, fatigued, nauseated, or sickened.
She's more the natural healer than a divine one. Magically she's little more than buffing or healing at the moment, but with the Elements patron she will pick up some potent attack spells at later levels.
Callistra was found alone in the woods at a young age and makes her living in Phaendar as a Herbalist. While friendly and optimistic Callistra is very self sufficient.
Best skills are Craft Alchemy, Knowledge Arcana & Nature, Spellcraft.
I love the Herb Witch archetype - it was one of the other character ideas I considered for my original application.
I look forward to adventuring with Callistra, she seems like a great asset to any wilderness adventure.
Dot dot dot.
Callistra sounds like she'd know either Faunra's Mum and/or Faunra herself, as they are the same age and Rosemary also works as a herbalist.
As you can tell from the stat bar, Faunra isn't completely done, but it's just equipment. Not many options at 1st level so that won't be too long, just wanted to get her posted.
I hope Toby and Meadow get along :P Meadow is my spirit animal, who is a red fox.
Looks like Faunra and Callistra could work well together, I like the nature-themed spell casters.
One note Faunra, looking at your build plan at the bottom. Familiars can't be animal companions, and vice-versa. You can have two separate creatures, but they can't be the same.
Looks like Faunra and Callistra could work well together, I like the nature-themed spell casters.
One note Faunra, looking at your build plan at the bottom. Familiars can't be animal companions, and vice-versa. You can have two separate creatures, but they can't be the same.
It's a spirit ability for the Nature Shaman
Companion Animal (Su): The shaman’s spirit animal takes the form of an animal companion of her choice, using her shaman level as her effective druid level. The animal retains all the special abilities and theIntelligence score of the spirit animal, but also has the statistics and abilities of an animal companion. If the animal is dismissed, is lost, or dies, it can be replaced in the same way as a normal spirit animal.
I've read that as my current spirit animal when I get that ability turns into a companion.
So it does, my apologies. That'll teach me to not read stuff.
Hey all. Sorry I've been absent. I wanted to make sure I understood who Azure was before I showed my face. I'm vacationing in Vietnam for the next week, so I'll do my best to keep pace with the discussion. Time to catch up on what everyone else has posted!
It's been a beast of a week at work, so it'll be tomorrow before I can start getting things really set up to start.
One thing you could do in the mean time is begin working out who among the other PCs and NPCs you may have connections to and what type kind they are.
Here are the major NPCs as listed in the recruitment thread:
Aubrin the Green is a retired Chernasardo Ranger and local legend — either intentionally or because the best parties tend to spring up around the foulmouthed priestess of Cayden Cailean.
Vane Oreld is the closest thing Phaendar has to a doctor, though he swears vociferously when his healing skills are required. Oreld is a middle-aged Taldan with light brown skin, amber eyes, dark brown hair, and a neatly trimmed goatee. He wears a shirt whose cuffs are stained with unknown substances and breeches under a thick leather apron.
Kining Blondebeard is the owner of the Phaendar Trading Company, and the local smith. Countless burn scars mar the somewhat taciturn Kining’s pale skin, and she keeps her iron-gray hair cut in a short wedge.
Noelan Epharn is the elderly caretaker of the village shrine, a kind man whose advanced lack of hearing sometimes means what were intended to be private conversations with him are instead heard throughout the area devoted mainly to Erastil, Desna and the Green Faith.
Rhyna, Noelan's assistant, is an irritatingly optimistic Chelish woman with bronze skin, wavy blond hair, and pale green eyes.
Jet owns the Taproot -- the village imn referred to by locals simply as "the Root." She is a recent transplant to Phaendar of mixed Shoanti and Varisian descent with twin black braids, black eyes, and an iconic teal scarf worn around her waist.
Caeleron is a newcomer to Phaendar, so he's unlikely to have made many connections yet.
Of the PCs, I think Faunra is most likely to have noticed him - her backstory suggests that she might be interested in the sudden appearance of an elf from the deep wood, but there's a good chance Caeleron has accosted any of the PCs to ask about his family.
Of the NPCs, Caeleron would probably have encountered Vane, Jet, and Noelan most often. They're the obvious points of contact for the hubs of the community - the shrine and the pub - and Vane would know if any injured elves had passed through.
Skalla would very likely have a connection with:
- Faunra, with whom she consults on the care of her flower garden. They share a deep appreciation of the beauty of nature and occasionally swap tales and legends about the fey.
- Callistra Willowbark, who taught her a little bit of herb lore. I can't find Callistra's background, so there may be more there.
- Azure, for being another half-orc
- Any NPC that has (or had in the last 15 years) children, grandchildren or other close relatives of school age.
- Skalla most probably taught Faunra when she was a child, since she's only 18 and Skalla has been teaching for 15 years. She likes having others to talk to about nature and the fey that aren't her parents. Faunra thinks it's funny that they now both have green skin.
- Callistra and Faunra are both the same age and are from Phaendar so most likely know each other quiet well, especially since Faunra's mother is the town herbalist. Heck, maybe she even raised Callistra, or at least had a hand in her up bringing and schooling, being so close to her own daughter's age.
- Caeleron has most likely made contact with Faunra, if not her father. Nameer has given his word to bring the news of this attack on an Elven settlement to Kyonin, and also to see if Caeleŕon's wife and child or any of the other villagers fled to the Elven nation across the lake in search of refuge.
- Azure doesn't have how or when he got to Phaendar, but if they've had time to interact, his ability to speak with animals, plus his apartment care and love for them, would very much be a talking point as Faunra has been taking care of strays and wounded wild animals since she was small.
- Vane as the local doctor, he most likely sources his medicinal herbs and the like from either Rosemary or Callistra, so she'd know him through business dealings. Also because as the town doctor he has probably been around a few times to stitch up the odd mishap.
- Aubrin because Rangers are super awesome. Every child in Phaendar grew up hearing about these guys. Plus she's really funny. Faunra thinks that she and Vane would make a good couple / are related because they swear all the time.
GM, are there any notable Foxclaws in Phaendar? I see Azure as fighting whatever good fight he can in Nirmathas, and the style of the Foxclaws is much more up my PC's alley than being a Chesanardo ranger. Can you concoct such an NPC? In my vision of Azure, he works hand-in-hand with the human who freed him and his mother from the Burning Spear tribe-- or he did until that human died. It was more than ten years ago, though, so it would be perfectly sensible if it were Aubrin in the twilight of her more active days.
Beyond that, I think Azure would know anyone who's been there more than a year. The player's guide says that Phaendar is a village of about 400 people, and Azure has been there for almost a decade. He became a man-- er, uh, a half-man-- in Phaendar, so he would have some sort of relationship with anyone who wasn't an absolute newcomer. His negative Charisma modifier comes from being ugly and from assuming people won't like him because of his heritage and his rather grotesque shamanic flesh decorations. He is always eager to show a more positive side of half-orcs, though, so for anyone who WOULD be friends with an ugly half-orc, Azure would be friends with them.
Azure would probably be quite close to Faunra, which would make him friendly, at least, with Skalla and Callistra. While I think young Azure would have needed a lot of time to warm up to Caeleron would be up to him, since Azure assumes he's rather off-putting. He's a huge half-orc covered in tribal tattoos, brands, and scars. If Caeleron reached out, Azure would be friendly, but he would never make the first move.
Azure has a complicated relationship with human women, so he would probably idolize Aubrin and regard her with almost divine admiration, especially if we decide it's canon that she was the human who saved Azure's mother (Pharasma take her where she needs to be) and Azure himself.
Vane has doubtless patched up Azure many times-- I didn't take Toughness for nothing, and he has certainly used Kining's services on multiple occasions.
Of the NPCs, Azure probably spends the most time with Noelan and Rhyna. As far as Azure is concerned, Erastil and Desna saved his life in a very direct way, and he would consider it his holy responsibility to ease the old man's burden whenever he wasn't off hunting beasts that threaten Phaendar, finding big game to provide meat for the townsfolk, or attending to a sortie to fight off those Molthuni sons of hell.
I decided not to go with the traditional 'Someone bad killed her parents.' For Callistra, instead they were a small family that lived mostly alone a few days away from Phaendar. When both her parents fell ill Callistra tried her best to heal them but failed, knowing little or nothing of healing at her age. This is what gave her the need to learn as much as she can on healing, and her solitary childhood has also made her self sufficient and independent. She hasn't really discussed her parents death with anyone, though someone sent to check on them from Phaendar would have discovered her attempts to give her parents a proper burial.
She gets attempts to look after her, or foster her confused with somehow trying to make her forget her own parents. Her thought processes get a bit strange from time to time.
The sheer number of people in Phaendar scared her at first, so she started out sulky and withdrawn. With her stubborn streak and independent nature she soon adjusted and began to fit in, but Callistra is a bit like a cat, happy to accept company and affection when she wants it. Then hissing and spitting at you for just being too close.
This was made even more obvious when she adopted a big, scarred and mostly feral tomcat as her familiar. Toby seems to regard people as a necessary annoyance when he wants food, and just pests otherwise.
Callistra would be very close with Faunra. Being found in the woods alone at the age of 12 would mean someone had to foster her, despite Callistra's rejection of the idea. For all she's outgoing and friendly Callistra seems to have a deep need to be independent. However the company of another girl her age would have filled a big gap in Callistra's life, so she mostly regards Faunra as her sister, and they can fight like sisters as well. :)
Rosemary probably took Callistra in and raised her alongside her own daughter, which Callistra more than likely rationalized as an apprenticeship in her stubborn little mind.
She does have a lot of respect and gratitude for Rosemary, both for looking after her, and for the training in Herbalism.
She knows and respects Skalla, both for her being a teacher, and for the odd bits of herb lore she passed on to Callistra. Not having much experience growing up with other people Callistra doesn't see Skallas race as anything strange. She's happy to spend time helping Skalla with her flower garden, though being a complete philistine she can't really see the point of plants you can't eat, or use for medicine?
She's probably seen Caeleron around Phaendar, but doesn't know him, so aside from a curious look or two wouldn't have spoken to him.
As far as Callistra is concerned Azure is Azure. Someone close to her age who was at home in the woods like Callistra and Faunra. When he was around she treated him as just another person. Though as he has a goal of his own firmly fixed in his mind she respects him, as she has her own goal that she's fixed on.
For the NPC's Callistra would be closest to Vane and know of the others mostly by sight and name.
Callistra is slender, her black hair generally hacked short, she makes no attempt to look pretty or feminine. Wearing practical clothing she can work in. If she's not studying or working Callistra can usually be found sprawled bonelessly on a sunny branch or rock with Toby.
Hi Everyone, apologies for the rather long silence. The last week has been busy work-wise, and I haven't had many opportunities to get a post in. When I have been able to the boards have been down or being difficult and eating posts. Plus Halloween is kind of a big deal for us (the family).
Anyhoo, this is happening, just a little delayed. I'll try to get to the various questions that have come up tonight or tomorrow.
No worries GM. The boards have been really temperamental this week, I think everyone's games have been slowed down.
Hope you had an aweseome Hallowe'en.
Definitely not a problem, GM. I'll be a garbage player until I'm back stateside. Standing by.
The gameplay thread is open and the starting post is up!
Maps of Phaenadar and the surrounding region are up on the game page now. There are also pics of the NPCs in the game so far. Others will be added as they are introduced.
GM, when I get wild shape, can I turn into dinosaurs? I know some people have issues with dinosaurs in their fantasy soup.
Caeleron's expression turns from forlorn to hard, his blue eyes cold like midwinter frost. "If the invaders have killed them or taken them, then I will find my family, and I will take my vengeance." His face softens again, as much as that of an elf can. "I apologise for that outburst. I will control myself better in future."
Wait, are there invaders yet? I thought Phaendar was a little town, a quiet village-- every day like the one before. A little town, full of little people waking up to say, "DIE MOLTHUNI SCUM!"
Has the eponymous Ironfang Invasion begun yet? Am I missing something? I am playing Azure as pretty untutored when it comes to anything related to hobgoblins or the Ironfang Legion. Are there refugees? Are there whispers and rumors yet? Have their been serious attacks?
GM, when I get wild shape, can I turn into dinosaurs? I know some people have issues with dinosaurs in their fantasy soup.
Yep, I'm one of those people. Well sort of. My view on such things is that in order to shape change in an animal you must have some actual knowledge of the animal. So for example, in the Mwangi Expanse, where there are dinosaurs, no problem. In Nirmathis, where there are not. Only if you had traveled to a place like the Mwangi and seen some in order to have a basis for what you would be wild shaping into could you do it.
Simple knowledge of the existence of dinosaurs isn't concrete or tangible enough. Likewise I would not have a doppelganger change into a Triaxian simply based on its knowledge that there are aliens out there. Only by meeting a Triaxian specifically and having a template for the mimicry would it be able to do so.
Wait, are there invaders yet? I thought Phaendar was a little town, a quiet village-- every day like the one before. A little town, full of little people waking up to say, "DIE MOLTHUNI SCUM!"
Has the eponymous Ironfang Invasion begun yet? Am I missing something? I am playing Azure as pretty untutored when it comes to anything related to hobgoblins or the Ironfang Legion. Are there refugees? Are there whispers and rumors yet? Have their been serious attacks?
Phaendar is in the Nesmian Plains of eastern Nirmathis. The plains are quite flat and open, so they are not typically part of the area where there is ongoing conflict between Nirmathis and Molthune. In the past Molthune has sent large forces into the plains, without adequate cover to mask movement and force composition, smaller patrols would be wiped out.
When this has happened, the residents there simply take everything they can carry and flee into the woods, burning everything else behind them. They let the Molthuni invaders sit in the ashes with continually severed supply lines and nonstop ambushes for as long as they will. After the invaders leave, residents of the area come back and rebuild. (Phaendar has only one stone building, the smithy.) Molthune mostly leaves the plains be now since it's too expensive to operate there for too little in return.
Most of the fighting takes place in the southern Fangwood at this time. This has been mostly small raids and counter-raids since the war has cooled off for a while.
The Ironfang Legion is a hobgoblin mercenary company best known for its participation in the "Ramsgate Massacre", where Nirthathan forces were routed and destroyed two years ago. Since then there has been little word of them. The company is know to be effective, well trained and armed, and brutal.
I created the hobgoblin attack on the village as a foreshadowing, and to give Caeleron a reason to want to seek vengeance. By invader I meant the monsters who invaded his village, rather than anything grander or larger scale.
There's not a lot of mention about the Ironfang Legion since the Ramgate Massacre, but the Ironfang Survivor trait talks about surviving a surprise attack, so I figured that there might have been raiding parties around since the original attack, or just roving bands of hobgoblin bandits unaffiliated with the Legion.
If it doesn't make sense for that to have happened, please let me know. I don't want to derail the story.
Regarding dinosaurs: got it.
Regarding the "invasion": You were speaking of the Invaders who attacked your village, who may or may not be Ironfang Legion. Got it. I was just making sure I didn't have to rejigger my understanding of what Azure knows.
Nope, just hobgoblins/goblinoids of some sort, connection to the Ironfang Legion to be determined by the GM. I wanted him to have a reason to fight, but I didn't want to create any story issues.
@Caeleron: No need to change anything. I don't if or when anything about your family might come up, but there's nothing off the mark about what you have. I mentioned the Ironfang Legion hasn't been on the radar for a couple of years, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been doing anything.
Thanks GM, that’s reassuring.
I wanted to tie Caeleron to the game, but I didn’t want to have gone too far.
Is it a bad idea that my character only really has what she would've normally?
The shortspear was a stretch, but she just wouldn't carry around rope, and can cast create water so no waterskin, dancing lights so no lantern.
She's like a hippie.
I was thinking the same. Skalla would have no reason to carry weapons around, except for a dagger for daily use. Likewise for armor.
Perhaps there is an opportunity to pick up weapons and armor after this fight, but for now I am assuming she's dressed for a peaceful evening at the Taproot.
Caeleron carries everything around all the time, because it's everything he owns now and he has nowhere else to stow it.
Bear in mind that Nirmathas is a country at war, so I don't think it's unreasonable for people to carry a weapon or wear light armour while going about their daily business.
Azure would regard it as his sacred duty to be ready to be of use to the town at any time. He would have no problem whatsoever being armed and armored whenever possible. He sees his utility to the town-- and thus to Erastil-- as coming through his martial capabilities.
Callistra don't wear armor anyway, so she's fine. :)
There's another way of looking at Nirmathis. It's a rough place full of rough people where there is no central government and self-reliance is a basic principle. Molthune is only one hazard, and a fairly distant and predictable one compared to other things lurking in the forests or other wild places.
That might reorient your ideas of what "normal" means here in terms of preparedness.
More pragmatically, you had a glimpse through the door of the situation outside. I don't think I'm giving much away to say you shouldn't necessarily expect to stop by your houses anytime soon. They may already be on fire.
I'm not going to manage to get a update posted tonight. I'll get one up tomorrow.
Sorry for my silence, very sick at the moment, Bot me until I can keep solid food down please.
Feel better!
Sorry for the delay in updating. I've been sick and busy the last few days.
If I don't have an update posted today, I will tomorrow.
I know how you feel, get well soon.
Feel better! Real world life and health > Golarion.
Lots of it going around. Worry about yourself, not us.
Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks. I was more busy than sick, but the sick part required me to sleep extra to survive the busy.
Sup?
Long time no activity.
Is everyone ok?
It's very quiet?
Well last in game post was 4 days ago.
Just hoping that this isn't dying and just people on holidays and looking for some confirmation of that.
I'm good to go. I figured that Caeleron and I had our input. Waiting to move to the shrine or for another way for Azure to meaningfully interact.