Death of a Boyar

Game Master HarbinNick

-Well, I've got blazing internet, and a new laptop, and a hectic but planned schedule. So it's time to try another PBP. We will be using the homebrew world of mir, which is fairly massive (I've got a 50 page campaign guide) of course, you don't need to read it all, but you can...
-So what's the details? Mir is a world heavily based on slavic and middle eastern mythology, with a low level, medium magic focus. Almost epic 6. It is in many ways a return to the medieval stylings of the game, with attention paid to languages, cultures, architecture, and crafts. Humans are divided into two large, and two small ethnic groups, with Dwarves, Orcs, and Elves being the other races. No small races, or monstrous races exist as player characters...
-If you enjoy Ravenloft, or Ustalav, think of a similar world view, darker, evil is really evil, and winter is long, and bleak.
-Important things to notice, Orcs are much closer to Orcs in the Elder Scrolls, or Warcraft. They do have a -2 to INT, but receive +2 to STR and CON, making them suitable as divine casters, or CHA based.
-Dwarves have -2 to STR as reflects their small size, and are closer to gnomes, +2 to CON and +2 to INT
-The full Mir setting can be read here setting

I would be interested. What are the character creation guidelines?

-I'm interested in a party of four or five, and will be posting once per day (maybe more). I'm in East Asia so keep that in mind.
-Character Creation
Starting Level 1
Race: Human,(Need to choose ethnic group) Dwarf, Orc, Wood Elf, City Elf, Half-Elf, Half-Orc,
Class: All Core, and Base Classes
One Basic trait
Standard Starting Gold

-Character backstory is less important than character concept. As first level characters, in a homebrew world, you will learn as you play, and grow with the experience...so don't feel you need 900 words to describe your back story.
-I'll check back for interest after work, and see what people say.

-The party has been called to the funeral of Fyodor Borisovitch Ribalka, Boyar of the South, and hereditary member of the Duma. All of you had a run in with the Boyar in the past, and though his death was not suspicious, either your curiosity, grief, or respect has caused you to journey to Morskaya, in the south of Mir.
-In your youth, you encountered Boyar Fyoder Borisovitch Ribalka, the Lord of Morskaya, and member of the Duma. You encountered him one of the following ways
Bastard Your mother was an attractive serf, and became one of the Boyar’s many lovers. After your birth, she died, and you were raised as a servant in the manor. You received a better education, and weapon training than was normal for the town, perhaps even sent to the prestige University in the Elf City of Llythrythdella. You were never unaware of the circumstances of your birth, and may look upon the Boyar as a father, or a villain. News of his death may have moved you to tears, or brought you great joy…
Savior You saved the Boyar during a military campaign. Either you were a fellow comrade in arms, or an unusually chivalrous Kett or Orc who showed mercy on the gravely injured Boyar. Either way, he swore to repay the debt. Word of his death has reached you, as well as a summons from his heir, promising to honor his father’s vow.
Ex-lover (female only) The boyar was quite the womanizer, and his conquests were legendary. Perhaps you were one of them, or perhaps you seduced him. Either way, you are shocked to find yourself in the will, and a little embarrassed. Still, you come to pay your respects, as much out of curiosity, as anything else.
Business Partner You once engaged in a trading venture with the Boyar, who held a monopoly of the salt fish trade in Mir. Perhaps you were a Dwarf who traded gems for fish, or an Elf who supplied fine wines to his Manor. Either way, you are grieved by the death of an old business partner.
Problem Solver Perhaps a spy, perhaps a bodyguard, at sometime in the past you were hired by the Boyar to perform a task, and your competence struck him. Now, having almost forgotten, you find yourself once more called into his service, and the offer of payment brought you more than your wish to show respect.
Specialist A priest, a mage, a scholar, you never knew the Boyar, and were summoned due to your unique skills, and depth of knowledge and experience. Eager to find out why such trouble and expense were undertaken by a stranger, you have journeyed many days to arrive at the manor.

I’m interested. Thinking either a Cheloveki cattle-driving, horse-riding ranger from the south coast of Sudland; Business partner trait. Or a City-Elf who works for a stained glass manufacturer; perhaps an overseer or designer of installations. (The Boyar ordered one; Specialist trait). Not sure what a suitable class would be. Bard? Rogue? A Cleric of Perun due to the artifice domain?

I'm looking to bring a druid to your group, wood-elf. Maybe the backstory could be a problem solver, kind of a hired amabassador to handle land rights with locals or something along that lines, or a speicalist hired for to help with the recovery of a plant/animal. I can't find the section with the list of traits. My emails SunicMitsarugy@gmail.com. really hope I can join! I'm still learning but I think ill get it fast.

I'm looking to bring a druid to your group, wood-elf. Maybe the backstory could be a problem solver, kind of a hired amabassador to handle land rights with locals or something along that lines, or a speicalist hired for to help with the recovery of a plant/animal. I can't find the section with the list of traits. My emails SunicMitsarugy@gmail.com. really hope I can join! I'm still learning but I think ill get it fast.

Just a word of warning, it's usually a bad idea to share your e-mail address on an open forum.

What do you want for stats? Roll? Point Buy? How many points?

Bard or Rogue with a skill point in profession: glassmaker would be just fine. Horseback ranger is also a fine idea.

I'm looking to bring a druid to your group, wood-elf. Maybe the backstory could be a problem solver, kind of a hired amabassador to handle land rights with locals or something along that lines, or a speicalist hired for to help with the recovery of a plant/animal. I can't find the section with the list of traits. My emails SunicMitsarugy@gmail.com. really hope I can join! I'm still learning but I think ill get it fast.

Traits are here

What do you want for stats? Roll? Point Buy? How many points?

20 point buy (isn't that standard these days?) Remember if you use an char.gen. that it will not have the race adjusments for elves, orcs, and dwarves.

*Raises hand*

I would like to posit a "Bogatyr"

I have a character that I could both clone for the quick set up for the game and that the DM might peruse if interested in?

Xane

and

Xane

Thoughts? Comments?

Wishing all good will and best cheers.

edit*

Read some more of your world, I really want to put some work into making a character that will fit into your world better. I'll post a link to the character i created after work. Really look forward to enjoying your world with everyone! I'm thinking of going Half-Orc Ranger, either way I really wanna be half-orc and I can't do druid lol

Speaker for the Dead wrote:

What do you want for stats? Roll? Point Buy? How many points?

20 point buy (isn't that standard these days?) Remember if you use an char.gen. that it will not have the race adjusments for elves, orcs, and dwarves.

No, pretty sure 30 pts is standard <innocent grin>

Here is Wood Elf Ranger. Backstory to follow...

Quick and Dirty Stereotype Guide to Demihumans
-Orcs are Klingons, Warlike, but honorable, and not evil by default
-Wood Elves are like the Daelish from DA:I and II
-Dwarves are a cross between Gnomes and Dwarves, low strength, technical wizards, and use arcane magic, but dislike divine magic
-City Elves are a sort of Belle Epoque France, more intereted in Wine, Cheese, and fine living. Luxury goods, that sort of thing.
-Iftar are Arabs
-Kett are Native Americans
-Cheloveki are Kiev, Novgorod, Starri Rus, Varengarian types.

I'm going to leave recruitment open until August 4th, so I can get a good amount of characters, and guage party dynamics...

This is a very dense homebrew world, and if you want more information read the campaign guide in the other thread. It will really help you make a character concept.

You have to rewrite all back story, Dragons are rare, SERIOUSLY rare, and no metallic dragons exist. All dragons are evil.
Second Giants are extinct.
Third Tieflings are really disliked. Unless you are Iftar, in which case you are worshipped.

I'll try to have an orc barbarian up within the next few days.

Which clan is very important. I'd go with Iron Hands or Black Souls,

More detailed charcters would be nice.

I was planning on making him an ex-Bloodaxe.
What are the difference between those two clans?

HarbinNick, would it be inaccurate to portray Dwarves as they are in the Elder Scrolls lore, calculating masters of technology and magic with disdain for the gods? If so, and if you will allow a cruel but honorable Lawful Evil character, I may make a Dwarf Alchemist obsessed with finding the Tyrant's body and usurping his divine powers. Also, will characters be able to craft? Would LOVE to create some clockwork creatures as servitors.

Also, what is the point but value for ability scores, you rules on HP generation, posting requirements, ect.?

Made a few tweaks to the character and added some background info. Any questions or suggestions?

BillyBrainPan
-Blood-Axes are a cult, not an orc clan. The Iron Hands are the most civilized, least xenophobic of the orc clans. The Black Souls are also very powerful, but their culture is ruled by necromancers, and they have a reputation for sinister witchcraft, and occult practices.
The Silver Prince
-Dwarves are similar to those in TES yes, but also throw in a 'gnomes of zurich' thing and you get the full picture.
-20 point buy, max HP at first level, average+CON at level up
-Posting requirements: Ummm make good posts? Don't be absent too long?
-LE isn't a problem, since most enemies will be below 5th level anyway...Most Dwarves are moral pragmatists, so LE isn't that rare.
Garian
Everything is good, except the height, I'd suggest going down to the 5'8-5'11" range. 6'1" is taller than most humans.Unless freakishly tall elf is the thing you are going for...

Also, Dwarves are not ATHEIST they are agnostic-deists. They believe in a god, who represents logic and rational thought. He is utterly unknowable, similar to a freemason's "grand architect of the universe".

I know the Blood-Axes aren't a clan I was just telling you that he had been part of them.

Why'd he stop? Other than that they are maniacs will kill everything they can get their hands on...

Introducing Abd-Allah Asim Asad Servant of Tal'al Protector and Lion of the people.

Asim was a savior of Fyodor Borisovitch Ribalka

Hope this concept works, was thinking along the lines of the first assasins creed and Altai type. Let me know what you think. Thanks

If interested in posting habbits I'm on the board M-F from 7am-4pm (EST} and post often.

Garian
Everything is good, except the height, I'd suggest going down to the 5'8-5'11" range. 6'1" is taller than most humans.Unless freakishly tall elf is the thing you are going for...

Done.

So, we're only playing until 5th level? Don't know if I read that wrong or what.

-Not us, per se, but I run an epic 6 style world, we certainly aren't going above level 7 or 8...I'm simply pointing out except for clerics, you need 5hd to have an evil aura.
-So remember that you'll be a pretty bad ass dude with only a single class level.

I like the Iftar Ninja. Really cool. Just make sure he doesn't say ninja. It's a Japanese word.Hashasin?

Looks like we got space for a few more...

For a city-elf, do characters use the racial traits of half-elves or elves? Your setting guide mentions the -2 CON +2 INT +2 CHA, but I didn't see anything else concerning racial traits.

dotting for interest

For a city-elf, do characters use the racial traits of half-elves or elves? Your setting guide mentions the -2 CON +2 INT +2 CHA, but I didn't see anything else concerning racial traits.

All other elf traits apply, as they are still elves (senses, sleep immunity etc.)

Will try to get a character up soon. Been busy getting things ready for this coming up college semester.

I was thinking of making my character NE, will that be a problem? His actions aren't inherently evil but he has a very dark background and prefers efficiency over compassion in any setting.

Here's the background for Frunthpyllin, a city elf rogue (I was thinking of the Investigator archetype, but normal rogue will do if those class alternates aren't part of your campaign).

Frunthpyllin’s parents were thieves and belonged to a local criminal guild. Killed by guild rivals, they died when he was fifteen. His uncle ran a small Molor orphanage and eagerly took him in. Angry, Frunthpyllin spent months causing trouble by fighting and vandalism. One day he maliciously broke a stained-glass window in a temple. As punishment he helped to make a new one; working the bellows, hammering lead rods, and collecting glass to recycle in the city. He loved this work. It didn’t feel much like punishment by the time he was finished.

Too young to be trusted with the secrets of glass, he was given math, art, language, and religious lessons to provide a wide education. In time he became an agent of the glaziers’ guild. Since he doesn’t yet know the trade secrets of manufacturing glass, he is free to travel. He operates as as the initial contact for the on-site installation. He discusses what the customer wants for the stained-glass windows and paints an initial design. Once the patron is satisfied he brings that design to the guild where they make the pieces. Finally, Frunthpyllin travels with the well-packed glass pieces and leads the assembly team.

Frunthypllin arrives at Fyodor Borisovitch Ribalka’s estate expecting to undertake the beginning of a commission.

Marking, this seems like a great campaign for a Cavalier.

That said, is it a good campaign for a mounted character?

Sometimes. Tunnel fighting will be inevitable, as will urban legwork. However random travel concounters will make mounted combat ideal.

Sorry was down and out yesterday with back issues, so didn't get on the boards, but yeah glad you like him. He thinks of himself as one who does what his god needs him to do. An assassin for good, or for his religions cause anyways.

Brainpan
NE is awfully extreme, why do you see him as NE and not true neutral? I mean you can be pretty damn brutal, where as NE seems like you'd be evil for the sake of evil. Kind of like, a neutral person kills the sleeping town guard to free his friend from prison, where as the NE guy kills the guard, his dog, and the blind child 'watching.'
-In other words, being evil means going out of your way to be evil. It's not simply pragmatism, and not all Iqbal worshippers are insane, either. If you are simply going for the fact that he relishes carnage, that would make him more CN than anything else.
-Every DM and player is different, so in other words, is the character evil or pragmatic, sadistic or without mercy?

-So we've got a ninja, a rogue, and a ranger, skills-check. Magic, Divine, etc not so much...

Okay, that sounds fair, I will make him CN. I am viewing him as a cruel cold hearted and sometimes even going out of his way to cause more destruction.

Goal is 4 levels cav 2 pal

Glad I talked the Orc out of NE.