I am seeking a group of Brave Souls to enter the Grey Mists of the Mournland. This will be an expedition to my Family Estate to Recover Bodies and Items of Sentimental Value. Payment of 10,000 Galifars to each Soul upon safe return. Provisions will be Provided, Must bring your own Weapons. Safety not Guaranteed.Apply Therendor 25, Inn of the Hare Prepared, New Cyre, Breland
--Alvar ir'Cliess, former Count Evaille
This pretty much explains what the characters know when they arrive. It's a trip into a very dangerous area and back. This will be somewhat sandboxy - The Mournland is dangerous and you may encounter things more powerful than you are. While this is not primarily a social campaign, some of the groups in the Mournland are people that you can interact with if you so choose.
Ability scores
Base 10 in each stat, then 18 points on 1:1 scale. Stats must be between 8 and 18 before racial and level modifiers.
Level
Level 8, half gestalt. Fractional Bonuses from Unchained are in effect.
This is simple, you have four regular levels and four gestalt levels. You can take the gestalt levels at any point, as needed for prerequisites. Indicate what levels are gestalt levels.
Hit points
Maximum at each level
Races
Core Races: In order to avoid playing an all-crazy group, Core races get a bonus feat from the following list. They must meet all prerequisites for this feat.
Acrobatic
Additional Traits
Agile Maneuvers
Alertness
Athletic
Child of Winter (ECS)
Cosmopolitan
Deceitful
Deft Hands
Endurance
Extra Cantrips or Orisons
Field Repair
Fleet
Gatekeeper Initiate (ECS)
Greensinger Initiate(ECS)
Investigate
Least Dragonmark (ECS)(see feats below)
Nimble Moves
Persuasive
Prodigy
Research (ECS)
Right of Counsel (ECS)
Run
Self-Sufficient
Skill Focus
Stealthy
Voice of the Sibyl
Warden Initiate (ECS)
Note: yes, these are weak feats. I just wanted to give a little bonus for core races
Eberron Races:
Changelings get +2 to any one stat. Once per day they can spend an hour transforming to switch which stat gets the bonus. The rest is per the ECS.
Kalashtar get +2 to any one stat. This would be based on their Quori lineage, so if we have multiple characters of the same lineage we'll need to work this out. The rest is per ECS.
Shifters are per ECS.
Warforged and warforged scouts may choose composite, ironwood, mithral, adamantine or unarmored plating for free. The rest is per ECS.
Dalkyr half-bloods are available as per MoE. They will need to explain who they are in the background (and why they haven't been lynched). I will go over symbiotes for balance at a later date.
Basic races
Races from 1-10 race points will be accepted as-is, except androids and aliens. This includes the psionic races from Dreamscarred press. A good backstory will be needed for unusual races. If you aren't sure where they fit into Eberron, ask and we'll figure it out.
More Powerful Races
This is Eberron and we can fit it just about anything. However, there will be a cost to balance the power of these races. I will work with you to figure out a cost that works to balance what you want. Some options to give up are stat points, traits, feats and levels.
Creatures with hit dice will usually cost levels equal to their hit dice. Simple creatures like bugbears would take up one side of a gestalt, but others would take up both sides. Particularly powerful ones, will have additional costs. For example, a pixie would take up both sides of all four gestalt levels and 15 of your 18 stat points.
Templates
Templates will usually take up one side of your gestalt levels, but some will take both. The advanced template is not available.
Classes
All Core, Base, Hybrid and Unchained classes except the Gunslinger are available.
Occult Adventures playtest material is available, but you will need to modify your character to fit the final release. Limited retraining will be available to take advantage of archetypes and feats. Dreamscarred Press Psionics are available.
The Artificer class is available. Craft reserve is treated as gold and multiplied times ten. You get to use the craft reserve from your second highest level of artificer for crafting items and you will have your current level's crafting reserve available at the start of the game.
Action points
Characters start with 9 Action Points. They may use three action points to duplicate the effect of a Pathfinder Hero Point.
Skills
Background skills from unchained are in effect. Many characters will have some ranks in Profession: soldier from fighting in the great war.
Feats
Dragonmark feats that duplicate cantrips can be used at-will. Dragonmarks that duplicate 1st level spells can be used 3/day.
Traits
2 trait, plus an additional one if you take a drawback.
Regional traits may be taken if appropriate to your background.
Campaign traits from AP's may not be taken.
Starting Wealth
33,000 gp
Characters can spend no more than 16,500 on crafting items
Artificers get craft reserve on top of this, as listed above.
History
Characters should have a reasonable history. I expect at least two paragraphs. If it's over a page, you should have a summary for easy reference.
The Interview
You will be interviewed for this by Alvar Ir'Cliess and his associates. It will be short, but he wants an idea of who he's hiring. Give these answers in-character as you'd tell him. If you are lying or concealing anything, please list the truth in OOC afterwards.
1) What are you best at? Your strongest talent?
2) What else can you offer to the group?
3) What areas are you weakest in?
4) What experiences do you have with the Mournland?
5) Have you visited Cyre before the Mourning?
6) Did you serve in the war? For whom, and what were your duties?
7) Do you hold any oaths or duties to others that may conflict with this mission? If so, please explain.
8) Tell me a little about yourself. Your background, your training.
Notes:
- I expect players to be familiar with Eberron. You don't have to be obsessive, but you should have a decent grasp of the world.
- Players should play nice to one another. If your characters squabble, check in ooc just to make sure it's fun on both sides.
- Don't try and break the game. Make a good, effective character, but don't torture the system. If you're in doubt, ask.
Deadline June 19th.
Any questions?
Hi! I'm from the interest check thread. I'm building a Changeling Alchemist, though I'm still not sure on archetypes or on the gestalt choice. I'm still working on a potential backstory, but it seems like there's time to think about it. I'll need to dig up my Eberron PDFs from my old computer, too. Anyways, just checking in with my basic mechanical concept for now.
EDIT: How would you handle the "young" template, and would you allow young characters? Strictly out of curiosity?
Hey! Two of my favourite things: Eberron and gestalt (well, half-gestalt). I've been itching to try out a warpriest/zen archer gestalt, I'm sure I can rustle something up.
My first instinct is to make a character originally from Cyre, a soldier who escaped on the day of Mourning, but has been itching for action ever since. For him, this would be a chance to see something of what has happened to his Homeland, to help a fellow citizen and get in a bit of action, all rolled into one. The pay wouldn't hurt either.
Race: I'd like to play Samsaran, but I'm not sure how they would fit in an Eberron campaign. Also, I suspect they are above the 10rp limit so would have something to nerf them a bit, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Let's see what we can do.
Religion: I presume it's Eberron Gods (Silver Flame or Sovereign Host), I would probably pick Olladra (though I would be then tied to Lawful Good), or perhaps Kol Korran with a view to scouting a possible trade route through the Mournlands (which would make added incentive to going and provide an interesting side story).
That's my thoughts so far
@Aestereal, Sounds good. When I heard changeling alchemist, I definitely smiled.
@Gavmania, It is Eberron gods. Hmmm... Samsaran. I just calculated and they are exactly 10 RP, so they don't cost anything extra.
I had two ideas on Samsarans, but your concept fits great with one of them. When a person died in Cyre at the exact moment of the mourning, their souls were changed. They awoke at the edge of the mist, with unclear memories, memories that sometimes seem to contradict one another. Whenever they die, they are reborn at the edge of the Mournland. Whatever happened to them is tied to the secret of that day.
Whaddaya think? (my other idea was to tie them in with the quori/kalashtar/dreaming dark)
I like it...another reason to go back to the Mournland, to find out why.
So, this guy remembers dying. He remembers doing things during the great war, but some of the things he remembers contradicts other things he remembers, and he's not sure which are true memories. he needs to get it sorted out; which are his true memories, why does he have vague and contradictory ones. He can't even be certain if the name he remembers for himself is the right one, and he has become obsessed with finding out who he really is.
He has been eking out a living as a scout or caravan guard, but when he heard about the expedition, he had to sign up.
I don't think I'll need the side story that Kol Korran gives, so he'll definitely be a follower of Olladra. Whether he was or not during the great war, he can't be certain.
@John, Worshipping a pantheon lets you choose one of the favored weapons of one of the deities. You can likewise choose any of the domains, but I suggest ones that are shared by more than one deity in the pantheon, especially for classes that get two domains. Often people will pick a weapon and domains from different deities. They'll usually pick more generic ideals, so it's often not subdomains.
However, this is Eberron. Your personal concept of religion is important, so if you feel strongly about something, simply explain how you believe and why this makes sense to you. Likewise, if you can justify a subdomain, or even a non-traditional domain for a character, then go for it.
Dragonmark heir is definitely available.
Since the very existence of things called gods was a topic of some heated philosophical discussion over there, would you accept a cleric “worshipping” a concept?
I was toying with the idea of a monk/cleric/sacred fist, someone who *believes* in war, who sees a battlefield as a temple sanctified by the spilling of blood, and war and struggle as an integral part of life that fuels progression.
@Grimdog, absolutely. This is an exception to the rule that warforged don't normally feel fatigue. You'd still be immune to other sorts of fatigue, but using your rage does cause it.
@Kirsdrake, if you can convince me that you sincerely believe in a ham sandwich, I'll let you get divine power from it.
In spite of playing DDO, I still know about nothing about Eberron, so I will be forced to pass;
I am curious, though, about what you mean by 1/2 gestalt.
Half gestalt means that 4 of the eight levels will be gestalt levels and four will be standard levels. It's a way of still having a primary class and being able to dabble without penalty. Of course, if you want to have your classes equally represented, you could gestalt them for four levels and then take two standard levels in each.
I was deciding if I wanted to go regular or gestalt and this idea came to me. I figured it would be interesting to see how it works and what type of characters I could get.
I was toying with the idea of a monk/cleric/sacred fist, someone who *believes* in war, who sees a battlefield as a temple sanctified by the spilling of blood, and war and struggle as an integral part of life that fuels progression.
Just to clarify, you were talking about the warpriest archetype sacred fist? I don't want to bring non-Eberron 3.5 stuff in, as it soon gets to be a holy mess.
Pun always intended!
GD, was your warforged specifically built as a barbarian, or was it an accident in the creation?
I'm working on an investigator. Here's what I have so far for background...
Sergeant Escheus,
I regret to inform you that your family’s mansion has been attacked this last week. Your parents are dead and your wife and child have gone missing. The only survivor is your father’s Warforged servant, who goes by the matriculate Gabryed. He has refused to speak to us in the absence of a member of the household.
We do not know when and where this letter will find you, but we urge you to take measure to return home in all haste. In the meantime, please receive our sincere condolences and know that we are doing everything we can to find your family.
Detective Gerardt Soliak
The terrible letter reached Bertholdt only after the Day of Mourning, as he was kept in a prisoner camp near the Cyran border. Devastated, he has spend the last few years investigating the Mourning and interrogating Cyran refuges about his family. So far, he hasn’t been able to join any expedition bound for an area close to his former household, until he recognized Count Evaille’s name, whose estate bordered his town.
I'm definitely enjoying the ideas coming out!
@Dreaming Warforged, I guess it's inevitable that you'd be interested in this. I love the ideas here. Since inquisitives are already a big part of Eberron, investigators are the obvious choice for bringing them into pathfinder.
@Aestereal, I just saw the edit about young characters. It's hard to justify being 8th level and still being young. I might be be convinced by a good story, though. I wouldn't use the template for that, I'd use the age category rules.
On the other hand, if you want to be a small-size changeling, I can easily see this as being a normal variation. -2 str, +2 dex and all of the usual benefits and issues of being small.
Don't worry about it. I've already built the character, and an adult works much better for the idea I'm working with. I'm going Alchemist as my main class and Unchained Rogue as my half-gestalt, focusing on a sort of switch-hitting build with good skills (I made a ranger! Sort of...)
I'm still working on backstory and the interview. Do you have any details about Alvar or the inn, in terms of description?
The Hare Prepared is a three story inn on the edge of town. People coming up on the day will see that it seems very busy with crowds around it. There are a few tents pitched in the field next to it, and one large pavilion with guards around it shooing people away. If you didn't arrive early, it's the common room or the fields for you.
The sign on the inn is much older than the new building and shows a hawk swooping down on a hare. But the hare is wearing a Cyran-style hauberk and has a spear braced. The hawk's eyes are open in shock.
The place is crowded, but doing it's best to serve everyone. Most of the crowd seems to be adventuring types, but many seem unprepared for a journey like this. There's enough experienced types here that it seems like stiff competition.
On the day of the interviews, they will queue up a long line around the building. One of the inn rooms is set up with the group. Alvar ir'Cliess is a human, blond, about 40. His strong face has a couple scars that show he's been tempered by the world. He wears a rapier, and the sharp-eyes will suspect that he has mithral underneath his fine shirt.
There are two others behind the table. A gnome who introduces herself as Quay, and another human named Athron. Quay seems out of place in her fine clothes and seems a little bored at most of the process sometimes fiddling with something small in her hands. Athron, on the other hand is quite focused. He keeps the list of names and seems to pay extreme attention to every word.
Thanks a bunch! Exactly what I needed to know.
OK, I have come across a couple of problems:
1) At 5th Level, a Monk (unchained) gets style strike for use woth Flurry of Blows. These are clearly for use with unarmed combat. Zen Archer gets Flurry of Blows only with bows, so do I get them? are they adapted for use with bow? are they obsolete because I cannot FoB with unarmed?
2) I'd like to commission a quiver with a permanent Abundant ammunition on it. How much would it cost?
Unfortunately the unchained monk doesn't work with the existing archetypes. You'd have to keep with base monk to go Zen archer.
Quivers... *looks through various weighty tomes of reference* Let's see, in Pathfinder, you can add Endless Ammunition to your bow for a +2 bonus, thus minimum of 18,000. The Bow of Ashes is 11,400. In 3.5, they had the Quiver of Anariel for 28,000. They also had the Quiver of Plenty for 1,500. Less than the Efficient Quiver.
I don't think it should be less than the Efficient Quiver, but some of the other ones seem a bit pricey for just making arrows. hmmm... Do you want something basic and utilitarian, or do you want something unique?
This'll sound a bit strange, but I have a character concept that would require to get DM permission to do one of two things;
1. Ignore the alignment restriction of the barbarian.
or
2. Allow me to say I was lawful at level 1 and at some point before level 3 I became neutral.
Don't worry, it's not just a standard monk/barbarian gestalt. I have an interesting approach that involves a character harnessing his/her rage instead of fearing it. If not, I have a few other ideas. This is just the main one I'd like to experiment with under your creation rules.
Changing alignment is a possibility. Youll have to convince me in your story. What's the idea? I may have a few other ideas if I know more.
I actually have a backstory typed up. If you'd like a shortened version, I can certainly do that. My character would likely be from around 100 miles or so from Sharn, but I tried to leave it open in case something else is more convenient.
I was no older than three when the monastery took me in. They were kind and generous to a suffering orphan. They kept what happened a secret for a long time, but I grew tough. I became a monk and learned their ways, but curiosity burned at my bones. I know now why they didn’t want to tell me. They knew the curiosity would grow into fear and fear into hatred.
“You’re a good girl.” They’d say. “You can do anything you want with your life.”
"I want to find my mommy and daddy!" I would reply. I daydreamed about them. My father was tall and handsome with dark hair and tanned skin, my mother had fair skin and pitch black hair. They were kind, they loved to play with me, and they always had something witty to say (because I never do). They were farmers, but I always imagined we did well for ourselves. I would pretend some of the other children in the monastery were my younger siblings and that my parents had just sent us outside to play until they had dinner prepared for us.
Bastards, who were they to keep me from what was rightfully mine to know? Maybe I was too naïve to tell back then, but they knew I wasn’t cut out for the monk livelihood. I know they knew it and that’s why they wouldn’t tell me. I wasn’t interested in their schooling, I wanted the training. I wanted to be a strong warrior like Ayumusensai and little else mattered to me. That is, until they thought they had rid me of my chaotic nature enough to trust me with what I wanted to know. I was a teenager, those a@@#!&&s. I was practically an adult.
“Your parents… They were killed by a witch. They didn’t abandon you.” Ayumu told me softly. “We found their bodies shortly before we found you under your bed. We didn’t want to sever your hope after such a traumatic experience.”
That makes perfect sense, let me believe they left me there for two days all alone instead. Lying sons-of-b@%%+es. My memory flooded back all at once and the pain stung me almost as much as it did back then. My mother had told me to hide under the bed and all this time they let me think that they were just abandoning me? It’s like I could feel the flames that killed my parents. 'Altering one’s own consciousness is only difficult if you try to prevent it.' That’s what they taught me. They couldn’t stop my need for vengeance. That’s what they were afraid of and they thought they could train me well enough for me to discipline myself against it. They were wrong, I’m not narrow-minded like they are, no. I’m proud and I’m strong. I wasn’t about to sit around and pray for good things in the world, I was going to go out there and do good things. I was going to go find that evil son of a b$#*& and kill her myself.
It’s interesting what such hate can do to an otherwise good person. It creates irrational thoughts and unnecessary superstitious beliefs. No matter how much you tell yourself that what you’re thinking is crazy, the rage surges through your veins. That’s something those monks never understood. Don’t fear your rage, harness it. If you give yourself just one thing to care about and to think about, it rules your life. Why does that have to be a bad thing?
I ran away from that place in search of that witch and I plan to kill every evil soul on my path there. I will train with armor and weapons and I will learn to use my anger and my lust for vengeance to become a righteous destroyer of the wicked more capable than the disciplined nut-jobs and their codes and statutes. I fight for freedom, I fight for justice, and I fight regardless.
And to any evil-doers I might encounter, remember this; the only difference between me and a paladin is that I don’t have a silly code holding me back from killing every last one of you.
Yes, this would be justification for changing alignment. You won't be able to advance any monk levels, but you don't lose those abilities either.
Alright, thank you. I will have a character thrown together tonight.
Just to clarify, you were talking about the warpriest archetype sacred fist? I don't want to bring non-Eberron 3.5 stuff in, as it soon gets to be a holy mess.
Unfortunately no... I was thinking of the PrC from CD. Will have to think about this... that Warpriest archetype doesn't sound half bad now that I know it exists ;^)
Scaffold Kane here, this is Gloria the witch hater. She hates witches.
I only have about 2,600 gp left to spend and some abilities to fill in, but I have them all selected. I do want to flesh out the interview more, but that's about it. If you have any questions about my character, let me know!
John Spalding here.
Not completely done with backstory, gear, etc. But getting there.
I am working up a Dragon-marked elf. Light-fighter with a nasty rapier and sharper wit.
Vlyt, Changeling Alchemist/U-Rogue, reporting in.
This is what I've got. I reserve the right to modify it until recruitment closes, and probably will. She's meant to contribute mostly out of combat, doing a bit of work with bombs and alchemical weapons and if needed, fighting in melee.
Dot!
So just to make absolutely sure I'm understanding this, if you were to half-gestalt, say, a Fighter with a Wizard, you would be taking Fighter levels for all 8 levels, but can then pick and choose 4 levels in which to also take Wizard levels as per gestalt rules?
Unfortunately the unchained monk doesn't work with the existing archetypes. You'd have to keep with base monk to go Zen archer.
Quivers... *looks through various weighty tomes of reference* Let's see, in Pathfinder, you can add Endless Ammunition to your bow for a +2 bonus, thus minimum of 18,000. The Bow of Ashes is 11,400. In 3.5, they had the Quiver of Anariel for 28,000. They also had the Quiver of Plenty for 1,500. Less than the Efficient Quiver.
I don't think it should be less than the Efficient Quiver, but some of the other ones seem a bit pricey for just making arrows. hmmm... Do you want something basic and utilitarian, or do you want something unique?
Basic and utilitarian, I think. Just like Abundant Ammunition, I plan to have it on my Efficient Quiver so that I can select from several different arrows (non-magical, of course) and not have to keep track of how much of what I've fired, how much I've got left, how much I've recovered, etc.
@Arachnofiend, Exactly. Or you could do 8 levels of wizard and 4 levels of fighter.
@Gavmania. A basic unit would be 3,500, but that could only use basic arrows. For 5,000, you can hold different types of arrows.
@Philo: Not sure if you know about this site. It has many conversions done.
I do know about that. My base reference is the Eberron files for HeroLab. I'm making a few tweaks, but I'm using that to make it easier.
BTW, for people who do use HeroLab, let me know and I'll give you my email to send me your .por file.
So I just found this trait that I could use Adopted to pick up. Would you allow it considering our previous conversation?
@Spalding, HeroLab does gestalt by levels. You take a gestalt level and then the other two levels and then select them on the Gestalt tab. Of course, you have to get the 3rd party gestalt stuff (and the Eberron stuff) first. http://forums.wolflair.com/showthread.php?t=51966 explains how to set those up.
@Gloria, this won't work for Chaotic Good. It also doesn't fit with your character's history. You seem pretty focused on rejecting them. Would you be changing things around?
It would allow me to take barbarian and monk levels simultaneously though. After some consideration, I don't think I want to go that route anyway. I want the transition from monk into barbarian to be a notable one, which is currently represented. It doesn't fit what I'm going for to be both at the same time.
If you'd like me to take the trait anyway so that the transition is from neutral to chaotic instead of lawful to chaotic, I don't mind. But I won't be changing anything else provided I do that. The story would just need to be adjusted so that my mentor is an aasimar.
I think that your story works really well as it is. I agree that breaking with the old ways works best and taking both classes after that would be a bit muddled.
Hey Philo, I'm still interested in joining. I just have to familiarize myself with Eberron once more. It's been more than a few years since I played it :)
I should have an outline and backstory for you later tonight.
I have the perfect build for a halfling beast rider cavalier that has a T-Rex that I've never been able to find the proper setting for. I think Eberron is the only shot I'll ever have with him, so I'll build him up and apply tonight.
|
Damn it! I promised myself no more building characters, but this one is really awesome. I love Eberron, and this game sounds great.
I'm probably going to play a Master Chymist investigator or alchemist. His four levels of gestalt will be Bloodrager.
He'll come off as a very analytical and suave private investigator or detective - precisely the type of individual one would want to send out looking for objects of personal value in dangerous territory. What he keeps to himself, though, is the tendency for his horrific (and powerful) alternate personality to burst forth when he's threatened.
Great to hear about more interest. People have a week left to find those Eberron books and work on your characters.
@Pahlok, absolutely! What's the point in having dinosaurs if you aren't going to ride them?
@Morphling, yes, I make that promise to myself as well. And yet I keep finding myself back in the recruitment page, promising I'm just going to look. :)
I'll keep tinkering with Vlyt. It's very possible she'll go through a number of iterations (mechanically and story-wise), but I wanted to have a base up there.
@Gavmania. A basic unit would be 3,500, but that could only use basic arrows. For 5,000, you can hold different types of arrows.
Hmm. I think I will just buy a wand of abundant ammunition
Mm, I think saying I'd finish up tonight was pretty ambitious haha. I need to familiarize myself a lot more with the Eberron setting before I pull everything together for Alton's story. I have his build finished up to level 8 as well as his character sheet if you care to take a look.
I'm planning for him to be kind of a dandy merchant's son whose privilege blinds him to how hard life can be. He hasn't been spoonfed his whole life, per se, since he is quite capable as a tactical leader. Rather, he's just sort of oblivious and stuck in his war fantasy without realizing how cruel war can be. Also, he's had his father purchase him a tyrannosaurus as a companion for the novelty of his halfling "heritage," despite having no close relation to the nomadic tribal halflings who actually raise and train dinosaurs as a way of life. He also has a lot of hobbies that he never sticks to, since he's had the time and money to try lessons in just about everything.
His party role is in tactical leadership, providing advantages in combat and setting up his allies for synergy and success. He actually has selfish motivations for doing so, however. Although he's boastful, he's learned quickly that he's no match on his own. In order to ensure his own success, he knows he needs to ensure the success of others. Afterwards, of course, he'll try to reap all the benefits and praise.