Before we start exploring the world of Epiphany, we are going to define who your characters are and how they fit in to the world.
Starting off, your characters will be locals of the town of Cross (map to be posted in the next day or so), which is a port town in the only remaining free country of Epiphany. During most of the year, the population of Cross is usually around 1,000, so your characters will either know or know of each other in some way or another. However, during the annual Adventuring Contest that Cross hosts, the population will swell to anywhere between 20 to 40 thousand people.
As for age range, human characters should be between 18 and 25, and any longer lived races should be less then 100. Essentually I don't want any of your characters to be old enough to have remembered the War or what the world was like before the war.
Some Ideas for you invidually:
Soris Inkcaller - you could own a tattoo parlor as many adventures when they come during the contest will want to get some ink
Boomer Bellowpiper - you could be a clocksmith due to your knowledge, or even a gunsmith/blacksmith
Darius and Galdor could be serving together in Realinia's militia
Isaac of Steyr - You would have been raised in the Praetor Monestary, which is such a high honor that all of the characters should have heard of you. Your flag symbol is the symbol of Praetor and can also be used as a focus for your spells. The symbol is a golden eagle.
Notable NPC's
There are only two NPC's that everyone should be aware of:
Groden Honourbound - The mayor of Cross and probably the oldest Orc you have ever met. Kind and incredibly wise (two traits that are rare for an orc), Groden has been mayor for many seasons as he is well loved by the townfolk. Rumours have been circulating for decades that he was the one to recruit and lead the adventuring army that won Realinia's freedom, but Groden usually laughs when people ask him about it.
Tok - A goblin, and Groden's assistant and helper. He has a reputation of being sly and underhanded, but always to keep the peace of Cross.
And that's all the information you should need to get started on bio ideas and I will be close by for assistance and help.
I just realized that I need an Int of 13 for later use. Since we haven's started, can I do a little rearranging in my stats?
As I said Soris was a high lvl NPC from my setting so here is his background from there. I will make a few small changes let me know if I should make more. ;)
Soris moved to Cross over twelve years ago. He started up a small tattoo shop, always shirtless to advertise the work he had done on himself. At first his only customer's were pirates and other rogues, yet the quality of his work soon brought clients with heavier purses to his shop. The more success he obtained the more he improved his shop until he worked in a fair sized estate that he had built for himself and called home. Currently Soris is one of the highest paid tattooist in the region and a well respected member of Cross. Dispite his reputation and success Soris has a past he rather stay hidden. Still the tattooist has shown himself to be nothing but a good man and exceptional artist.
Soris' Secret Past
Soris has always kept his past, lineage, and more to the point his sorcerous power hidden from all. Soris once lived under a different name far to the south, due to his blood he was enslaved and ill treated for years until his sorcerer abilities grew beyond the grasp of his captors to deal with. Once freed he turned on his one time masters into the slaves they dealt in, using magic to control them he turned them into bandits. For months he used them to steal a fortune, at the end of his venture he alone was still alive and now rich. He made his way north, buying himself a new name and learning a trade. In time he made it to what he thought was the perfect place to settle down in, Cross.
P.S. Damn you, how did you sneak a look at his background before I posted. :P
Darius, go ahead and make any changes that you need. Just let me know when your finished so I can review it. I'm guessing your going for combat expertise?
Soris, the only thing I would change is Cross' defacto nobility. No nobility in Cross, just high standing citizens, which you would be one, yes
Yep.
K done, added it to my profile. Let me know if any more changes are needed and thanks again for the game. Can't wait to start. XD
My backstory will be up by the end of the day.
Soris - The only thing I might recommend, if its ok with Boomer, is that if he has a clock shop or blacksmith, that his store is next door to your parlor, so that you guys have that good repoire already set up
Darius - Fighters are the one class that I have played alot of, so I know alot of builds and optimizations, (aldori swordlord deflect tank and crit fiend are my favorites) so if you would like, you can post your plan and build and I can offer some advice
Isaac has lived in the monastery all his life. His parents sent him there as a small child to be tutored in the ways of Praetor and magic. All his life he was trained in the ways of Praetor, and His laws are burned on Isaac's mind. However, Isaac was never interested in the intellectual pursuits provided for him at the monastery. He always wondered why everyone talked about Praetor, and studied Him, but no one acted out the faith. Is not the purpose of serving Praetor to bring his light to others? Because he was unable to get his questions answered in the monastery, Isaac made the company of Groden, whenever the chance arose, always begging for a story of adventure and heroism. From Groden, Isaac learned what it meant to be a hero: freeing others from danger with honor. That is what he intends to do one day. Isaac regularly dreams, both day and night, of becoming a great hero and saving the helpless. He sees himself, wielding the banner of the Praetor, storming the enemy lines, inspiring his friends, vanquishing his enemies. When the battle is won, the oppressed will love him, and turn to Praetor, where they can find true freedom. This adventuring contest will be the perfect opportunity to test his mettle. To see if he truly has the makings of a hero. Isaac is mildly aware of most everyone in town, but he is not truly acquainted with all of them. He spends so much time in the monastery and at Groden's, that he has had little time for socializing.
Jacob, if we get a healer, cleric or oracle, I would imagine they would be your cloest friend as they would have grown up in the monastery with you
Soris - The only thing I might recommend, if its ok with Boomer, is that if he has a clock shop or blacksmith, that his store is next door to your parlor, so that you guys have that good repoire already set up.
I am good with it. Soris keeps his power hidden so business is pretty much his life.
Also I should mention that Epiphany is a fantasy world that I have been working on for over a decade. I do have several short stories that I have written that take place in it. I wish I could share the short stories with you, but it would ruin a bit too much of the storyline of the campaign. You will run into a lot of the main characters from the stories though.
And I will be taking the contents of this campaign and writing it up into novelizied format. If it gets finished and even published, I will credit everyone and send them a copy of the book, providing no one has a problem with having a character in a book
That is incredibly fantastic. I am officially psyched. I could tell that you've been working hard on this as soon as I read the campaign background. I'm really looking forward to this.
I have absolutely no problem with that.
As for the progression plan, I generally have it very loose. Because I like to try and have characters progress organically. Basically, I try to have them pick up feats based on what has happened between levels. If that makes any sense.
I am good with it, as long as I dont die in a shameful manner. Death by goblin poop throw is not EVER going to see the light of day buddy. :P
It does make sense. And as very old GM that I am (I started GMing D&D when it had a second edition and was advanced), there is one thing that I do with my players after each milestone.
So at some point in the campaign, I will announce that it is a milestone(usually at the end of a chaper). At this point, you as the characters can do the following:
Remake your characters - if you took skills or feats that you now find are useless, then you can re-do your current character.
or
Retrain your characters - if your bored of your class, you can switch to something you might find more interesting. You would keep the same name and background (with some retconing) and be your new class
Just lost my (rather long) post. Grr.
Short version- I'm fine with the suggestions so far. Can you tell me more about dwarven society on this world?
Just lost my (rather long) post. Grr.
Short version- I'm fine with the suggestions so far. Can you tell me more about dwarven society on this world?
I certainly can. For the most part, Dwarves live in the Dwarven Kingdoms to the east, along the mountain region. They have built fortresses within the mountains and filled them with technological marvels. During the war (forty years ago), the leaders of the dwarven kingdoms decided to seal themselves up in their fortresses and leave the world to man.
So you or your family would have come to Cross before that would have happened. There are a community of dwarves that live in Cross, but they are pretty much the only gathering of your race outside of the sealed kingdoms. They have a distrust of magic, preferring steam power and gears and technology that they can see working.
Galdor was born in Cross, and had little connection to his elven heritage. His parents had been displaced by the war, and elected to settle in cross rather than make their way back through the territory of their former enemies to their subjugated homeland.
Growing up having heard the stories of the adventurers who help off the greatest army ever assembled, Galdor dreamed of one day being an adventurer. Then, while serving in the militia, he discovered the katana. Galdor became fascinated with the weapon. It called to him, whispered to him when he picked it up. He trained endlessly, until the only ones in the militia who had a prayer of matching his skill were experience adventurers. He combined the Katana with the magic that his parents had taught him, until he could use those spells he know almost as well as a katana. His obsessive training kept him isolated from even his fellow militia, but he did spend some time with a pale fellow named Darius...
Please welcome Felisin LightTouch to our adventuring family. Felisin, for your backstory, you might want to conferr with Isaac as the two of you would probably have grown up together in the Monastery of Praetor.
And as you took the haunted curse for your oracle, I hope your prepared for that, cause I'm going to have alot of fun with it *evil GM smile*
Hey Tierce your Cross dwarven explaination just added more reason as to why Soris keeps his powers hidden. Thank you. :D
Galdor, I'll get back to you on that after I update Darius when I get home.
Hey Everyone
Just wanted to say thankyou for giving me a chance :)
haha I am actually scared now ;)
Did everything check out with the character I've never played an Oracle before.
Ok il have a think on backstory and yeah I will read up Issac's posts then see if I can come up with anything to compliment it.
Hey Tierce your Cross dwarven explaination just added more reason as to why Soris keeps his powers hidden. Thank you. :D
And also that there is an one powerful country with a powerful military (Tyrene) that will arrest and execute you for using magic. Realinia is a lot more relaxed and magic is more open. The dwarves in Cross distrust it, but tolerate it.
but its understanable why you've kept it hidden, you did escape from Caldin, a province of Tyrene
Hey, Felisin, I'm not married to any of the particular details of my backstory, either. I just want the theme of the character to work, so feel free to fiddle with any minor stuff if it helps.
Oh no I've been updating my alias and instead of pressing save I've been pressing cancel... Yep don't I feel clever :P
And also that there is an one powerful country with a powerful military (Tyrene) that will arrest and execute you for using magic. Realinia is a lot more relaxed and magic is more open. The dwarves in Cross distrust it, but tolerate it.
but its understanable why you've kept it hidden, you did escape from Caldin, a province of Tyrene
Well when we take over the Raven Isles I know where to send all the pirates to go sacking silly. Who says leading greedy scallywags does not have its perks. XD
Dotting under this alias.
We're off to a good start so far. Think we got a good group!
I think the Magus sounds like a tool.
Like the name "magus" sounds like a tool?
Hey joe, hand me the 3/4 in magus, I need to torque these ninja flanges.
Felisin cannot remember her parents she cannot remember her life outside of the monastery. She was allowed free reign within the monastery walls but boredom quickly set in, so she trained in the ways of archery.
She was 90 when she finally learned the reason of her prison, they called her an oracle. A weapon they could use. She quickly petitioned them to see that the power inside of her was good, that she wasn’t some destructive force to be used against the enemies. She could help heal those in need. They would quickly have brushed her off if it wasn’t for one man, Isaac of Steyr. He helped her become adept in the arts of healing and she quickly became infatuated with him.
She ran a clinic for a while that only the rich and vile could enter. Still Felisin put her heart and soul into helping every patient that walked through the door. But everyone she couldn’t save clung onto wisps of life and blaming Felisin for their deaths, they haunt and torment her.
Hearing of the games and knowing Isaacs sometimes foolhardy bravery she takes the biggest risk of her life and follows him. Isaac was the only person that had ever cared Felisin would not allow him to be hurt.
ooooo, an infatuation! I like it!
Oh, not sure if you guys are aware, but I have a campaign journal currently going of a live Skull and Shackles game that I GM every Friday. Which also reminds me, there won't be any GM posts from me on Friday nights :D
Tierce's Skull and Shackles, A Murderous Adventure on the High Seas
Check it out if you dare!!!
Who's backstory is left?
Here is mine (as a draft):
Darius, about six years prior, came to Cross one evening and never left. No one knows where he came from, but when asked his pale green seem to flash a vivid jade before he answers, "The East." Although he seems content to keep to himself, Darius always seems to have a female companion with him at the local tavern. When he strode into the local militia office, the garrison couldn't help but stare at his unusual armament. Darius wore a crimson leather tunic and a pair of swords, (one on his left hip and the other diagonally across his back, handle towards his right hip), that had blades resembling longswords, but the hilt handles oddly elongated with strange sort of pommel at the end.
"I wish to join your militia," he stated to the watch sergeant.
The sergeant looked him once over and replied, "If you can stand against our best, you may sign up."
Darius was escorted out into the training ground, where he saw an elf practicing with katana and spell.
"There he is. Good luck."
A crowd started to gather as the two warriors stood facing each other. Darius had not drawn his weapons until the elf made his first move, then out of nowhere the two swords were gone and in Darius' hands was a short haft with blades on either end. The duel lasted for several minutes, with Darius holding his own. Finally, the watch sergeant called an end to it and welcomed Darius into the militia.
For six years now, he has served. But now he has the urge to move on. And the upcoming contest seems the perfect place to start.
Excellent backstory Darius! Which brings me to an interesting point! If any characters are wearing a lot of red, then you will have noticed that some town folk will be muttering behind your back, and some may have even said something to your face about it. The legions of Tyrene wear short red cloaks over their armour, so large amounts of red are viewed with suspicion.
@Darius Do you have any plans for healing. It is difficult with a dhampire, I have played one.
There weakness to positive energy is only through channel, you can still use cure light on a dhampire. They just recently clarified that
ok, that is a nice bit of errata.
Actually I'm wrong, I was thinking of the tiefling ability, dhampir's are harmed by all positive energy, including cure spells. We shall have to get some potions of inflict for Darius
still waiting on Boomer's intregrated backstory, in the mean time, I will get the gameplay thread up and going
Normally a cleric would work for dhampir's sense they can spontaneous cast cure (assuming good alignment)spells so they just need to prepare a few inflict spells. But sense we dont have a cleric (do we I think we have an oracle) it is a little problem. My advice is get a wand of inflict wounds as quick as you can or rely on nonmagical healing/nonpositive healing. If I remember right their is an arcane spell called infernal healing which gives fast healing 1 which makes use of devils blood as a component, should work on him. That is a 1st lvl spell I think.
Edit- Infernal Healing will work and just about any spellcaster has access to it.
gameplay is up, post once your bio is finalised
Cool beans, Felisin. Isaac isn't aware of your feeling for him, though. He really likes Felisin, but he doesn't think of her that way.
Dropping in to touch base. My computer's acting up a bit so I'm posting from my phone.
I'm expecting to be able to give Boomer a full write up on monday. Sorry for the delay. I promise my posting rate is usually better.
Dropping in to touch base. My computer's acting up a bit so I'm posting from my phone.
I'm expecting to be able to give Boomer a full write up on monday. Sorry for the delay. I promise my posting rate is usually better.
No worries, we have all been there.
Yeah that's fine by me Isaac I was hoping for that anyway.
Morning Felisin! gameplay is up if you want to make a post!