A MOLTHUNE ADVENTURE
“War is a blessing and a curse, friends: opportunity for the keen; distraction for the righteous; purpose for the unscrupulous. The only question I have for you is ’Where shall we stand?’”
—Imperial Governor Markwin Teldas
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Hail and well met! I have been kicking around the basic concept of this campaign for a fair deal of time, only now deciding to give the laurel resting a break and go forward with the plan in earnest. As the title alludes to (as per it being plainly mentioned therein) this will be an adventure set in Molthune: a nation found along the southwestern shore of Lake Encarthan in Pathfinder’s core setting, Golarion. Speaking of which, there is not a lot in the way of published material or canon for Molthune, so this adventure is mostly going to be myself filling in blanks and making it up as I go (or sometimes in advance). More information on Molthune can be found .
Who am I? No one important. This will be my first foray into the Play-by-Post format as a DM. As such, I have precious little in the way of providing examples of what to expect from me in this capacity. Examples of my general writing style as a player can be found . I will hope it suffices to say that I’ve ran games in 2nd Edition AD&D on up the chain through Pathfinder for a rather hefty portion of my years. As I am rather fond of lists, I’ll simply scrawl and scribble (with my keyboard) what I’m trying to manufacture as well as what I am hoping to elicit from potential applicants:
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Pay attention closely, as this is where things get a little more interesting. I’m going to be presenting you options—a sort of checklist for the completionists among you. Now, you don’t necessarily have to go for broke on these, although I hope most of you will. I’ll outline a basic character creation package, and if that is ample opportunity enough for you, feel free to go no further. As for the rest? Provide me with that extra mile, answering my questions in full and earnest, and greater treasures for thee await. Let’s get down to it, shall we? (Oh, I’m a sucker for random rolls, by the way—while I won’t foist that upon anyone, I certainly will encourage it for the gamblers in the room. Results on rolls are final, however; no takesies-backsies. If you roll impossibly high, I’ll cope. If you roll a farmer, I apologize for your poor fortune.)
Starting Level: 1st level, though do not expect to remain there long.
Alignment: (*)I am going to be allowing any alignment here, though I ask that everyone scroll to the bottom of this post to read my caution therein.
HP: Max for 1st level; after that, you can either roll upon leveling up or take the average. This is a decision you will be locked into upon character creation (and will be applied to each level thereafter, so consider well your choice)
Classes: Any Paizo products. No third-party or custom stuff please.
Firearms: While Molthune is far from Alkenstar, there are things happening that will provide some options. In general, guns are considered Emerging. There will be character creation options to change that to Commonplace.
Drawbacks: I will be allowing Drawbacks.
:
Create a profile/alias and include relevant information and mechanics inside. I’m going to be asking that character submissions follow the bestiary stat block format for ease of use. Here’s an example of what I’m looking for: [Thorgrim Sigurdson]. Now, you don’t have to follow that exactly; feel free to exercise some creative license and don’t feel obligated to break everything down into bulleted lists. So long as it’s not a nightmare to read and the information is all there, I’ll be content.
A brief note on starting location: The game will begin in the Molthune city of Braganza, during what has come to be known as The Building Season in the expansive but sparsely populated city.
Be sure to include the following in your profile, preferably at the bottom and in spoilers:
And now, onto the extras—
The Basic Package:
To drastically change your guise (Pick any Paizo race): Explain your heritage, forebears, and why someone of your kind is tolerated. Convince me. Molthune has a higher tolerance for the less savory races than others, but you’ll need to anchor your character to the region accordingly to buy into those graces.
To qualify for superior training (25-Point Buy OR Roll 4d6 seven times, dropping the lowest and placing where you will): Delve further into your character’s origins and backstory; explain where you received your training or what has influenced your character in such a way to stand above and apart from the typical adventurer.
To earn higher grade gear and belongings (Maximum starting wealth): Expand upon your character’s Personality section—I’m looking for descriptors with explanations .
To earn yourself a second Trait: Weave it well into your backstory, and make special note of why you qualify for it.
To earn yourself a Campaign Trait: Same as above, though you will have ties to a specific organization within Molthune and expected to comport yourself accordingly.
For a reward above and beyond what is provided above (???): Write a story about your character. Or compose a ballad about your character. This story or song can be about their past, their present, or their future. It can be exaggerated or factual. This is your chance to jump off the rails and strut your stuff—rewards will be proportional to the quality (not quantity) and vary greatly.
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You have been recruited into this burgeoning Order under the tutelage of Ser Eodric Teldas, an Abadaran Justiciar and younger cousin of the Imperial Governor. Eodric is a stern but fair man, and has thus far acquitted himself admirably as head of the Order.
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Diplomacy, Knowledge (nobility), and Knowledge (religion); one of these is a class skill for you. Furthermore, your service to the Order earns you an annual stipend (You receive an additional 250gp in starting funds).
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Bluff, Disguise, and Stealth; one of these is a class skill for you. Furthermore, various Pathfinder contacts, safe houses, and sympathizers remain abroad throughout the region, and can be depended upon to grant asylum and aid to fellow members of The Society who find themselves in dire straits.
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Disable Device, Knowledge (dungeoneering), and Perception; one of these is a class skill for you. Furthermore, you have been given honorary citizenship in Molthune (which allows you to travel freely) as well as an assurance that your badge will carry considerable weight when dealing with authorities.
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Craft (alchemy), Knowledge (engineering), and Profession (soldier or engineer); one of these is a class skill for you. Furthermore, Firearms fall under the Commonplace Guns rule for you.
Benefit: You receive a +2 trait bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy; one of these is a class skill for you. Furthermore, as a member or staunch ally to the Nirmathi Underground, you are privy to multiple caches and safe-houses that can be utilized in times of need.
Custom Campaign Traits: The above are by no means the only options available. If someone has a particular hook or avenue they would like to explore, I’m more than willing to work with the Player in designing a new trait (likely following the same template as those above).
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I’m going to be breaking down recruitment into three phases, though some of them shall overlap; Initial Recruitment, Pregame Roleplay, and then Recuitment Close.
Initial Recruitment:
Recruitment starts:
Recruitment ends:
Pregame Roleplay:
I will be opening the Gameplay thread to roleplay before the game actually starts, as a way of gauging roleplay capabilities and character design as well as giving everyone and myself time to finalize and smooth out character details. This will occur ONE WEEK after the Initial Recruitment phase, and last up until the September 17th deadline. I delay this as a way of giving multiple people a chance to participate in the gameplay thread at the same time, and also as an encouragement for people to finish their characters before diving into the pregame scene.
Pregame Roleplay Begins:
Pregame Roleplay Ends:
Recruitment Close:
After recruitment has been officially closed on September 17th, I will spend the next couple of days reviewing submissions and finishing up any questions or concerns regarding them. Expect a decision to be made no later than Friday, September 20th.
How Many Players?: I’m going to set a tentative limit of 6 characters, though that may rise or fall depending on the number of submissions I receive.
Characters in Reserve: If people wish to have their entries considered for later addition pending drop-outs or ejections, I will be completely open to that idea. I will likely contact any replacements by PM and see if they remain interested at the appropriate time.
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Hero Points: I will be running Hero Points, with the following uses available:
- CreationYou will begin with 2 Hero Points.
- Earning Hero Points: Leveling up; Achieving plot-based milestones; Impressing the hell out of me via ingenuity or exceptional roleplay
- Spending Hero Points: Spend 1 to reroll any d20 (you must take the second result, even if it is worse); Spend 2 to escape death (details there will be based on the situation as it relates to the story); Special: Spend a Hero Point to do something outside of the scope of the rules (I leave this up to the player; requests for auto-successes, bonuses to rolls, and the like will be denied—creativity rules the day).
Deity Calls: Sometimes the powers take special interest in the mortal world. As a result, any time a player is slain, they will be allowed a d100 roll to reflect the possibility of their respective deity’s divine intervention. You must roll under your total character level in order for this to work. (As you can see, I’m providing several options to mitigate the circumstances of character death)
Intimidate: You may substitute Strength for Charisma on Intimidate, but this is non-reversible decision made at character creation.
Crafting Skills and Character Creation: You may pay the reduced crafting cost for items if you can achieve the required result by Taking 10 on the Skill.
Crafting Feats: This is a big maybe. I think maybe sticking to the crafting rules as outlined would be less of a headache for everyone due to consistent and reliable mechanics. I’ll likely put this one to a vote when the final group is decided upon; I will present the options then and go into more detail. Suffice to say for now, I’m not very enamored with the wealth-by-level assumptions of the game, and developed a very free form crafting alternative.
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Alignment: As I mentioned far upstream, I will not be overly rigid with Alignments nor will I be restricting character alignments. However, I expect people to own up to what they play. Actions of a decidedly evil bent likely elicit responses comparable to the depravity of the deed being committed. If you cut down a peasant in the street because it’s fun you are going to be facing down the town guard in a very bad way soon after. In short, play what you want but own the consequences.
Party Conflict: I am all for interparty conflict so long as it serves the story and does not infringe upon another person’s enjoyment. In a case where PCs are clashing, make sure in the Discussion thread that all parties involved are okay with the overall direction of the disputes. We’re here to have fun. It’s what my character would do is less important to me than This is a fun game.
Combat: I will make no claims of offering super-awesome-amazing battle grids and maps, but I will try to keep things organized and easy to see. Initiatives will mostly be RAW, although I will be clustering up actions in groups where able to speed along gameplay.
Rules and your DM: I’ll make mistakes. Probably frequently. I sometimes forget that some of my tabletop houserules are houserules and continue in blissful ignorance. Please don’t take it too personally if I make a bad ruling; simply provide a link to how things should work and I’ll make a ruling based on that. I may not be perfect, but I will try to be consistent.
Hopefully that covers everything as far as recruitment goes. Any questions or concerns, feel free to ask and I’ll respond asap.
Definitely interested and once I've given a read, would it be ok to submit fluff before crunch to see what point buy and such I'm working with?
Absolutely. That's part of why I had the week buffer between the recruitment and pregaming, so we can sort out the creation checklist and whatnot. Interested to see what people come up with.
I think I am going to love this campaign.
Hello again, it's Wolfgang, so soon? Yes I know. This is the character I am interested in using for your campaign, his crunch needs a bit of work; as he is at level three at the moment, I'll bring him down to level one and go with the 20 point-buy, and if you think he deserves it I'll bump him up to 25 point-buy, also I'll be sure to write a story about my character as soon as I can. I welcome any comments or criticisms you might have and please be as blunt as possible.
Interested
Well, thanks for breaking my "only one PBP game" claim, Kagehiro. I'll submit something later this evening.
Heh right Thron? :P
Dotting!
I take it you would not mind if I gave you a class and a character concept and then filled out the fluff before I actually built them mechanically?
I take it you would not mind if I gave you a class and a character concept and then filled out the fluff before I actually built them mechanically?
Correct. Alternatively you can assume you'll qualify and build accordingly, but fluff is more important initially.
Did some touching up on the back-story section of the character sheet; mostly correcting some spelling and grammar mistakes and editing out parts that didn't seem to fit the character.
I'll take a look at it after work tonight and offer any critique.
Posting with the eventual Alias as I get time to piece it together.
Great presentation. If I decide to dive back into PbPs, this is certainly an enticing campaign. Love the focus on fluff over crunch...
Gah, wrote up a nice post and accidentally deleted the whole thing. Let's try this again:
Firstly, I'd like to congratulate you on your impressive recruit post; all the work that was obviously put into it deserves a pat on the back.
Secondly, I'd like to post for interest in submitting a character! As I love random rolls as much as you do - however one sided the relationship is - I'll opt for the 4d6 drop lowest stats. I think, because I'm rolling it this way, it would be best to start with stats and work to class/race. Anyways, here goes!
, final score of 14.
, final score of 15.
, final score of 8.
, final score of 13.
, final score of 8.
, final score of 15.
So, the array before racial modifiers looks like this:
STR 14 (+2), DEX 15 (+2), CON 8 (-1)
INT 13 (+1), WIS 8 (-1), CHA 15 (+2)
With an overall modifier of +5, I may breathe a sigh of relief. The dice gods have not forsaken me. Now, with scores like these, I'm thinking of playing an Oracle of Flame. I've been itching to play an oracle for a while. Here is my wealth roll:
x10 for 100 gold.
I'm going to write up a backstory and build it out sometime tomorrow or the next day. The basic idea is a human who is born into the laborer caste, and joins the military as a means to imperial citizenship. However, during his training, he awoke to his oracle powers, accidentally injuring several other recruits in the process and getting himself kicked out of the recruiting. Since then, not content to resume life as an ordinary laborer but unable to join the military, he has searched around for another path to status and power.
Depends in how you tie it in. Molthune makes regular use of hobgoblins in their military.
I'm gonna try the roll option first and then poin buy if that doesn't spark my creative juices.
10
11
16
12
13
14
Well that's a weird mix...
Well, the intention was to declare one way or the other and stock to it (else ppl will roll less than optimally then default back to pt buy; looks like you made out okay though!)
Keep in mind that after submitting backstory and the like you can earn an extra roll and place the stats as well.
Well then I'll stick with this route and try to come up with something good. Looks like a spontaneous caster of some sort. Hmmm...
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I'm currently thinking the following; Megrim is a hobgoblin who was part of a roving war band that harassed both Nithrami and Molthune forces. When the war band was put to the sword by the forces of Molthune, rather than kill him they forced him into slavery and conscripted him into the army, figuring that he'd soon die but he might take some Nithrami soldiers with him. However, he has proven more tenacious than that and has managed to scratch out some begrudging respect from his fellow soldiers although they wouldn't trust him as far as they could throw him.
For his part, Megrim has come to realise that life in the Empire would be a lot better than scratching together a living as a 'wild' hobgoblin and has poured all of his efforts into working towards that aim. He realises that it might take several years to reach this goal but it is time he is willing to put in.
That's the basic premise.
Strength: = 14
Dexterity: = 14 (16 with racial bonus)
Constitution: = 13 (15 with racial bonus)
Intelligence: = 13
Wisdom: = 12
Charisma: = 9
Wealth: x 10 = 150
So those scores fit right in with Megrim being a Ranger with the Battle Scout archetype.
Haven't rolled for stats in years! Going with this and sticking with it.
Final Score 10
Final Score 13
Final Score 14
Final Score 10
Final Score 11
Final Score 11
x10 = 120 gold
My goal is to build a gunslinger, still debating the race. I'll sit down tonight and really focus on the excellent treatise so I can give it its due. Other than what is written above, anything I should avoid in the build? I know gunslingers are problems in other games, and this would be my first attempt at the class.
Thanks!
Vincent Teldas
LG Human
Class/Starting Level: Arcane Duelist 1
HP: Average per level
He is generally well liked and well respected, and his ability to blend sword and magic in ways that improve not only his combat prowess, but other soldiers in his company as well has earned him that respect. He does his best to juggle his duties to both family and order while also pursuing his own goals and dreams.
[Fun-Loving] - Vinvent loves a good time, and when the situation presents itself he relishes in festivities and a good prank.
[Kind] - Vinvent holds fairness, generosity, and honor as important virtues that people of any caste should follow.
[Loyal] - Though many consider this a positive thing, for Vincent, it more often than not leads to trouble, as he has put his family name and prestige in jeopardy on behalf of citizens of lower rank who has earned his respect.
[Highborn] - Many in Molthune have grown accustomed to the caste system that has developed, but sharing space with people of lower class has often put extra social stressors in situations.
His father insured that he received the finest training in the land in regards to both academics and swordplay, hiring a professional fencer to train his son for what was certain to be a glorious life as an officer in the Molthune army. However, fate as it would seem, was not necessarily content with the current path Vincent was treading. During one of his many sessions of training with his trainer, manifested remarkable magic powers that was beyond either of their understandings, and which had never been exhibited in their family before. Upon receiving report of this, Victor was uncertain as to what to do with the young teen. He eventually decided that instead of hiding him away in fear that his magic may bring a bad name to the family, he decided to add to the young boys studies a master sorcerer who could teach him to control the magic that ebbed within the boy.
After several years, Vincent learned to manage the magic in the form of spells and auras that not only benefited him, but also aided those around him. As his mastery over magic improved, Vincent began to blend his skill with it into other aspects of his life. His father first thought to prohibit it, but upon witnessing his son use his various talents during a social gathering at their manor to enthrall and entertain the many guests, he decided to allow his son to continue his practices. Particularly since Victor’s pranks had managed to pave the way to allow for Victor to secure a contract with Lord Resket to provide a naval escort for Victor’s trade ships on Lake Encarthan and the Inkwater River.
Later in life, Vincent was out on what was supposed to be a simple patrol along the Backar Forest. During camp one night, while Vincent was on watch, he noted a group of satyrs and sprites attempting to steal their unit’s horses. Vincent sounded the alarm, and a small battle ensued. While trying to flee back to the forest, one of the satyr’s covering the fey’s retreat shot an arrow that sliced his captain’s throat deeply. Certain the captain would die without his aid, Vincent rushed to the man’s side, seeing the look of terror overwhelm the man who was certain his life was literally spilling out beside him. Vincent channeled the magic at his disposal, and managed to stop the bleeding to a point that it was now manageable with a bandage.
Upon his return to Braganza, his Captain had treated him like a returning hero, including quite the night on the town at his expense. Thinking the matter settled, Vincent returned to his home to find his older cousin, Lord Eodric, there meeting with his father. It turns out, his cousin had been watching his achievements, and had been planning to extend an invitation to Vincent to The Most Noble Order of the Exalted March that he had formed. His actions out in his most recent excursion into the field sealed the deal, and made it appear to not be an appointment based on family favoritism. Vincent graciously accepted, and has recently been formally initiated into their ranks. (Most Noble Order of the Exalted March Trait)
I plan to compose a story about my character, specifically in regards to the initial and sudden development of his magical talents during his swordsman training session, but I have to take my wife to class and I'll work on that when I return. I'll let you chew on this for now though.
Was planning on doing point buy, but I cannot resist the call of the dice the others keep tempting with. Behold as I roll a set that totally ruin the concept! (unless I qualified for the advanced build that lets me roll a 7th set and place).
Str: 11
Dex: 13
Con: 12
Int: 15
Wis: 4 (OUCH)
Cha: 14
Wow...just wow...hahaha
Ouch is right!
“Again! Keep your feet apart! Sword arm towards your opponent! Only move your shield arm over if you cannot parry a blow with your blade! How many times must we go through this Vincent!?” Master Crucias was short tempered today. Not that today was any different than any other day, mind you. Crucias was always short tempered. Even when Vincent performed a maneuver exactly as the old swordsman had described, there was always something wrong with it. Either his foot should have been further this way or his arm should have been higher. When those corrections were made, they would be too much in the man’s eyes.
“Yes sir.”
That was the only reply that could be given that would not warrant a slap from the broadside of Crucias’ rapier. It was a phrase that Vincent normally didn’t have issue with, but when it came to Crucias, it seemed to sting as it rolled off his tongue.
CRACK!
The room resounded with the echo of Crucias’ blade against Vincent’s shoulder blade. “I said again!” Crucias took up his normal stance opposite the boy, prepared to find some other way to surely criticize his technique yet again. Vincent did as he was told, taking up his own stance.
As the two men began their mock duel, Vincent caught wind of something on the air he had failed to notice before today. He caught wind of ale on the teacher’s breath. This man is teaching swordplay while he is drunk! That’s why he is being such an @#$ today! Vincent refused to let his wandering thought distract him from the duel. He used this information to his advantage, and as Crucias parried aside his sword, Vincent spun along with the blow and tripped up the man before his drunken senses could properly calculate the unexpected move. Crucias’ head snapped back onto the marble floor, and a new crack echoed through the hall.
Vincent smiled as he looked over at his grimacing teacher, whose face was rapidly turning red from both the pain and the probably anger rising up in him. Vincent didn’t care for the latter though, seeing the look on Crucias’ face as he was falling was worth it. However, the man had taught him a lot in regards to swordsmanship, and as such, Vincent didn’t let him languish on the floor for long, and moved over and offered the man his hand to help him up.
Crucias took the offering, and once he was to his feet, Vincent said, “My apologies, sir, I did not mean t…”
Vincent was interrupted by the backhand of his teacher. “Never lend aid to a fallen enemy! That’s a good way to end up with a dagger between your ribs!”
“Sorry si…”
Another slap, this time on the opposite cheek. “And never, EVER, try to embarrass me again, do you understand boy?”
It was now Vincent’s turn to get angry. He could feel the hatred for this drunken fool rise to a point he had never felt towards another soul. His heart pounded like a race horse. Yet, all he muttered as he glared at the man was a simple, “Yes sir.”
“AGAIN!” his teacher demanded as he turned and stepped back to his position opposite the boy. The two men glared at each other, anger raging in both their eyes. However, this time, the teacher initiated the battle and lunged forward with a volley of blows Vincent had not expected. This did not keep him from parrying them aside, however. The man’s obvious attempt to catch Vincent off guard only angered him more.
Gradually, Vincent managed to take the initiative away from Crucias, and began an offensive of his own. As Crucias began parrying away Vincent’s blows, Vincent noticed a look of astonishment on the man’s face. As Vincent began delivering over handed blows one after another towards his teacher, he failed to notice that his sword’s blade had begun to glow.
With one final strike, Vincent’s longsword cleaved through his teachers thinner blade, snapping it into two pieces and several smaller shards. The sound snapped Vincent out of his rage, and as he surveyed the scene, he finally noticed his glowing blade and the destruction it had wrought. It was about this time that his father stormed into the training hall.
“What is going on in here Crucias?” Victor demanded as he marched in.
“Sir, your son just attacked me in a fit of murderous fury and attempted to kill me! I cannot stand for this!” Crucias’ lie was obvious to Victor. This foreigner would have to do better than that to fool someone who was lied to on a daily basis.
Victor eyed his sons glowing sword with a look of both fear and curiosity as Crucias continued to blather on about who would pay to have his sword repaired, claiming to be some sort of family treasure or some nonsense. Victor simply tossed the man the coin purse containing his pay for the day, and said without looking at the man, “Be gone, your lies and your breath sicken me. Go make arrangements for your sword at the tavern, I’m sure that’s what your more concerned with anyway.” As the man walked out, Victor called back to him without looking away from his son, “Your services are no longer required.”
Looking at his son who was shaking in fear of what was happening to him, Victor said, “Son, what is happening?”
Vincent said nothing, but began to kneel down to pick up a shard of Crucias’ rapier from the floor. As he did so, the shard began levitating towards him on seemingly on its own, eventually ending up in his hand. The two men looked from the shard, to each other, and back at the shard.
Victor awoke from his dream with a start. Looking about the barracks, he saw several other men of his new order sleeping on their own cots. He looked over to the small nightstand containing some of his personal affects, and opened the drawer quietly. Reaching in, he found what he was looking for and laid back down. As the small metal shard floated above his eyes, he smiled as it glinted the reflected moonlight coming in through the window. He used his magic to return it to its place in the drawer, and then closed it. As many times as he had relived this memory as a dream, it always made him feel better to see just how far his magic had taken him.
See that is why I'm going for a point buy - no rolling for me. XD
Aiming for a Battle Herald type - expect a Warhammer 40k Imperial Commissar.
*Edit*: Just to clarify, if we make enough of a background to gain a second trait and a campaign trait, we can gain another trait on top of that with the drawback, aye?
Yep! Four total traits if ya go all out.
Yep! Four total traits if ya go all out.
Sounds good! If I know anything about Commissars, they're Xenophobic thats for sure..
Going Human Arcane Duelist Bard to start with - by level 7, he'll be Arcane Duelist Bard 5/Standard Bearer Cavalier of the Lion 1/Battle Herald 1.
I'm sad that the Battle Herald PrC doesn't advance his spellcasting, but.. I think in the long run, he'll be more of a combat oriented person anyways.
Gonna do another roll juuuuust in case you green light me for the higher stat array. If not, my current rolls are on record above.
Hahaha from 4 to an 8. Not much improvement, but the dice gods be fickle overlords.
Removed all the crunch, I will add it after I find out if I should go with a 20-point-buy or a 25-point buy, the only thing I've kept intact is the gear, well except for the masterwork spiked chain I took that baby out, I've also brought him down to level 1 and took out all the feats and abilities he gained from leveling.
Well, here he is; Shane Gifford's Oracle of Flame submission, Adurus Krupt. I'll be adding a story or two, because there were ideas I had when writing the background that I want to go into further detail on. I'll also probably write a bit of background for some of the NPC's mentioned in the backstory, especially Adurus's childhood friends. Hope you enjoy!
Something I forgot to ask about earlier; should we have a reason to be part of the war in our character backstory? I included one reason for Adurus to not be in it, but I can easily modify the backstory so that Adurus becomes a member of the Most Noble Order of the Exalted March, to be shipped off to the front lines.
I have a very basic, primal seed of an idea about a guy who only uses one kind of sword, but is so damn good with it that it's completely ridiculous. He/she will be obsessed with understanding their weapon, creating a perfect version of their weapon. Probably a N or CN worshipper of Gorum, who lives to seek out new challenges in personal combat. A Miyamoto Musashi kind of character, except western. Class, race and sundry are still up in the air.
I have a very basic, primal seed of an idea about a guy who only uses one kind of sword, but is so damn good with it that it's completely ridiculous. He/she will be obsessed with understanding their weapon, creating a perfect version of their weapon.
Well... Abadar's abode on Axis DOES have a vault with one perfect version of every object in Golarion (perfect longsword, perfect key, etc.)...
Would you allow a Cavalier to take the Sword Saint archetype? Or for a "samurai" to be from Avistan? I want to build a western sword saint who uses a Falcata instead of a Katana. I'd also be kinda crippled by not having Weapon Expertise work with the falcata. Any chance you'll work with me on this somehow?
Edit:Additional inspiration will be drawn from Fiore del Liberi, Johannes Liechtenauer, Sigmund Ringeck, Hans Talhoffer, Paulus Hector Mair
Edit edit:Also from Dokkōdō
A little thought I'd like to add to my character submission:
Adurus does not exemplify the Flame very well as he is, and thus doesn't make much sense as an oracle (the gods tend to pick one who exemplifies the trait). I understand this. However, the way I plan on advancing him thematically is that as his powers grow, the Flame consumes his icy forbearance, and he becomes increasingly volatile, wild, and intense. As he currently is, he is no more than a wispy candle flame, which I think makes sense for level one. It also came about a little unexpectedly when I wrote the backstory, but I think it works nicely.
Hello again, it's Wolfgang, so soon? Yes I know. This is the character I am interested in using for your campaign, his crunch needs a bit of work; as he is at level three at the moment, I'll bring him down to level one and go with the 20 point-buy, and if you think he deserves it I'll bump him up to 25 point-buy, also I'll be sure to write a story about my character as soon as I can. I welcome any comments or criticisms you might have and please be as blunt as possible.
There are some prevalent grammatical issues. I am noticing a lot of commas and semi-colons without many periods. Nothing intolerable, but something that could be improved upon. The story itself is well conceived. I would like to see more about where your character comes from specifically: settlement/city names, nations, etc. as well as the names of some of the NPCs and organizations in his past. A couple of questions to consider:
You qualify for the 25-point buy, although I would like to see more emphasis placed on events surrounding your character's training. I assume he picked up his blade expertise from the carnival performances; may want to lean a little more heavily on that in the backstory to paint a clearer picture.
Well, thanks for breaking my "only one PBP game" claim, Kagehiro. I'll submit something later this evening.
One |
Singular sensation!
Great presentation. If I decide to dive back into PbPs, this is certainly an enticing campaign. Love the focus on fluff over crunch...
Many thanks! Let's hope my aspirations and intentions match up with my longwindedness in Recruitment Threadery.
Gah, wrote up a nice post and accidentally deleted the whole thing. Let's try this again:
Firstly, I'd like to congratulate you on your impressive recruit post; all the work that was obviously put into it deserves a pat on the back.
Secondly, I'd like to post for interest in submitting a character! As I love random rolls as much as you do - however one sided the relationship is - I'll opt for the 4d6 drop lowest stats. I think, because I'm rolling it this way, it would be best to start with stats and work to class/race. Anyways, here goes!
[dice=Strength]4d6, final score of 14.
[dice=Dexterity]4d6, final score of 15.
[dice=Constitution]4d6, final score of 8.
[dice=Intelligence]4d6, final score of 13.
[dice=Wisdom]4d6, final score of 8.
[dice=Charisma]4d6, final score of 15.So, the array before racial modifiers looks like this:
STR 14 (+2), DEX 15 (+2), CON 8 (-1)
INT 13 (+1), WIS 8 (-1), CHA 15 (+2)With an overall modifier of +5, I may breathe a sigh of relief. The dice gods have not forsaken me. Now, with scores like these, I'm thinking of playing an Oracle of Flame. I've been itching to play an oracle for a while. Here is my wealth roll:
[dice=Starting Wealth]3d6 x10 for 100 gold.
I'm going to write up a backstory and build it out sometime tomorrow or the next day. The basic idea is a human who is born into the laborer caste, and joins the military as a means to imperial citizenship. However, during his training, he awoke to his oracle powers, accidentally injuring several other recruits in the process and getting himself kicked out of the recruiting. Since then, not content to resume life as an ordinary laborer but unable to join the military, he has searched around for another path to status and power.
A difficult backstory, but not impossible. A slave or laborer making their own way are unlikely to find citizenship knocking on their door, although an adequate sprinkle of creativity in that regard can go a long way. Do bear in mind that, while your time with the Molthuni Regulars might have come to a close, seeing a natural disposition for pyrotechnics might have piqued the interest of different military organizations without the nation. Looking forward to what you come up with.
As to the stats, I'm assuming you'll be going for the improved option. That being the case, and I'll leave this here for any who would like to see, . In all honestly, I'm not being super strict and exclusive with the provided options. So long as a genuine effort is made in full, I have a hard time imagining saying "No!"
Also, in case it gets missed in the text, and this is to all who wish to apply:
I'm currently thinking the following; Megrim is a hobgoblin who was part of a roving war band that harassed both Nithrami and Molthune forces. When the war band was put to the sword by the forces of Molthune, rather than kill him they forced him into slavery and conscripted him into the army, figuring that he'd soon die but he might take some Nithrami soldiers with him. However, he has proven more tenacious than that and has managed to scratch out some begrudging respect from his fellow soldiers although they wouldn't trust him as far as they could throw him.
For his part, Megrim has come to realise that life in the Empire would be a lot better than scratching together a living as a 'wild' hobgoblin and has poured all of his efforts into working towards that aim. He realises that it might take several years to reach this goal but it is time he is willing to put in.
That's the basic premise.
Strength: 4d6 = 14
Dexterity: 4d6 = 14 (16 with racial bonus)
Constitution: 4d6 = 13 (15 with racial bonus)
Intelligence: 4d6 = 13
Wisdom: 4d6 = 12
Charisma: 4d6 = 9Wealth: 5d6 x 10 = 150
So those scores fit right in with Megrim being a Ranger with the Battle Scout archetype.
The same lucrative deal offered the non-citizenry would be available to hobgoblins as well. Five years of service in the military will grant you citizenship and land. Granted, a hobgoblin is a lot less likely to inherit prime real estate or be quartered in more civilized areas, but the spirit of the deal remains the same. I can totally see small humanoid settlements springing up as a result of this arrangement.
Haven't rolled for stats in years! Going with this and sticking with it.
[dice=Str]4d6 Final Score 10
[dice=Dex]4d6 Final Score 13
[dice=Con]4d6 Final Score 14
[dice=Int]4d6 Final Score 10
[dice=Wis]4d6 Final Score 11
[dice=Char]4d6 Final Score 11[dice=Starting Wealth]5d6 x10 = 120 gold
My goal is to build a gunslinger, still debating the race. I'll sit down tonight and really focus on the excellent treatise so I can give it its due. Other than what is written above, anything I should avoid in the build? I know gunslingers are problems in other games, and this would be my first attempt at the class.
Thanks!
I'm totally fine with gunslingers. So fine, in fact, that I designed a trait to specifically give them an easy in for the game. Any non-gunslingers hoping for a chance to acquire some firearm lovin' may be interested in taking the Rud's Wastewares Campaign Trait above.
Hello again, it's Wolfgang, so soon? Yes I know. This is the character I am interested in using for your campaign, his crunch needs a bit of work; as he is at level three at the moment, I'll bring him down to level one and go with the 20 point-buy, and if you think he deserves it I'll bump him up to 25 point-buy, also I'll be sure to write a story about my character as soon as I can. I welcome any comments or criticisms you might have and please be as blunt as possible.There are some prevalent grammatical issues. I am noticing a lot of commas and semi-colons without many periods. Nothing intolerable, but something that could be improved upon. The story itself is well conceived. I would like to see more about where your character comes from specifically: settlement/city names, nations, etc. as well as the names of some of the NPCs and organizations in his past. A couple of questions to consider:
How has your character come to be in Molthune (specifically Braganza)?
As a runaway slave with no credentials, how does Vincent manage to avoid being arrested? Slaves and laborers are not allowed to roam the nation freely—such free reign requires either citizenship or appropriate documents. You qualify for the 25-point buy, although I would like to see more emphasis placed on events surrounding your character's training. I assume he picked up his blade expertise from the carnival performances; may want to lean a little more heavily on that in the backstory to paint a clearer picture.
Thank you so much for going through the back-story, and for being blunt. I'll be sure to make the necessary adjustments as soon as I can. As for your questions:
1-I'll do some reading up on Molthune, and hopefully after that I'll I'll be able to answer this inquiry.
2-Since Vincent began his trade as an information broker, I thought it would be natural for him to be able to get his hands on forged documents. While Varrnese is his real family name, it isn't the name he uses on his documents. If this seems like a good explanation I'll be sure to explore it further when I make adjustments to the back-story or when I write the other story you've given us the option of adding.
I'll be sure to give more details on where he got his weapon training from, I'll also try to further explore how he obtained some of his skills. Glad to know that I've qualified for the 25-point buy, and thank you again for the comments, inquiries and criticisms, you have no idea how glad I am for the feedback.
Rolling for that 7th ability score:
= 13, to be replacing my 8 in Constitution. I don't really think any other changes to the ability scores are gonna be made.
Hmm, I hadn't considered any other military organizations. Now that I pause to consider, it would certainly make sense that a state such as Molthune would have many relatively independent army factions, with so many General Lords...
The reason I was set on the Imperial Army specifically is that they are the one listed on the wiki (and in the campaign setting book) connected to the 5-year citizenship deal. If the Imperial Army encompasses different branches within Braganza (you mention the Molthuni Regulars as one, I suppose), then Adurus might just try his luck at a different one.
Doing quite a bit of multi-posting! I'll try and consolidate a bit.
Thron's Vincent: Two submissions with the same first name. Interdasting! Full disclosure to all: Thron and I are friends IRL. As such, I can talk to him at will about character stuffs. Speaking of which, his acceptance to the game is not infringing upon the 6 slots mentioned above. He'll be a guaranteed Seventh. Sausage.
Rolling for that 7th ability score:
[dice=Bonus Score]4d6 = 13, to be replacing my 8 in Constitution. I don't really think any other changes to the ability scores are gonna be made.
Hmm, I hadn't considered any other military organizations. Now that I pause to consider, it would certainly make sense that a state such as Molthune would have many relatively independent army factions, with so many General Lords...
The reason I was set on the Imperial Army specifically is that they are the one listed on the wiki (and in the campaign setting book) connected to the 5-year citizenship deal. If the Imperial Army encompasses different branches within Braganza (you mention the Molthuni Regulars as one, I suppose), then Adurus might just try his luck at a different one.
One man's "he burned up my cadets!" is another man's "hey, maybe I can get him to burn up Nirmathi cadets!"
@Brimleydower If you want I would be fine with changing the first name of my character, also are you okay with the explanation I gave for how a runaway slave with no credentials is allowed to roam the nation freely? Because if you are as I mentioned above I'll expand upon it in either the back-story or the other story.