From Humble Beginnings WotW (Inactive)

Game Master The Indescribable

Can I join, give me a bit to create a character.

... Uh, sorry. Characters are already chosen. This is officially closed.

This is officially back open. I need one or two new players. And since our main martial dropped out preferential treatment will be givento them. As before no psionics 3pp available so long as you can give me the material to peruse. 2nd level no gear. Unlike before you get one NPC level and 1 class level.

Bump

I am interested, will post a character later today. Currently cooking up a brawler (mutagenic mauler, steelbreaker) - think Popeye and his spinach :)
Storywise he is going to be some sort of a wrestler who's gone too far in pursuit of victory.

To make sure I understand. We choose the class we want to be, but we start with NPC classes correct?

If the class we're going to take gives a bonus feat (ie Weapon Finess) if I take that as my 1st level feat for my NPC class, can I replace it later?

Do you use the Stamina from unchained?

Are the PC's still in prison?

Do we still start with no equipment?

To make sure I understand. We choose the class we want to be, but we start with NPC classes correct?

If the class we're going to take gives a bonus feat (ie Weapon Finess) if I take that as my 1st level feat for my NPC class, can I replace it later?

Do you use the Stamina from unchained?

Are the PC's still in prison?

Do we still start with no equipment?

Gosh I missed your second post. I'm stupid. You answered half the questions already. I'll be building a character later today.

They're still escaping but are outside the prisons walls

I am presenting this character for consideration. She is an Aristrocrat for her NPC class. Swashbuckler (inspired blade) for her PC class.

Let me know if the Lore skill I took works for you please.

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Background
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Teresa Zoren was a young elven maiden in waiting when the darkness took her. Living in the northern woods of Talingarde near the watch wall always heralded dangers, but her family owned rich land and had staked a claim of nobility in the region, even if it was only a minor title and not widely recognized it afforded them certain comforts. Each member of the families eldest children were given a proper education in the local academy trained in etiquette, education, and the sword. Being elves made them outsiders among the nobility but they were welcomed by most and at least tolerated by the rest.

Teresa was a normal girl, with some talent in the magical arts honed at the academy. Her elven beauty captured the hearts of many young nobles and made her quite the rival for the other women in waiting. Teresa always remained pure of heart and body. While courting a young human named Richard, Teresa caught the eye of another young wizard named Kevin. Teresa politely rebuffed the young wizard as she was already being courted by another. Kevin did not take the rebuff well, this being the final straw in a long, hard life, finally turning down a dark path. He began to search for power in darker sources. Going as far as to summon a devil from the dark abyss and barter for more power. The devil granted Kevin his power, taking from him Teresa’s innocence. Teresa did not even know the beast was upon her when it found her in her room and took her. Kevin’s deeds were quickly found out, and he was taken far to the south and executed. Teresa’s wounds were healed by Mitran clerics, but she bore a reminder of that dark day from then on.

Born from that dark day, Teresa Zoren gave birth to Allyson Zoren. A maiden in waiting carrying a devil child quickly shunned her from the community and Teresa returned to her family’s home. Teresa spent her days from then on raising her bastard child and continuing her studies of magic. Allyson was kept carefully sequestered until she came of age. Allyson could feel the hate filled eyes of the servants and family that raised her, but they never mistreated the girl. When Allyson finally came of age, she was offered the choice to continue her life on the homestead or take her birthright and join the academy. Allyson, dreaming of a bright future opted for the academy.

The academy was far from how she dreamed. Allyson was very much of an outsider in the eyes of the other nobles. Rumors started well before she arrived of her dark origins, some true, most not. Before she even arrived she had even already garnered the nickname “Allister”. She eventually learned the nickname was a reference to the Executioner of Hell. While she gave them credit for the cleverness of the name, Allyson began to hate the academy, but at least she was freer than at home. The classes were redundant, nothing her mother had not spent years teaching her already. The only thing she found that was new, were her lessons in the sword. Allyson fell in love. She took quickly to the rapier of all the blades they offered lessons in. Allyson was a natural, using her Elven and Tiefling grace to dodge the enemy blades and quickly strike her opponents. While Allyson was happy, the boys in her class did not like being outclassed by a girl. Several times the kids would attempt to jump her outside of the academy. Without a blade in her hand, Allyson was quickly overpowered and took many beatings from the kids.
Allyson didn’t care; she knew that she could beat any man in a true duel. She learned to carry a blade wherever she went so they could not overpower her again, and the boys learned to back off with a blade at their neck. By her final year in the academy, Allyson was so full of herself, she dared to challenge one of her instructs to a duel. Skilled as she was, Allyson was no match for a true master. That was, until she drew upon her Tiefling heritage to surround her and her teacher in darkness. The human was at a huge disadvantage and called foul on how she was dueling unfairly. She quickly corrected the teacher that a duel is pitting your skill against another. He was only protesting because he was not skilled enough. Using the darkness to her advantage she put her sword through the man. Dismissing her darkness, she showed the gathered crowd of students that she had even bested a teacher. Allyson was shocked when the guards arrested her rather than congratulate her. She attempted to correct their mistake informing the guards he agreed to the duel. She protested all the way to Branderscar Prison.

Allyson approved. Get her ready I've got the perfect spot to introduce her. As to lore make it swordmaster. Swordsman would include even the rank and file soldiers and is thus too broad.

Sure, the idea I wanted is she would know the best swordsmen in Talingarde. Anyone she could test her skills against. So it would only be successful on soldiers who have made a name for themselves or be nearly impossible DC's, but for famous swordsmen she has a chance to know who they are maybe a deed or two. If she rolled really well she might even know the style they use or some of their tricks.

Do you have a suggestion how to narrow it that would fit that?

Also, she is ready to go whenever you like.

I already said it. Swordmaster as opposed to swordsman.

EDIT: anybody else feel free to make a character. I may yet add another pc

Hi there!

I may have a character to suit!

Hi there!

Character submission from Atals2112, a hexcrafter Magus that will, after a fashion, like to put people to sleep in the middle of combat an' den kill dem.

I shamelessly read the first part of your discussion thread, and, as sort of demonstrated in this character's backstory, if you advertise your game as "evil" then it's fair that we know what to expect.

Sorry been a bit distracted by my RPs. Payne, I like her. She's got a good back story. But it doesn't really fit the lay of the land in Talingarde. Please look up the way of the wicked players guide on Google. There should be a Gazetteer that will aid making a setting appropriate character.

Way of The Wicked Player's Guide

Never mind, must be in the first book.

Alright!

Okay, I've read the guide Isabelle put up (thanks HotLanta!), and I researched the lands therein. There are only two foibles that I see, and both have remedies.

1) On it's face the backstory is still plausible. We need only look at the northernmost tip of Caer Bryr, and we could imagine raiding bands of Burabar crossing the water in primitive boats, circumventing Castle Tarholde, and causing mischief on some small community. Therein Payne's story begins.

2) The visitor with the sexy sword, obviously ol' Asmo himself, has so corrupted her that she filtered into more populous areas and was caught red-handed trying to sacrifice some noble citizen. For the crime of attempted MURDER she was sent away. (Obviously I can spin a three-page yarn out of this if you desire specifics and embellishment, but I think the framework is solid.)

How's that? =)

Yes and no. I like her and am considering how to introduce you. Which likely will not include prison at this point.

So a frontliner and a Magus to add to the group, great news!

She's not guaranteed. But I'm heavily leaning towards her. We'll see if anyone else puts a character forward.

Leekoo want to play!!!

My apologies for the late post. I didn't realize that you guys opened recruitment again.

*

I would like to propose a character that I applied for a previous WotW game at GiantITP. The character's idea is a (gifted) girl who genuinely wants to be a paladin early in her life and continue her father's legacy, but was branded a heretic and sentenced to execution when she started helping the believers of Asmodeus escape out of a belief that they are being unfairly persecuted. While in prison, she realizes that she doesn't really want to die (especially when she doesn't believe she's at fault), and reluctantly starts helping the others due to her own desire to survive, even knowing that what she has done is wrong.

I've only played through the first chapter (the prison escape), so I still don't know most of the AP. Though she is a noble, she probably doesn't have any influence left after being convicted and thrown in prison. The biggest theme I'm trying to explore with her is how a good person can be corrupted by circumstances.

Alice was originally an oracle (her backstory mentioned her curse and gift), but I was actually hoping for DSP's Warder with the Silver Crane maneuver, giving her somewhat of a paladin feel without being a paladin to represent her "gifts". If this is not available, then I'm open to any 6-9 level casting class that the party needs (with a preference for Oracle) and will modify her backstory as needed. I'll submit a character sheet once I get an approval or disapproval for Warder.

EDIT: Ah, yes, her NPC class will probably be Aristocrat.

Born the scion and heir of a noble house, Countess Alice Theramandi of Miran was a beautiful girl with a quick tongue and a sharp intellect. Her father, Drake Theramandi, was a hero of Mitra that accomplished much during his lifetime - a nobleman and a paladin that fought against the cultists of Azomdeus and invading creatures of all assortments to protect the citizenry. Commended as a general of the army before his retirement, Drake married late in his life to a young noble girl; tragically, his wife died at a young age, and as such, Alice grew up without a single glimpse of her mother's face.

As other noble children grew up with their toys, their pretty dresses, and their poetry, Alice was raised on stories of her father's deeds. The tales were often fantastical and a bit exaggerated from reality, but the child took them to heart all the same, and treasured these images of father as if they were more valuable than all her dolls and jewelry. The girl became a bit of a tomboy at her youth - even as she wore frilly dresses and dainty shoes, she would hang out with the boys, run by the riverside, and play make-believe knights using sticks as swords and serving plates as their shield. The maids would say that it's just a phase that all girls go through, but her father was doting; when Alice asked him to train her to use a weapon, the Count was all but happy to do so.

Alice's gifts came to her when she was about seven. The girl woke up from a horrid dream and tried reaching for her handkerchief, but it would only jump out of her hand whenever she thought she had caught it. Her magic eventually grew into something greater , and at first, the girl used her abilities as novelties when together with friends, but eventually stopped and began to kept her magic to herself when her magic was garnering superstition from their parents. Her father reassured his daughter that these were gifts from Mitra herself and that she was truly a blessed child, but Alice still did not use her sacred blessings with her friends ever again.

Her father became ill when Alice was ten, and passed away a few short years later at the age of 78. Alice had grown into a beautiful and studious young woman by this time; popular with the other nobles and very outgoing, but inwardly, she still wanted to be a knight and a hero. She sought training as a paladin and was quickly turned down almost as quickly as she stepped into the doors of the barracks. Not letting herself be discouraged, the girl hired a private tutor to train her to fight, and proved exceptional with a shield and morningstar in hand. This oddity was mostly excused by her peers as simply a way to honor her dead father, and even those that are suspicious soon found themselves caught in the girl's charm, wondering why they were so heartless to doubt her in the first place. Thus, three trainers entered and left her service with glowing praise of the girl's progress in combat, and with her new resume, she once again sought to enter the order of the paladins.

And, of course, she was - once again - quickly denied. Alice tried using fieldwork to convince them otherwise, catching a few cultists before the paladins could arrive and fighting off a few local threats, but sexism has an impossible-to-surpass will save. Finally dejected, the girl turned her attention back towards administering her principality and took her seat amongst the other lords, unceremoniously rejecting a few suitors in the process. She never quit her training, however; every day at daybreak, her tutors would return to supervise her training, and every morning halfway to the sun's zenith, they would leave with their pockets lined. The morningstar was her final connection to her father - the glowing silhouette of the virtuous and honorable knight that she admired, and the man she strove to eventually become. Even if that dream is but a passing breeze, it was not something that she would throw away - ever - no matter what happens to her life.

Alice was also a good administrator. She had little use for wealth herself, so she gave often to the people of her principalities; even if it's small gifts - a piece of cake, or a few simple glass beads, or a bag of wheat and barley to stave a bad harvest - it made her quite popular among the peasants of her own principality. She was careful with taxes, never once overburdering her people with excessive payments, and routinely visited the peasants to spread goodwill. Still, even with these activities, noblewomen are usually idle; the girl eventually became fascinated by books - in lore, in songs, in history and in religion - and devoted much of her free time pursuing this newfound interest. Her mind is sharp and curious; she began to study current events, and quickly found out about House Darius's coming of power, including the religious persecution of her father's era.

In time, as her knowledge grew, she would come to doubt the actions of the church in due time. Too many "innocents" being convicted for the words of a single man of prominence; all it seems to take was for someone to denounce a defendant as a "cultist of Asmodeus". What is a believer of Asmodeus anyway? Was it not simply a man who believed in a god different from Mitra, who may not have committed any true crimes but was implicated solely on precedent? Her doubts began to eat away at her, and she began to take action on her own accord. At first, she simple argued against her peers into the church - while she never truly defended the position in public, her folly escalated to arguments during meetings with her noble peers. She would sometimes secretly help the demon lord followers that committed no crimes - with food and water at first, then by honoring a few of their last wishes, and escalating to outright helping to hide them from the inquisition.

Well intentioned or not, the eyes of Mitra are blind. Though her heretic activities was a well-hidden secret, it took no time for her enemies in the nobility to send the inquisition after her. She was not even tried; most every noble knows of her actions, and she was tossed into Branderscar without much pomp or ceremony. With herself now branded a forsaken and the kingdom turning a blind eye, the last bit of naivete in her shattered. The true face of the world came crashing upon her eyes as she contemplated what had happened - how a few words and a few beliefs are the only difference between a criminal and a citizen.

The girl was calm and seemingly accepting of her fate, chained there in rags and the squalor of the prison. Inside, however, she was desparate; Alice still was a good person at heart, but this was not the time for that. She could not allow herself to die here. She was afraid of death, but she could see no way to escape the fate that awaited her in three short days.

Perhaps it's time for a change?

Sure you wouldn't want to be an antipaladin? Seems like a good match to the characters back story

Anti-Paladin seems like the class that would stand atop a podium and scream "I am evil!" at everyone, while Alice is intended to fall very slowly throughout the campaign. Rather than just taking the plunge suddenly, she's always going to be reluctant, afraid of her own weakness, afraid of disappointing her father's legacy, and trying her best to hide it among her companions, all while trying to convince herself - whether it's true or not - that she has to do it to survive.

I don't think Anti-Paladin would fit, thus. It would take a long time (if ever) before Alice could actually, confidently say "screw everything, I'm evil and I like it".

Um I'm afraid the character doesn't really fit then. It's hard to justify unleashing an army on your country as mere survival. Especially in a group fuelled by vengeance against the kingdom at the start. But you can try to convince me as I read over warder.

Also as to Antipaladin The chaotic kind as shown in pathfinder is ridiculous. I use it as lawful evil. The type that might say the system is wrong and I'll do anything to fix it.

Um I'm afraid the character doesn't really fit then. It's hard to justify unleashing an army on your country as mere survival. Especially in a group fuelled by vengeance against the kingdom at the start. But you can try to convince me as I read over warder.

Certainly :).

Alice is meant to change as the campaign moves along. In the original WotW game she was submitted for, she starts identifying with her companions during the prison breakout and starts seeing them as friends. Therefore, if she was asked to do something horrendous and her friends justified it, she would very likely (by which I mean 100% of the time as I'm controlling the character) identify with them while trying to find some other excuse for it to appease whatever is left of her conscious (metaphorically represented by a mirror that she keeps on her).

The moment when she couldn't find an excuse is probably going to be the breaking point for her character, when she's actually forced to confront her past deeds and make a choice rather than just running away while claiming that 'an authority forced me to' (which is true IIRC, since when her last WotW campaign ended we basically signed a binding contract). Whatever evil things Alice does for now, she's always trying to run away from it rather than confront it face-on. It might be an excuse of "I'm trying to survive", or perhaps "I can still make amends to these people when this is all over" or something else.

I don't really know when the "leading an army against the princess herself" is supposed to be, but I don't think the major battles are going to be for a while. That should give Alice plenty of time to run away, develop as a character, and come to terms with having to fight against the kingdom itself - especially since her hesitation isn't due to Talingarde as much as the people and the shining ideal of her father that gets more and more cracked as time goes on.

The main reason I don't think anti-paladin fits is because Alice won't be at that point now. Right now, she's still making excuses while she convinces herself that she has to do it. It may fit eventually when she confronts herself and chooses evil without any excuses to help her (and in fact, it might be interesting for me to retrain her class features to the more evil equivalent at that point), but right now she's just a little girl trying to cling on to her beliefs even as she does the entire opposite, and basically covering her eyes at the hypocrisy of it all.

I'll definitely consider spending the money to retrain when we reach that point, though I'll admit that the idea of a warrior using the power of good for evil is still really appealing to me :D.

Or you could play the fallen warrior angle and run on no class abilities for a bit. I've always wanted to see that. But you convinced me. But I'll not be allowing warder. And if I did not with a discipline outside what they get.

No warder is fine. I am very heavily considering the fallen warrior idea (or even slowly discovering that Asmodeus is giving her anti-paladin powers and freaking out about it) vs. her being an oracle.

EDIT: Please give me a bit of time to finalize the character sheet. I'll get back to you with the forum alias soon.

Sorry for taking so long. I've made some changes; after some consideration, I've decided to make Alice an arcane caster. The Anti-Paladin/Fallen Warrior idea did appeal to me, though I don't think I could ever play a character with "cannot ever do good acts, ever" as a codified law. It definitely would not fit Alice in general.

Here's the character for your consideration.

EDIT: Didn't follow directions. Let me fix that quickly. (Fixed)

I also don't subscribe to that structure. But generally speaking there should always be an ulterior reason.

I also don't subscribe to that structure. But generally speaking there should always be an ulterior reason.

What would you houserule the Anti-Paladin code to be, just out of curiosity? That's the main thing keeping me away from that idea right now, admittedly.

Do the things you do for a reason that benefits you mostly. Easy enough to pull off to begin with. Your under contract and breaking an Asmodean Contract is a bad idea. So you help the party. Sign the contract or your pretty screwed, etc. The no good doesn't mean do no good. It means do no good that isn't in service to your own goals.

I see. I think it would still fit Alice better if I stuck with the arcane caster, since I can never really imagine Alice to be the type of person who would confidently swear an oath of evil in any form (at least, unless if the other players are really good in corrupting her =p). So, I'll stick with my Twilight Sage as-is.

I really do like the idea of a house-ruled Chosen One antipaladin fighting against her familiar, but I think even with the altered code, she'll end up falling (rising?) way too much in actual gameplay.

Finished up the character sheet a bit. Added NPC classes, took my campaign feat (Attempted Murder, unless you don't want me to start with that) and finished up some fluff stuff.

If you two could post abbreviated back stories and Stat blocks.

Abbreviated stat block: Magus/Warrior 1/2| AC 12/12/10| F:+6 R+2 W+1| HP 30/30| 1st: 3/3| Atk: +4| Init: +2|CMD: 18 | Perc: +2| FX: none

Aristocrat 1/Twilight Sage 1 | AC 12/12/10 | F+2 R+2 W+4 | HP 15/15 | Atk: +0 | Init: +4 | CMD: 10 | Perc: +5 | Darkvision 60'

I like both characters. I do. The Magus brings much needed frontline ability. But the arcanist brings full caster. Something we're sorely lacking. Tough choice.

In instances like this an often-used tie-breaker is usually to look at the players' RP/post history.

It's easy to tell that I'm an active poster with some excellent RP skills and I'm quite good playing to the theme, enhancing the experience for the others around me, and often have my posts Favorited.

Then it might also be a good idea to check out Felyndiira's campaigns and see how her characters are.

If that was the deciding criteria, you probably won :). I haven't done any PbPs on the Paizo forums (though you are free to look through the ones I've participated in on Giant in the Playground, under the same username Felyndiira).

I have no issues with that, though. Posting history is probably the fairest way to decide.

I'm weighing the thoughts of my players, your classes, and the themes of the campaign.

My first thoughts are the same as yours, Korak. Currently Allyson & I are the only true front-liners, but we're also relying on Dex's crafting for most of our arcane ability. Both characters are awesome.

As far as campaign theme, both applicants represent a sort of extreme within the party. Our cleric is just coming into his own sense of devotion, which Paynne's fervor seems to outmatch. Alice, on the other hand, is the only reluctant criminal - we all seek power for ourselves, and some look toward the betterment of others as motivation, but all the other characters are willing to take the darker path with few qualms in order to reach their goals.

Neither is bad - each would add an interesting element to the party. (Prodding Alice on to greater evil vs reining in Paynne's destruction)

That said, I vote for Paynne. The casting ability seems easier to make up through magus/artificer/alchemists than the front-line power would be with the addition of the arcanist. Also, while it has value in its own right, Alice's reluctance is harder to accommodate/introduce after the prison break, & likely becomes more so the further into Asmodeus' clutches we fall.

Felyndiira may have counterpoints, and my latter point can otherwise be hand-waved, but that's what I see.

I'll have to vote for Paynne as well, we're in need of a good front liner.

Well our group has spoken so welcome Payne. However Allyson I would like to keep you as an alternate. Would you be willing?

I wish the best of luck to Paynne (and the party) :).

By Allyson, do you mean Alice? I was under the impression that Allyson was approved three days ago. If so, I am definitely willing to remain as an alternate pending the status of other RPs.

Whoops. Crossed my circuits there. Yes I meant Alice.