I really like the idea that Oratio had this life somewhere else, and went to Kintargo for a fresh start, just to find out that the Thrune "followed" him. I want to play him disgusted and angry (but not stupid or evil of course). And I would like the opportunity to know another member of the groupe before we start, that could help tied us together. And yes the Silver Star seems like a perfect place to discover the other adventurers and his new faith in Sarenrae. Do you want me to rewrite the background with these changes in mind?
For his job I think he could do a nice bartender or waiter, trying to gain some tips with his social skills (and/or his magic) with the upper class citizens of Kintargo. Does the opera have a bar?
* Yes please.
Also it would be nice to have an avatar for Oratio.
The opera is not the best place for a job, as it will be occupied by Thrune right away. Of course you could serve tartlets and coffee at the Long Roads Coffee House (which ties into the adventure nicely).
But I'm trying to think of something to do that is more along your interrogation skills, without going the torturer route. But so far I only draw a blank.
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... after all, it's not like my four paragraphs are his entire life story.You know, the basic game mechanic of PF is open a door, roll initiative, solve the encounter. Everything that makes this more than a game of dice is in the backstory.
And I noticed, this influences the game to the point where all my characters become that "Meh, lets kill it."-type. And then the game gets boring. Only if the characters have some strong defining background which leads their character to search for different solutions, and something around the encounters that gives them space to live out who they are, allows for writing an interesting and unique story. Preferrably with player interaction that goes beyond: "Let's flank that guy."
It might become boring too, when Salonius has watered the orchard every morning and every evening for 50 days in a row. But just the possibility that he might not show up for a rebellion meeting, because his cake flavoured peach tree had some bugs that he had to pick off one by one all day makes him a more interesting character than Valeros will ever be. At least from my perspective.
I'm pretty good at giving improvements to or pointing out flaws of original ideas. But adding completely new events to a character's past is a hard one, as it is your character. And adding new character traits with the past that caused it might change him to something that doesn't feel like the character you imagined anymore. But as you asked for it, I'll tell you if something comes to mind.
So I see where you are coming from, but for all of us, we don't really even know our characters yet. We have ideas and dreams, but we don't really know them yet until we play through the adventure. It is a process of learning, that the group does together. And it just isn't possible to know every major event that happened in Saul's life, at this juncture. And since this is shared storytelling, I think a really fun part is discovering who Saul (and all the others) are, over the course of time, and doing it with each other. That is my philosophy. So I know Saul's wife and son left him because of alcohol, but I don't know yet exactly how that happened and who else maybe was hurt. We'll figure that out together. So bring on the strange life events!
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^^ Bartenders are good at interrogation. Really, any job that requires some one to be a good listeners could be good at getting information out of people.
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The name is Gibson. Saul Gibson. I'm a sleuth. An investigator. Some have called me a detective or a gumshoe and sometimes a pain in the ass, but I don't pay much mind to other's opinions. My office is over on Slag Street by the Cemetery in Old Kintargo; just look for the door with my name on it.
Gibson Investigations. Missing persons found. Cheating husbands caught. Murderers caught. But only will do that last one when the Law decides to ignore the case. That tends to happen in Kintargo. Never quite sure if that is the result of corruption or just being inept. Probably both.
In a nutshell, we at Gibson Investigations make sure the bad caught and the good rewarded. Though I don't get involved after finding the evidence. Normally. Of course, dames always have a way to keep stringing me along. It's always about a dame.
It was a dame who got me into this job, decades ago. A redhead. She was a knockout, the kind of dame who bowls you over simply by looking at you. First saw her when I was knocking a few back with some chums at the Clenchjaw in Yolubuilis Harbor. She must have heard me bragging about being a smart guy, cause she came up to me and said she was looking for someone smart. Can't ever say no to a dame looking like that, and she needed help. Her father was missing. I worked my contacts on the street and found her dad, sure enough. Wasn't even all that hard, but of course the redhead strung me along with a kiss and the promise of something more once I found him. Turns out the father was actually the husband, and I was thrown to the side like last week's garbage. But the worst part is that I didn't dare go back to Clenchjaws. The humiliation. Started to patron the Thrashing Badger, til that burned down. Left in between a bit of rock and a hard place. Where's a guy to go to get his booze? The Tooth and Nail is a stone's throw from the office, but I'll never show my ugly mug there again. Too many bad memories. Too many broken promises.
Anyway, the Case of the Redheaded Dame let me know that I enjoyed the work- the thrill of the chase, the shakedowns of low lifes, dodging gorillas and making the Law look stupid.
Even found a partner about ten years ago, a smart fellow, a healer by the name of Logan Hawkes. I found his missing daughter; she was kidnapped by some unsavory folk, but I tracked her before anything happened. He liked my style and was good with a healers kit, and I certainly could use someone to patch me up after a tussle. Two of us solved more than a few cases together, Hawkes and me.
Hawkes had a bit of a subversive attitude. Didn't trust the city's government, you see. Sometimes he would tell me about how his grandfather was part of some secret resistance group called the Silver Ravens. He seemed a little too interested in it, actually, for something that was ancient history.
I let it be, just let him talk. He talked a lot more than I did. I never told him much of my life story. Don't tell anyone about the wife and the son and the alcohol that drove them away.
Anyway, to the business at hand. Kintargo is starting to smell like a sewer, and it looks like it is up to me to open the manhole cover. House Thrune is trying to institute martial law. I tell you, they are up to something. And a few days back, Hawkes stopped showing up at the office. His family doesn't know what happened, so I had to ask around. My ears and eyes on street are all saying that there are more than a few missing people being reported recently. I believe in coincidences about as much as I believe a blonde with a sob story.
Now, I got a note under my door from someone who claimed to know about Hawkes disappearance, and says he will wait for me at the protest planned for later in the day. Says he will wear a leather glove on his right hand but nothing on the left. Normally I wouldn't go to something like this. I have no love for House Thrune, that's an understatement for sure, and going to a protest sounds like a good way to get killed. But Hawkes is my partner, and I never let a case go cold. Time for this old gumshoe to do a little investigatin'.
I really like the idea that Oratio had this life somewhere else, and went to Kintargo for a fresh start, just to find out that the Thrune "followed" him. I want to play him disgusted and angry (but not stupid or evil of course). And I would like the opportunity to know another member of the groupe before we start, that could help tied us together. And yes the Silver Star seems like a perfect place to discover the other adventurers and his new faith in Sarenrae. Do you want me to rewrite the background with these changes in mind?
For his job I think he could do a nice bartender or waiter, trying to gain some tips with his social skills (and/or his magic) with the upper class citizens of Kintargo. Does the opera have a bar?
* Yes please.
Also it would be nice to have an avatar for Oratio.
The opera is not the best place for a job, as it will be occupied by Thrune right away. Of course you could serve tartlets and coffee at the Long Roads Coffee House (which ties into the adventure nicely).
But I'm trying to think of something to do that is more along your interrogation skills, without going the torturer route. But so far I only draw a blank.
Alright I will submit the new background, with an alias and the rules, tomorow. It's over 2AM here, time to go to bed! However, I think it's nice if he does not use his interrogation skills in his everyday life. When you think about it, he wants to change. It is only because the Thrune are forcing his hands that he will have to go back to his Mesmerist career. Otherwise he would have probably lived a normal life.
I have a few questions before I submit a character-
1. I was thinking about submitting a vampire hunter Farmer I know that vampires are uncommon and if there is at least one in the adventure, I want to know if you would be willing to expand the role.
2. do you have any problem with someone playing the AP before? i made it through the first 3 books before TPK....
3. i also debated on a heritic worshiper of Asmodoen inquisitor lawyer, based apon that you could have a different aleignment and as long as you dont have another religon (and don't atone) you could stay a heritic throughout the AP. where he was corrupted to good after being a lawyer in a case from the devils nursery.
Ex-Inquisitors
An inquisitor who slips into corruption or changes to a prohibited alignment loses all spells and the judgment ability. She cannot thereafter gain levels as an inquisitor until she atones (see the atonement spell description). An inquisitor who becomes an ex-inquisitor can, with the GM’s permission, take the heretic archetype, replacing her class abilities with the appropriate archetype abilities. If the character atones or joins a different faith, she loses her heretic abilities and regains her previous inquisitor class abilities.
@Chobo
I'll answer your request for comment this evening after work. It would take too long now before I have to go.
@Steelguts
That totally makes sense, for Oratio not wanting to do that stuff anymore. As for the Bartender: The number of bars is limited and at least one burns down at the start. If you can imagine Oratio serving cake and coffee instead, he'd work at a place that stays relevant through the first book at least. But if you find something else in the players guide that is to your liking, that would be great too.
@DarkWingD
Bad news first: I made a preselection for who gets to play. I didn't get feedback from all yet, but even then I have two follow ups.
I have no problems if someone has already played.
But your description focuses mostly on mechanics, and the only interesting tie into Kintargo is a half sentence about a lawyer in a case from the devils nursery.
Meliandri Chastain-Aulamaxa (Bard)
Salonius Barradin (Wizard)
Saul Gibson (Investigator)
Oratio Vencarsi (Mesmerist)
Alamara Hornwood (Paladin)
These character, move your future posts about character details to discussion please.
I'll keep Chobo and Raltus as follow up if someone from the former list decides not to join. I'll answer further and open questions via PM later.
For all others: This recruitment is closed for now.
I'm sorry that I can't make all happy here, but to prevent the list of those getting disappointed to become even longer I end the application phase.
Sigh ... I just saw this and was about to apply... been trying to get in to a Hell's Rebels game since it was released. Oh Well. One day Rutilus will have his day. Have fun everyone
To save you the time, as I already stated this morning:
This recruitment is closed for now.