GM_Jacob's Rise of the Runelords

Game Master Jacob DeCourcey

What we're doing
Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition
4-6 players
Very fast-paced

What I Need from You
Post at least once a day barring Sundays
Get along with the other players and characters
Play along - try to follow the adventure for the most part

Character Creation

Rise of the Runelords Anniversary Edition Player's Guide.

Level: 1
Ability Scores: 15 point buy
Alignment: Good only
Races: Core
Classes: Core+Base+Archetypes
HP: Max first, then roll
Traits: 2 traits, one must be a campaign trait.
Starting Gold: Average

No third party

It would be really, really cool to have all the characters tied in together, be it by religion, faction, or even race, or class. I know it's a little unusual, but it could be really cool to have an all dwarf or all Iomedae party. I don't know if anything will come of it, but it is food for thought.

Here is suggestion, how about an all Varisian party? We could be members of a caravan that arrives in town for the festival? Though our caravan could have been joined by a half-elf or half-orc whose human parent was varisian or a character adopted by a Varisian.

I would like to put forth a submission of a Varisian sorceress .

seeing how the other runelords game seems to be progressing why not noro and zella once again. noro is half varisian / half Tien

Posting for consideration. I really want Rise of the Runelords I've never gotten to play it before but I've heard it's amazing.

Ok this sounds petty, I know, but would you consider a 20 point buy instead?

just asking and I will go with whatever. but I decided that it can't hurt to ask.

I could go for all Varisian - or some other way to tie the characters together! Always prefer to avoid those awkward greetings...

Will put together a submission immediately.

I think AP begins with the Swallowtail Festival, right? The party could consist of followers of Desna. That would be explicitly tied to the setting and less general than all Varisian, though more limiting (and might preclude paladins and monks).

Dot for interest.

All Varisian, tied together by the caravan? Maybe...

my suggestion may not be all varisian but all born/raised in sandpoint or at least close enough to nearly be considered a resident.

possibly most (or all) of the PC's are friends since childhood.

I say most bcuase of non-human races

Both the varisian caravan and Sandpoint native concepts are good hooks for a common background. I suggested a common religion because Jacob's post seemed to be looking for a group that wanted to take an extra step towards thematic consistency. Certainly a varisian caravan could fill that roll with mechanics and backgrounds carefully crafted to reflect that specific life style. In that case the exclusion of non-human backgrounds can be seen as a strength rather than a weakness (though again, you probably wouldn't find a paladin or a monk).

I will be submitting Bael the Peddler shortly. A Elf adopted by humans,he now travels with the caravan as a merchant, selling perfumes and cures at an affordable price.

Certainly a varisian caravan could fill that roll with mechanics and backgrounds carefully crafted to reflect that specific life style. In that case the exclusion of non-human backgrounds can be seen as a strength rather than a weakness

Could you explain how the exlusion of non-humans strengthens the party dynamic ? You haven't got me yet. We should also be careful to, lest the party be too generic and suffering from a lack of diversity.

I would like to submit a Varisian Rouge swashbuckler. I think having the link between the players be they are all members of the same varisian caravan is a good idea. It gives the group the ability to come from diverse background but still know each other well and share a family type bond. The Caravan leader being played by the GM gives him a NPC that all the players recognize as an authority figure.

I will write up a background when you decide how you want the players linked.

I'll add my own Varisian sorceress and professional cat ventriloquist Cyfle to the fray! I'll update the background to make it fit to Sandpoint later today.

Slight change of class, I'll be going for a Varisian Cleric of Desna. I will build up the character under >Zelladanyia's profile<.

Thinking of a Shoanti druid, travelling with the caravan (if that's the model you go with), searching for hist lost love. If you're good with it, I might like to re-skin the Lion Shaman archetype to be a Fire Pelt Shaman (black-and-red-furred mountain lion native to Varisia, stats as Leopard) or Tiger Shaman.

Looking at the original Runelords player's guide, there's a Totem Spirit trait for Shoanti that I'd like to use - will you allow traits from that guide?

I will write up a background when you decide how you want the players linked.

The all human(or adopted by)/all Varisian/all Desna worshippers seems to be the general consensus.

I have a human (varisian) fighter ready to go. He was made for another runelord game, but was not picked. Crunch is all there, but will wait for background until we decide how we wish to proceed.
thanks

Being half-elf/half varisian or half-orc/half-varisian would also work. It also wouldn't be too odd to have a wandering halfling adopted by the group or a gnome tricksters with wanderlust. :)

It's really not that narrow a them and quite a few concepts can be made to fit it with a good story. :)

Also, this is Joy with the alias I will be using.

here is my choice but wll have to make some minor tweeks to the story but that shouldn't be hard.

also need to work in the Desna angle but a barbarian isn't very religious anyway.

mother was a Varisian Gypsy and her father was a Tien martial artist

As much as I want to play this character, looking like he wouldn't fit in with the group dynamic... Perhaps I'll revamp him into human form!!!

...Or just make a Varisian character.

As much as I want to play this character, looking like he wouldn't fit in with the group dynamic... Perhaps I'll revamp him into human form!!!

...Or just make a Varisian character.

Shelyn and Abadar have paladins. Why not a Desna worshipper who's a Dwarven Monk adopted by Varisians ?

Maybe the dwarven monk's taken a liking to one of the varisians and has been traveling with them while courting her?

Noro and a dwarf now that does sound interesting

dwarf is a monk like Noro's brother and Noro s very much like a Muay-Thai ring fighter

Maybe the dwarven monk's taken a liking to one of the varisians and has been traveling with them while courting her?

Are you volunteering as a "love interest" ?

I'd be willing to, but he might have to check on the alignment thing first. The GM did state "Good only".

I'd like to submit this ranger for consideration.

If a dwarf is acceptable, I may change him to have the martial artist archetype, be CG or NG. As for a love interest, I'm not sure that's Korinil's cup of tea. Probably would rather do the whole "adopted" thing--also offers something of an explanation as to why he's not like most dwarves.

Alright, I initially wrote up this character for another ROTR campaign but was passed over. I've adjusted his stats for 15 point buy and I am double checking his equipment to make sure that it is in line for average gold.

The basics of the crunch are a shield and sword ranger that mixes Sable Company Marine and Skirmisher (Might as well since he has a low wisdom score). So he'll be AC tanking and dealing out two weapons worth of damage. Later he'll be bringing a hippogrif into the fray (with boon companion of course) for maximum chaos.

His back story was pretty thin originally, which actually works in my favor here. This is the adapted version to go with the current trends, I'll flesh it out in the final version of his profile.

He was to be from Korvosa, where he had been training to be a Sable Company Marine until he broke his drill sergeant's jaw after the man crossed a line. He found himself dishonorably discharged and slightly in debt since he had been forced to pay for his gear and a hippogrif saddle out of his own pocket. With a bit of persuading he managed to get himself a position with a caravan as a driver, owing to his passing skill with animals (Wild Empathy+Handle Animal), and as a guard.

I'd like to apply with this character. Basically, all that needs to change is the 15 point buy. Incidentally to the conversation above, this character is a Varisian performer (Acrobat) and would mesh well with a group of Varisians.

OK. I'm going to be honest and say that I have not read the last 10 or so posts thoroughly and I cannot right now. Off to work an overnight, actually. But the post I've read show a slant toward Varisians who generally worship or are tolerant of Desna. I like it, so lets go with that.

I see a few other races poking in here. That's fine, but I will be picking a party of most if not all humans, so choosing to be non-human will put you in tight competition with the other non-human submissions.

Also, 15 point buy stays.

OK. I'm going to be honest and say that I have not read the last 10 or so posts thoroughly and I cannot right now. Off to work an overnight, actually. But the post I've read show a slant toward Varisians who generally worship or are tolerant of Desna. I like it, so lets go with that.

I see a few other races poking in here. That's fine, but I will be picking a party of most if not all humans, so choosing to be non-human will put you in tight competition with the other non-human submissions.

Also, 15 point buy stays.

thats cool on the 15 point buy I just wanted to ask.

Changed race to human. A thing that the party could have in common is that they were born in the caravan and grew up together.

I'd like to submit Arduino the Lesser, NG Human Sorcerer (fey) from the Varisian forest of Ashwood.

adjusted character -- in profile

backstory can have minor changes as needed to meld with party

charcter is human half varisian and half tien. (as mentioned in a previous post)

Varisian. traveling show.

... My gut says oracle.

Will post a background tomorrow.

Okay I now have a background up in the profile. I can make adjustment to parts that don't work to fit the party better.

Alright, I will be making a decision on Wednesday. That gives everyone 2 days to complete a submission. I am looking for an alias with a brief background and fully completed character sheet.

Good luck.

I've finally had time to sit down and get together all of the submissions and begin to look them over. Here's what I have:

Alexander Duranin - Human Paladin - Done
Jubrail the Peddler - Varisian Alchemist - Need background
Sylvan Hawke - Varsian Rogue - Done
Cyfle Anthea - Varisian Sorcerer - Need sheet and background
Erkar Kislo - Varisian Fighter - Need background
Zelladanyia - Varisian Cleric - Need sheet and background
Noro Kasuri - Varisian/Tien Barbarian - Done
Zestlian Korvo - Varisian Ranger - Need a little crunch
Korinil Ironfist? - Dwarven Monk - Need background update
Adventus Artemidorus - Human Ranger - Done
Mirela Malvo - Varisian Rogue - Done
Arduino the Lesser - Human Sorcerer - Need to delevel character sheet

Wow, that's a lot. I didn't realize how many there were until now. Don't forget that you need an alias with a brief background and complete character sheets.

I reworked his background to better suit the current idea of everyone having Varisian ties

Character sheet is finished now, I will begin work on the background. I was just kinda waiting to see if the groups theme was going to change before I wrote anything up.

I had proposed a Shoanti druid, but it didn't seem to fit well with the Desna theme, which sounds like a lot of fun. I played a cleric of Tymora for years, and loved the luck theme of it.

Here is a rogue of Sandpoint, who believes himself blessed by Desna - though others aren't so sure...

Thanks for the effort, hoping to get to play!

Fixed up the character sheet.

Background for Erkar now complete...I made it a bit open so that he could easily fit in to whatever group. Hope it is ok.

A caravan without a bard? Can't let that go by. Here's Eleshanto, a street performer bard who grew up in the caravan. More in the profile.

Of course, all Varisian caravans need a bard. :)

Anyone want to collaborate on fleshing out this caravan a bit? I've seen a range from religious pilgrims to merchant to performers. I was definitely leaning toward the merchant/performer side of things. A group that makes money (mostly legal since we're all good) from visiting small towns across Varisia. I think Eleshanto would not be above taking some money from some of the people that are real jerks toward the caravan, but mostly he's interested in honest (fun) gain.

Collaboration sounds fine to me. For money making purposes, I can swap a point or something around and get Zella some kind of craft or perform skill.

You could consider Profession (Fortunetelling) too. That's consistent with Desna, they just steer clear of "bad" fortunes.

^^This right here is good mojo for prospective players. It shows me that you are a regular poster, invested, and willing to go the extra mile. Just sayin'

I envisioned my character as a guard and scout for whichever caravan he travels with. In the background I sketch out a little story of the caravan he was with as a boy being robbed by bandits, resulting in an individual highly invested in protecting the caravan. He does have a sort of "come to Desna" moment after he learns he can take an active role in maintaining the traveling lifestyle. A cleric of Desna in the group could have been highly influential in that process.