I'm not sure I'm reading this right... Did Cel just abandon his companions to run an hour's hike headlong into the thing he his afraid of, that is not currently actively hurting him (that he knows of)?
EDIT: If so, I meta-request that PCs respond to the end of combat first and get the chance to answer any raised questions, and we'll deal with that in a minute.
CONDITION:None, AC 15 (13/12), Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +0, Init +6, Perc +4, HP 12/12, Burn 0/6 (0/12 Nonlethal)
It would help if I paid closer attention to the map! I managed to do that fun psychology trick where the brain decides to arbitrarily ignore information. My minds eye was more that that mist was coming from the direction we came from, and thus saw absolutely not grey that you added!
However, it's not out of the question for Cel to bolt at this point. He didn't get any objective information on the mist (other than the rumors around town) since he got himself ejected from the briefing. As far as he knows the mist is harming him even if there's no symptoms of it. If it's overtaking the path to the town he wouldn't dart off down said path, but he will be inconsolably losing his mind complete with hyperventilating (that I can only imagine for thematic purposes would increase the visual aspect of Elemental Overflow). Effectively imagine exponential mounting of two colliding fears...feeling the need to run "south" on map 2a into the unknown that may have undead things he would have to face without the group and the desire to run to safety as fast as possible to get away from the mist.
Either way I've modified his movement to reflect this better. Moving toward town-ish away from the mist, but not exactly sprinting away. Definitely not out of visual range of the rest of the party.
As Cel ran by, but before he got too far, Alaina cocked her arm back and launched Greenwall at his legs. Connecting a short distance away, knocking him on his ass, the Wolf booked it towards the Rabbit. Getting to his prone form, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulling him up, she said, "Don't go running off Kid, we need to stick together in this stuff. There's no telling what else might be out here."
CONDITION:None, AC 15 (13/12), Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +0, Init +6, Perc +4, HP 12/12, Burn 0/6 (0/12 Nonlethal)
Perfect, thanks for not letting Cel effectively commit suicide by stupidity!
Cel stammers with his eyes glued to the creeping mist, "But...but that mist! It's coming! We have to go now!" His whole body quivers like a chihuahua as he speaks.
The boy was hysterical. There was only one cure for that at this point. Slapping him across the face, Alaina pulled Cel closer to look him right in the eye, and in a steely tone said, "Listen Cel, panicking isn't going to help anybody. We stick together, and we'll pull through this."
She pulled him into a hug, "I promise, nothing is going to happen to you." She whispered gently into his ear.
The sound of hand slapping cheek made Henri's head snap around forcefully, but she only saw the short scene between Alaina and Cel. Fortunate. Despite their quick removal of the undead threat, the mist still made her uneasy. It was possible that there were more coming, but she didn't want to voice that theory with everyone else around. She plucks the pin from the dead man's body and holds it into the air, squinting to get a good look at it.
"Judging from this, I'd say this fellow's at least 300 years old or so. Abbhen military officer." She stands, pocketing the metal. "Probably just one of the bodies our necromancer friend pulled out of the ground for his death spells. It was definitely stronger than the other creatures we faced, though..." Again, she shuddered. There was no way that there weren't more. Even with Dulae's lucky strike, the fact that they dispatched the creature so easily meant that it shouldn't have given that much trouble to the rest of the group that they were looking for. This was even more concerning, somehow.
Henri takes a couple steps down the trail, thinking to herself and giving a solemn nod to Alaina. Good on her for bringing out the people skills to calm the little Rabbit down. We could do without a panicking air sorcerer if more monsters arrive.
CONDITION:None, AC 15 (13/12), Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +0, Init +6, Perc +4, HP 12/12, Burn 0/6 (0/12 Nonlethal)
Cel's mouth hangs agape after the slap. The shaking stopped, and for a moment the shock of the whole interaction caused him to forget that he was even afraid. A lifetime of instincts don't die immediately, but Alaina's action certainly had the desired effect.
As the shock began to wear off, thoughts came storming in again. What just happened?! She's so strong! The mist! Wait, she's fine with it...
Cel closes his mouth, and while he certainly wasn't panicking internally any more, he did still have his fears. He met her eyes for a second, scrutinizing them. She doesn't look afraid, why isn't she afraid? Ow, that hurt! She just promised me nothing will happen to me...how can she be sure? But...she looks so confident saying it.
And it began to dawn on him, it happened again. His impulsiveness took over once again. He hangs his head standing in front of her. If these people can be so good at protecting me, then why am I so afraid? He begins to silently mouth, "It's all going to be okay" over and over again before finally looking back up at her. He takes a quick glance at the mist again before looking back at her, and he says with as much courage as his voice can muster,"Thank you. I'm sorry. I'll be better, I won't do that again." He pauses for a second, facial expression changing into look of shame, "I'll try to not do that again."
He grits his teeth and turns to face the mist, refusing to look away until the rising panic stops escalating, proving to himself that what she said is true. Nothing is going to happen to him.
Init: +4 | HP:14/26 | AC: 23 | FF: 18 | Tch: 11 | Fort: +5 | Ref: +2 | Will: +5 | Perc: 9| Sen Mtv: 11| Double Rolls against mind affecting | +2 Against Enchantment | Immune Sleep
Dulae flicked bits of gore off of her sword and sheathed it. "Frost White." She replied to Henri, ignoring for now the new nickname. "Nasty if they get their hands on you and smarter than a zombie too."
"Rabbit don't-" Dulae's panicked, angry call is cut off by her jaw clicking shut as Alaina's shield takes out Cel's legs. She watches for long enough to be sure that Alaina had a firm grip before turning deliberately away from the pair.
"Flame reveal the shadows..." she mutters under her breath, casting Detect Evil and scanning the area.
Dulae raises an eyebrow in surprise at Henri. "Abbhen, really? So far on this side of the pass? Thats... surprising... although it would explain why the body was still here..."
Waiting for results of detect evil before responding to leaving!
I'm expecting a post from Dulae tonight, then I'll move things along.
In the meantime, two points I want to clarify just in case it wasn't clear or anyone missed them:
1) It took a little less than an hour to hike from the zombified dire wolf to the party's current position. (Implied from your journey up the mountain - I neglected to specifically state this.) The snow and mist had that time to pick up/creep down.
2) The frost wight did *not* come from within the mist (to the right of the party at the time). It came from in front of the party.
Too late for you all! It is time to initiate operation Creeping Doom, phase III... (wait, what?)
Dulae:
I assumed Dulae took the required time to see this level of detail.
Dulae sees whirling eddy currents of magical aura in the mists, varying from faint to moderate. She sees a pool of magical aura intensify about 50 feet away, then grow stronger as it approaches until it becomes overwhelming.
The mist has now engulfed the entire party. It suddenly beings to gather around them, growing denser in swirling currents.
From deep within the mist a large apparition of a wolf appears at the edge of the trees, semi-transparent and glowing blue.
Henri:
Henri is reminded of what she heard from Rik about his dog.
The wolf sits on its haunches in a regal pose, looking at the party imperiously. Its attention seems particularly fixed on Xizoh.
New marker on the map for the wolf: it is light blue with darker blue/green edges about 5 feet away from Henri. (We have rather a lots of blues, I see.) Let me know if it's not clear.
Belated knowledge checks from delinquent GM (i.e. GM who is packing)
Dulae:
Dulae recognizes this is a spirit, one of those worshiped by the Way of Spirits. She guesses it is responsible for the mist and is probably associated with the mountain. CR 15 or greater.
Cel:
The wolf reminds Cel of a local legend he's heard about Mount Oranis. Something about a wolf and a bear and healers...
(Cel doesn't get a good read on its CR.)
Xizoh, Henri, Alaina:
You have no idea what this is and you're not sure what its effective CR would be.
Init: +4 | HP:14/26 | AC: 23 | FF: 18 | Tch: 11 | Fort: +5 | Ref: +2 | Will: +5 | Perc: 9| Sen Mtv: 11| Double Rolls against mind affecting | +2 Against Enchantment | Immune Sleep
Dulae gasps in shock at the concentration of magic, then goes very still, her eyes fixed on the wolf. "Mr. Shadelock..." She says quietly "You don't happen to follow the Way of the Spirits, do you? Because one of their deities is looking at you."
"Frost wight. Well, I guess it's just as well that you managed to-" As the wolf fades in from the mist, not a foot from Henri, she jumps in surprise and starts spouting off a string of curses in Draconic, making her way away from the imposing figure. "عدة مئات من الجان الذين يمارسون الجنس مع برود في حين أنها تستخدم مطرقة لها باعتبارها لعبة الجنس على بديل تحت غطاء عباءة مفتوحة من نورا كاشفا عن رجولته لكيلي الذي رسم الحدث كله من وراء بوش!" While she only bolts a few steps away, to stand by her comrades, she is still breathing heavily already - her gun is in her hand, half-raised, but the only thing that prevents her from firing is the fact that it seems to not be attacking, as of yet at least. And words, echoing in her ears. The stableboy, just yesterday, talking about his dog... glowing... While it was staring at Xizoh, the questioning words still exit her mouth. "L-lady?"
For those who speak draconic, I apologize. This is a little NSFW.:
Several hundred elves having sex with Produs while she uses her hammer as a sex toy on Altien under the cover of the open cloak of Norah revealing his manhood to Kili who is drawing the whole event from behind a bush!
Xizoh cocks his head in puzzlement as he replies, "No, I give thanks to Produs..." As her last sentence registers the healer takes a deep gulp, eyes bulging in panic.
For a moment his skin loses his cohesion, as Xizoh struggles not to take a form less likely to get bisected. Hesitantly, the half elf calls out to the divine being, his words stuttering from fear and trying to maintin his true form."H-hello ther-e ,um, Spirit? C-can I he-elp you?"Oh why didn't I study the gods more?!
The wolf ignores Henri and Dulae and slowly approaches Xizoh. It grows smaller as it walks gracefully toward him until it is a glowing, blue, floppy-eared dog that comes up to just above his knees.
When it reaches Xizoh it turns around three times, each time looking at the pile of wight bones and back at Xizoh, before settling to sit next to him. It looks up at Xizoh expectantly, tilting its head.
Xizoh, Dulae, Alaina:
You are fairly sure the dog’s body language says ‘I helped’ and ‘Pet me' in a fairly friendly, non-insistent fashion.
Cel, Henri:
You’re not sure what the god-wolf-dog is trying to get across, but it doesn’t seem actively hostile at the moment.
Dog-formerly-known-as-wolf marker updated on the map.
CONDITION:None, AC 15 (13/12), Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +0, Init +6, Perc +4, HP 12/12, Burn 0/6 (0/12 Nonlethal)
For once, Cel doesn't appear actively afraid. His eyes are locked on it watching it's moves, but talking to the group, "I've read stories about this, I think. I don't remember it, but it had to do with this wolf, a bear, and healers. Xizoh, you're a healer, right? It's so...pretty! Maybe it's here to help?" He doesn't move any closer, but doesn't shy away either.
As the wolf approaches the healer crouchs down. Reaching out, Xizoh begins to pet it, occasionally scratching it's ears. "I don't know what you did, but thanks for whatever you did."
The dog leans into Xizoh's attention, raising up a paw and looking rather pleased. It doesn't feel solid to Xizoh, more like its buzzing with a warm energy.
After a minute the dog pulls back, taking on a business-like posture. It then presses its snout gently into Xizoh's hand.
Xizoh:
Xizoh sees a clear vision of Southtown as seen from the bottom of the mountain at night, just as he saw at the end of his journey yesterday. The steady glow of the lights feels so warm and inviting it almost brings him to tears of relief. When he snaps back to the present he feels cold, tired, and worn down with expended fear.
Xizoh is fairly sure this vision means the dog wants him to go there, to safety.
The dog quickly licks the back of Xizoh's hand. A faintly glowing blue mark appears there in the shape of a hand.
Xizoh:
Xizoh, take +1 to AC (including touch and flat-footed) for a full day (24 hours; until sunset tomorrow)
(Plot armor? What plot armor?)
Dulae:
If Dulae gets a clear look at the hand symbol she recognizes it. This is a protection blessing for healers, which likely means this is the spirit Oranis.
Cel:
If Cel gets a clear look at it, the blue hand symbol reminds him of more of the legend. It's said that the good spirit of Oranis, fierce as a wolf and mighty as a bear, bestows her blessing of protection on healers.
The dog sits back on its haunches and glances around to the rest of the party. It turns its head to look down the trail, then back at the party.
CONDITION:None, AC 15 (13/12), Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +0, Init +6, Perc +4, HP 12/12, Burn 0/6 (0/12 Nonlethal)
Cel giggles softly, "He likes you! It's part of the stories I've heard."
Cel takes a couple steps closer to the spirit, tentatively, but hoping to get a closer look. He's careful not to impede on his space, and tries his best to be respectful in his inquisitive inspection.
Shivering as he returns to reality, Xizoh turns to the group. "Someone mind telling me what exactly I just petted?"
Staring at the mark, the dark skinned healer turns his hand over and back, wondering how he went from bandaging cuts in a back alley to petting a dog deity on a snowy mountain. Sighing, he moves to pick up Laverty. "The glowing dog wants us back to civilization, and I have to agree.
Init: +4 | HP:14/26 | AC: 23 | FF: 18 | Tch: 11 | Fort: +5 | Ref: +2 | Will: +5 | Perc: 9| Sen Mtv: 11| Double Rolls against mind affecting | +2 Against Enchantment | Immune Sleep
Dulae keeps staring at the wolf/puppy, staying very still. "I believe this is the spirit named Oranis, if that symbol on your had is anything to go by."
Dulae visibly untenses at Xizoh's next words. "Yes. Lets."
The blue dog flicks its tail contemptuously at Cel after being referred to as 'he'. It again makes a show of looking down the trail and back at the party and its tail wags at Xizoh and Dulae's agreement to leave.
Without warning, its head snaps away from the party toward the mountain's peak. As it takes a step away from the group, its teeth sharpen and it grows until it is a large direwolf. Its ears are pricked up and its attention is fully focused on the mountain above. The party can feel a low growl reverberating through them and their gear.
After a tense few seconds, the luminous blue light morphs into a giant bear, roars a challenge, and charges up the mountain. Its enormous form passes effortlessly through the trees, dragging currents of mist swirling in its wake.
After the bear is gone, the party realizes the sun has just set. The falling snow and thick mist make the air feel close and dark, but the mist seems to collect around the trail and emits the tiniest glow ahead of them; just enough to light their way and not attract attention.
Xizoh:
Xizoh feels the glowing symbol on his hand gently tug on his thoughts; it seems to be expressing some urgency to their retreat.
Thanks Dulae, good to know. If others are also ready, I think Alaina is busy this week, but I want to give her (and others) a chance to react before proceeding.
Henri stands with her gun half-raised throughout this whole exchange, a look of shock spread across her face throughout the process of the wolf turning into a dog, scaring off the bear, and running down the trail. Her thoughts are swirling, but she can't seem to form much of a coherent thought out of them. All that comes to her lips is "...Well this is weird."
Hah, well, I can see why Henri is confused. That's not exactly what happened. (I take responsibility for the confusion.)
There is just one spirit: wolf -> dog -> bigger wolf -> bear.
Two-sentence summary: the spirit approaches as a regal wolf, makes friends with Xizoh in dog form, changes into a much scarier wolf when its alarmed and/or angered by something the party can't see up the mountain, and morphs into a very large and scary bear before taking off toward whatever that is. When it was a friendly dog it seemed to encourage the party to get back to safety and it presumably has lit the party's way there using the mist.
Xizoh nods in agreement. "Very weird. Shall we get out of this fog before anything else goes awry?" If the party pays attention, the doctor speaks faster than usual, and with urgency.
Argh, I'm sorry, I have been working from my phone and when I read stuff in that format sometimes my mind can skip important things like all the spirits being the same. Yeesh. That was my bad.
No worries, Henri. (I'm sure you've got it now, but I realized it's also worth noting in the summary that the wolf appeared just after the trouble with the frost wight.)
The lightly glowing mist guides the party down the mountain, pooling around them as they hike. The blue light reflects off of the fresh snow, making just enough light for them to walk safely at a quick pace. The air becomes noticeably warmer near the bottom of the mountain as the wind dies down and the falling snow gets lighter.
At the bottom of the trail they turn onto the Southtown road. The blue light still guides their way through the trees, although it seems a bit dimmer.
After reaching the tree line they suddenly emerge from the the mist, leaving their glowing guide behind them. Through the light snowfall the glowing lights of town look warm and inviting. Any soaring relief they feel after making it through the mist gradually gives way to weariness and exhaustion.
A few minutes later they hear another eerie howl echo down the mountain; the voice of Oranis. If they glance behind, it is difficult to see the mist well without the light of the moon.
As they approach the church and military headquarters they see a figure with an ioun torch jogging out to meet them. Lieutenant Buhari’s voice calls out in a delighted tone, “You made it! We had feared the worst.”
The party is bathed in the light of his torch as he reaches them and he takes in their appearance. His eyes pass over their weary expressions, their torn gear and clothes, and the dark layer of blood and soot underneath any accumulated snow. His eyes rest on the body Xizoh carries and his face pales.
“Altien’s grace… is that…” He shouts behind him, “Allendale! Rehier! We need some help here.”
Seeing four soldiers come running down the road, he turns back to the party with a serious expression. “From the look of it, that poor soul no longer draws breath.” He looks at them again in turn. “Are you all well?”
Anyone who watches the lieutenant carefully notices he shows no sign of surprise as his gaze passes over Cel.
For posterity, Silo’s tracking map and map 2a are updated (although the party is no longer on either).
Breathing heavily from the journey, Henri is relieved to finally be out of the mist and into the lights of the town. While the challenge of the wight was nonexistent, the mist certainly seemed to have a level of danger that was definitely threatening to her. It was fortunate that whatever that spirit was liked Xizoh enough to guide them back home. Or, at least, to the village. Seeing the bobbing light of the ioun stone running to meet them, Henri takes a moment to holster her weapon, and pulls out a cigarette, lighting a tindertwig against her belt and bringing the flame against the tip.
She drops the burnt tindertwig into the snow and takes a pull on her cigarette as the soldiers arrive. "Unfortunately not. When we found 'im he was already getting picked over by the crows." She breathes out and lets a plume of smoke dangle into the air. "The rest of us..." Henri glances around at the rest of the party. "Well, I think we're 'bout as all right as we can be. Better'n he is, anyway." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out the leatherbound journal. "I think you owe us an ale, at the very least, though. And maybe we can talk about this, and the zombies."
The four soldiers run up to the group, wearing the same uniforms as the stable hands the party saw earlier. They approach Xizoh with grim faces. "We'll take him sir," a young private says softly to Xizoh.
Lieutenant Buhari gives Xizoh a firm nod to encourage him to pass the body to the waiting soldiers.
The lieutenant cracks a small smile at Henri and Xizoh's comments. "I'm sure ale won't be a problem. It'd be my pleasure to buy you all a round myself." He gestures toward the headquarters building ahead. "First we'll get you warm, and the captain and Silo are most interested to hear your report."
Xizoh has long sleeves and none of the soldiers seem to take much notice of his hand.
Cues I am interested in before moving on: anything Dulae, Alaina or others want to add or ask Buhari before they're in the same building/room as the captain, and whether Xizoh passes the body to the soldiers.
Hefting the body off his back, Xizoh sets the frigid corpse gently in the privates arms. Reaching out to put his hand on the privates shoulder, the half elf murmers, "Does he have any surviving family?"
Init: +4 | HP:14/26 | AC: 23 | FF: 18 | Tch: 11 | Fort: +5 | Ref: +2 | Will: +5 | Perc: 9| Sen Mtv: 11| Double Rolls against mind affecting | +2 Against Enchantment | Immune Sleep
Dulae, breathing hard and sweating heavily from keeping up in her armor, allows herself a small smile of relief as the lights of town come into view. Thank Altien, we made it this time...
She opens her mouth to argue with Henri, then clicks it shut again. She looks Lieutenant Buhari in the eyes. "Ale would be welcome... but I could really do with changing to fresh clothes. I think we all have bits of undead on us." She watches his reaction carefully.
Xizoh's statement takes the smile off of her face. "The rest of the dig team's family as well..." She says quietly. "We encountered all eight of them, raised in darkness."
======== Autobot sequence GMEVIL ========== Looks like Alaina's player is still busy, so I’m going to use her as my evil plot puppet. (Shhhhh.)
A stiff drink would do a world of good, thinks the Iron Wolf as she observes the exchange. She keeps a close eye on Cel, noting that the lieutenant pays him equal attention.
As the body changes hands, the dead man’s head lolls so that his mutilated face is now fully in view. The private looks down at the dead man’s missing eyes and battered skull.
She blinks at Xizoh. “I don’t know...” She looks down at the body again and swallows. “I can’t tell who this is.”
Anyone watching Lieutenant Buhari notices his eyes widen and he intakes a sharp breath at the damage to the corpse. He mouths to himself, “No blood…”
After Dulae’s mention of undead, the lieutenant frowns as if he suspected this from what he just saw. Some of the other attending soldiers gasp in surprise or fear. They say nothing, but they shift their weight as though they’re anxious to either get further from the mist or hear more.
”I’ll need to take you to see the captain first” the lieutenant says calmly, in contrast with the deep worry on his face. “We’ll see to whatever you need and we’ll take care of notifying their families, of course. Follow me.”
As the party proceeds to headquarters Lieutenant Buhari gives a quick stream of instructions to the soldiers. “I want at least two people with this body at all times, understand? Rehier, run for Marion, tell her she’s needed in the morgue. Allendale, fetch Kolda.”
One of the soldiers runs to the church and the other three help carry the body ahead of the group.
Looking behind him frequently as if he is checking to make sure all five of them follow, the lieutenant leads the party through the doors and up the steps toward the captain and Silo’s office. A few curious faces peer up at them from the level below as the soldiers disappear down the lower hall with the body.
The lieutenant gestures to the chairs in the waiting room. “Please wait here, I’ll see if they are ready for you.”
Still standing near the office door, Zahan’s eyebrows shoot up as he sees the party's worn, bloodied state. The lieutenant whispers something to him and Zahan nods. After the lieutenant shuts the office door behind him Zahan calls, “Good gods, what happened to you lot?”
CONDITION:None, AC 15 (13/12), Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +0, Init +6, Perc +4, HP 12/12, Burn 0/6 (0/12 Nonlethal)
Cel keeps to the back of the group with his face frozen in nervous expression. Cel remembers his previous interaction with the Lieutenant was pleasant, and he smiles slightly at the man when he gestures to the chairs. Cel responds to Zahan softly, but audibly, "I'm sorry sir, I don't think I'm supposed to be here right now," his face flushing red. "I can wait outside for my friends while you discuss the mission if you prefer."
"Not at all young sir, please have a seat." Zahan gestures to the chairs in a firm but friendly way. "Lieutenant Buhari tells me the captain wants a word with you in particular."
Init: +4 | HP:14/26 | AC: 23 | FF: 18 | Tch: 11 | Fort: +5 | Ref: +2 | Will: +5 | Perc: 9| Sen Mtv: 11| Double Rolls against mind affecting | +2 Against Enchantment | Immune Sleep
Dulae glances at Buhari, to Cel, and back again. She makes a soft sound halfway between a sigh and a groan before fixing her gaze on the captain's door.
As the party begins to feel the chill and numbness recede, a tall man in a private’s uniform enters the waiting room with blankets and a tray of steaming mugs.
He gives the group a sympathizing smile. “I’m Kolda, one of the healers here. I heard y’all might need this.” He offers soft warm blankets and fresh hot coffee to the party.
“Anyone injured?” Kolda asks, giving them each an appraising look.
As Kolda passes out coffee, Lieutenant Narwita walks quickly through the waiting room, smiles at the party, nods to Zahan, knocks on the office door, and enters before shutting the door behind her.
Cues I am interested in: any other reply to Zahan, any replies to Kolda.
In quiet Southtown, nestled in the foothills of the Abbhen mountains, rumors of strange blue lights and eerie howls in the mountains at night are spreading quickly. Unnatural tendrils of mist creep down from the towering face of Mount Oranis every night, inching toward the tranquil valley before disappearing at sunrise.
A notice has been posted within a few towns offering 200 gp per day to capable adventurers for aiding in a mountain-wide search and rescue mission to locate a missing unit of Altiendel soldiers. Anyone interested should report to the Altiendel military outpost in Southtown.
Southtown is currently also widely rumored to be the site of a recent governmental archeology project led by elite University wizard Silo Fairhurst, famous for his breakthrough research on location magic.
A short campaign of exploration, adventure, and some horror.
Hi all!
I am recruiting four players to join one committed player for a Pathfinder homebrew. Some details on the world and instructions to apply are below (in subsequent posts).
First, some general points:
1. Immersive reporting for GM-rolled checks:
Immersive style GM reporting: I don’t plan to show results for roles I make (or even that a roll has been made) for PCs or NPCs, except for initiative and attack, where this translates to feedback the characters would experience. Your character would perceive what they perceive, and players won’t get meta-context.
-----
Example : a human, a dwarf, and an elf walk into a bar dark chamber while exploring ruins
SHOWN (in spoilers):
Kaylee’s eyes don’t adjust well to the dark room. She can make out the faint shadows of the party on the dusty stone floor and a bit of fuzzy gray light ahead that vaguely resembles a doorway roughly 50 feet away. There is a current of air from ahead that feels warm and thick, and carries a musty, unpleasant smell.
Liliyn also sees a faint outline of what looks like debris on the ground ahead.
(Also read Kaylee’s.)
Pedro can make out the outline of the massive rectangular room, spanning 15 feet to either side. His eyes are drawn to a dozen skeletal remains between his party and the door on the other side. All appear to be well armed, wearing rusted armor and expensive fabrics, now ruined. Some have fallen as though they were struck down facing the room ahead, weapons still near their gloved hands. The rest are stretched out as though they died fleeing. The closest rests about 30 feet away, lying with one one arm outstretched toward the group and a grisly expression on its skeletal face.
Pedro also sees a faint sheen of moisture glisten on the walls of the rectangular room. The rear wall looks to be covered almost entirely in moss and vines. He can hear the echo of a faint but distinct dripping, like water into a pool. There is a blueish-gray light ahead flowing from the room ahead or perhaps beyond that is faintly pulsing.
(Also read other spoilers.)
Light from behind gives about 10 feet of dim light, light from ahead offers barely any.
DC to feel/smell breeze: 10
DCs for normal (human) vision and low-light (elf) vision:
DC to spot faintly lit doorway 50 feet away: 10/8
DC to spot the general shape of the skeletons: 15/13
DC to spot skeletons in the darkness: 30
DC to see wet walls in the darkness: 40
DC to hear water: 21
DCs for darkvision (dwarf):
DC to spot faintly lit doorway 50 feet away: 5
DC to spot skeletons in the darkness: 5
DC to see the borders of the room: 10
DC to spot light pulsing: 19
DC to hear/see water: 21
-------------------
Summary of GM rolled checks:
Perception - I will roll this anytime a character enters a new room or space, has a different field of view, or something new enters their field of view.
If your character stops to parse for something specific (i.e. runes on a wall, footprints in the snow, signs that someone is following them), that will buy her a +1-to-3 bonus for what she specified, depending on the circumstances and specificity.
If your character gets closer to an object and/or uses a better light source, that counts as changing their field of view, and would be a different roll with a lower check to perceive the details of that object.
Initiative - I will roll this if a PC, NPC, or monster attempts to initiate combat.
Knowledge - I will roll this for PCs for new encounters (with objects, people, noticed runes)
Sense motive - I will roll this automatically during conversations when someone is bluffing or isn’t telling the full truth. If a PC picks up on someone lying, I would not say ‘Kaylee thinks Pedro is being untruthful’, I would role-play ‘Kaylee notices Pedro doesn’t make eye contact and shifts uncomfortably’.
If you have any questions or want to double check you got a bonus or penalty, you’d be welcome to ask in the discussion or out-of-game.
---------------------------------
2. I don’t intend for this to be a very combat heavy arc (i.e. follow carrot to combat, do combat, get loot, follow carrot to next combat, repeat, boss fight).
I’m hoping to provide an engaging structure for role-playing, problem-solving, investigation and exploration.
3. To that effect, I’d ask for no min/maxing. I have great respect for optimizers, but I don’t plan to run that kind of game. Relatedly, spell access is limited in part because I intend for the party to not have much spell access.
4. We’ll be using google docs for maps and supplementary materials.
5. Wall-of-text warning: there will be long descriptive excerpts whenever the party enters a new space or meets someone/something new. (See #1: immersive reporting for GM-rolled checks)
6. This would be my first time GMing a game using PbP (full disclosure).
7. I’d expect a post rate of once per day, with an average of more than 10 posts per week. This will be a long term commitment (I’d estimate about six months). I plan to post twice a day myself, except for some periodic days-long gaps that would be well announced.
8. Having character diversity in terms of gender, people of color, LGBTQ, and other groups underrepresented in fantasy stories is important to me, and I intend to suggest that the party promote balance in their characters that reflects our own world.
--------------
If you’re not 100% down with everything above, then this game probably isn’t a good fit. I appreciate your time all the same.
If you’re still with me, welcome! Please read on to the next post.
In this revised world, powerful magics are highly militarized. Rulers have taken measures to bring any caster who could easily sway the course of a battle under their control or neutralize the threat of magic.
Magehunter paladins and powerful clerics enforce the Light’s holy rule for the good of all in Altiendel, while advanced metalwork and techology drive a capitalist empire of travel and trade in secular, magic-wary Abbhen.
---
The setting focuses on two kingdoms that have manipulated spellcasters who wield powerful magics (think level 6 spells and above) to either serve the government/society or be cast out. Knowledge of arcane spells and rituals of prayer is heavily restricted across the two kingdoms by Altiendel’s government, and the people in neighboring Abbhen are distrustful of magic and rely on their metalwork technology.
---
Or also feel free to browse this material in spoiler format scattered over the interest check thread.
I do expect characters to be generally aware of the common knowledge when making choices and interacting with NPCs.
------
Character creation rules:
Core races only
The following restricted classes are not allowed for world-consistency and game mechanics: Primary spell casters, paladins, and alchemists
--- The definition of 'primary spell caster' for this game is any class with 9 levels of spells + summoner. (For example: wizards, sorcerers, clerics, oracles, psychics, druids, summoners)
You may multi-class to a restricted class level at a 1-1 ratio (at least 1 unrestricted class level for every restricted class level)
The party would start at 3rd level, as competent, trained individuals (treating 1st level as about an apprenticeship in experience).
20 point buy to first level
No stat lower than 10 before racial modifiers. This would be a very heavy role-playing based game, so I’d ask for no min/maxing, please. Generally, the simpler and more versatile the build, the better for our purposes.
--- 2) three unchained classes: barbarian, rouge or a multiclass to summoner (a restricted class).
No evil alignment in the party, please. (There will likely already be some tension from characters’ backgrounds and countries of origin.)
You’d start with 3000 gpc. Don’t spend more than 25% on any single item, to mimic wealth gradual gains.
-- An excellent background reason might get you an exception up to ⅓ wealth on a single item.
-- Note that you’ll be starting in Southtown in winter and venturing up into the mountains. (You would know the winter climate on the slopes is about Helsinki in February).
-- No other restrictions on equipment.
No third party materials.
Beware, all ye who enter here: you will probably meet unfriendly NPCs that are much higher level than you. It would be most unwise to assume encounters are ‘level appropriate’ for you to start swinging swords. On that note, I might advise that having a usual speed less than 30 could be a much more serious disadvantage than you’re used to.
I credit everyone who commented in the interest check thread for helping shape these rules (thanks all!)
I will take an application as an agreement to abide by the rules set out by GM Niles (and other credited PbP GMs before). There are some useful pointers for those new to PbP here too.
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To apply to join the party, please post answers to these questions:
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
Do you have experience with PbP?
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
Why do you want to play in this game?
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party.
(Details and crunch are not required - I’m much more interested in choices your character would make, not choices you’d make for stats.)
----
My goal is to put together a group of players invested in telling a great story who would work and roleplay well together. The selected players will roll up (or finalize) a complementary party together as a team.
I’d like to have some experienced PbP players in the group to help steer us toward a reasonable and engaging pace, but fellow newcomers to the forums are welcome.
I encourage anyone interested and willing to commit to apply. I will do my best to be unbiased, but it is probably most fair/upfront to recognize that those I’ve been working with in the interest check thread will have some advantage given that I already have a sense of their style and writing.
Apps are welcome up until Friday May 20. I plan to post a decision on Saturday May 21. Group character creation would immediately follow, with game play a few days later.
Your 8 general points sound amazing, got me interested. The 10 post per week aim could be a bit high, but 1 per day is what I'm used to (special occasions notwithstanding).
GM Mikkel wrote:
I do expect characters to be generally aware of the common knowledge when making choices and interacting with NPCs.
I'd assume it's okay to ask OOC about what my character would know about a topic, so I don't have to reread the doc in case I missed something crucial?
Greetings, Alaina Steele waiting to weighed, measured, and hopefully not found wanting.
GM Mikkel wrote:
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
I typically post several times a day, including weekends, barring I'm not too busy with other things. But I do always post once a day.
GM Mikkel wrote:
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
Typically morning and afternoon on weekdays and anytime weekends. Pacific Time (aka UTC -08:00)
GM Mikkel wrote:
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
Not particularly, but if something comes up I'll do my best to let everyone know. I don't have a particular issue with being made a bot, provided the GM doesn't make my character do something completely OOC.
GM Mikkel wrote:
Do you have experience with PbP?
I've been in several Play-by-Post games, even GM'd a couple.
GM Mikkel wrote:
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
I've been playing RPG's for well over a decade now. What I enjoy most is creating characters.
GM Mikkel wrote:
Why do you want to play in this game?
The concept caught my attention, and a character idea started to form almost immidiately.
GM Mikkel wrote:
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
I'd like to think I'm a good fit because I do my best to RP and not rely too much on dice rolls. Which I believe is what you're looking for.
GM Mikkel wrote:
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party. (Details and crunch are not required - I’m much more interested in choices your character would make, not choices you’d make for stats.)
Take a look at this character's profile for stats and background.
As far as personality goes, Alaina is the sort of person who doesn't necessarily go looking for trouble, but doesn't back down from a fight either. She's can be a bit stubborn at times, and likes to think she's independent, but this is the first time she's been away from home. So she may be in for a slightly rude awakening.
Xizoh Shadelock here to tend to your wounds, if I have your permission.
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
-My schedule is rather open, so I could handle the ten a week post limit. I'd always be down for more posts, but ten feels like it'd keep it going.
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
-My posting times would be 4-5 and 8-1 am mountain time, so usually afternoon and night.(GMC)
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
-I shouldn't have any periods of lack of posting, but I would be okay with GM running my character if I can't contribute.
Do you have experience with PbP?
-I have participated in another home brew setting, but haven't had much direct experience with PbP.
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
-I enjoy the opportunity to experience other viewpoints and experiences, and imagine the different nuances of life and mind, along with meeting interesting people in game and out and their ideas.
Why do you want to play in this game?
-I feel like this setting has great fluff that could be explored and make the game memorable. Also, I love chances to see worlds with alternative views on common myth.
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
-I love role play, and the opportunity to make the experience a more in character game.
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party.
(Details and crunch are not required - I’m much more interested in choices your character would make, not choices you’d make for stats.)
-A young half elf of drow descent raised by Fetchling in the city of Freeport, Xizoh was an aspiring healer until his magic flared. He had it sealed, only for another incident to make it manifest itself as a living creature, and so he left Freeport to avoid the retribution of the creatures actions.
A lean figure, Xizoh has an optimism that resembles a child, and a dislike of warlike magics to the point of being nearly passive in regards to fighting. Living with discrimination has taught him not to judge another by his race but by deeds. His snake companion Anathema is much quicker to leap into the fray, with a tendency to slowly constrict his foes. The two don't always see eye to eye, but when they do, they're a formidable team. He's an anti magic fast healing bloodragers archetype with a level dip in summoner designed to take blows for the team and keep them safe.
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What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible?
These three have basically the same answer. I'm usually flitting about or checking the boards anytime after 2 pm Eastern Standard time. I get home from work about then.
I also try to post at least once per day, nothing in my life really stops me from posting.
Do you have experience with PbP?
Yes, As both a Gm and player
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
I enjoy rpg's, they are my favorite type of game, that said jrpg's are my preferred kind. I enjoy pretty much everything about them from story to mechanics.
Why do you want to play in this game?
Well the idea seems cool and i'm short on games right now
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
I enjoy rping, mostly through dialogue. I tend to write characters that are in need strong rp based games.
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party.
Human, Ranger (Shapeshifter/Wild hunter) Trying to make him seem animal like, this seems like the best way.
As far as where Tristan is from i'm thinking Altiendel, though now he travels Searching for his little sister
Backstory, Personality, Appearance:
Concept
1) Though he may not look like it, he is a Doctor, a brilliant one at that.
2) most of what he knows I.E. Fighting, magic, skills he learned on his own. He studied from Books on Anatomy, spending time in deep wilds, ect.
3) He is not a people person, being generally gruff and generally anti-social. He has little to no friends, his sister being the only person he really got along with.
4) His parents were murdered one day when he was away, doing some nature studying. he returned to the gruesome scene of his parents dead.
5) Tristan is a good natured person, and likes to help people.
Goal
1) Tristan wants to find his sister, though he has no clue were she is or who took her. He suspects she was taken by the military for being a mage (She's a Magus) though he cannot confirm this.
Personality
Tristan is generally kind of a cranky, loner. Most of what he knows is self taught, as he dislikes people and has a hard time communicating or trusting anyone.
Tristan is unwaveringly loyal to those who earn his trust, though he may be rather blunt and hurtful, his words are always meant to help.
Although intelligent, Tristan easily succumbs to things like obsession and addiction.
Tristan view his sister Ashling as a prodigy, he idolized her. When she disappeared he grew cynical and stopped caring. He spends much of his time searching for her. He occasionally helps people, respect for what he believes she would want.
Appearance
Tristan typically appears rather scruffy, in serious need of a haircut and shave. The only constant about his outfit is an old tattered red scarf, a gift from his younger sister. Though tall an unhealthily thin he is almost always slouched over.
Tristan-I said I was a loner, I didn’t say I had a problem. I pay my bills, I make my meals. I function.
Ashling- Is that all you want? You have no relationships.
Tristan I don’t want any relationships.
Ashling You alienate people.
Tristan I’ve been alienating people since I was three.
------------------------------------
Tristan- There is no right or wrong in this world, those labels are just artificial constructs there to make you feel better about your decisions. The fact is everybody lies and everybody has problems, Criticizing someone about petty things like honor or Morality is meaningless if you stop and think about it a little.
-------------------------------------
The Bathtub Dcotor:
Cold, Snowing, her voice rang in my head...Go get some air Tristan, you can't alienate yourself like this, it's unhealthy. I listened to her, though i didn't want to. Nothing unusual Ash was always right. I went outside wandering around collecting herbs and various things i could use.
i visited our parent's grave's that day, they died when Ash turned 12, I was 19. Even back then she was skilled: combat, magic, and stealth. whereas i sat in my room reading books; medical, herbalism, alchemical, animals.
I found myself spending more time there than i had planned, i went home... the house was trashed, someone had broken in. Ashling was no where to be found...I lost control, threw a fit. I left when i finally regained control, there was no longer any point in staying.
I spent time traveling around from place to place, i made money where i could patching people up, never anything official. i brew potions and such in a small tub i carried around, it was lighter and easier to replace than an iron cauldron. eventually i guess that's where the name the Bathtub doctor came from. real doctors were too expensive, too controlled. What I did wasn't magic, it was from nature, everything was natural.
Experimenting with alchemical mixtures was a hobby i enjoyed, never on my patients though....I always tried out my own mixtures, not always with the best results.
I didn't have any fear, i ventured out into the wilds without care... i understood so long as you go respect it, nature will respect you. Maybe it was nature's blessing, maybe just dumb luck, i don't know but i never had much of a problem out their. It was the cities that i had problems with, people...
The last thing i remember...just mindlessly agreeing with her, maybe if i acted out, said what i wanted she would still be around. Even if i don't find her, i'll honor what she wanted...I'll help people, i'll try to not shut the world out...
I'm back, baby! Obviously I have some minor changes to Hlynn's backstory but you know that (I will work on it later this week to fit it in better with the world), and I also have a second character option that fills a bit of a different role down below. Definitely excited about this.
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
Whenever I'm around! Back when I used to do freeform stuff I'd have big spurts of roleplaying, but in this case I would at least try to check in the morning and at night, so every day would be reasonable. Most of the time I can be refreshing throughout the day as well.
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
I'm in PST, and currently work from home and am trying to get a more regular job, so it's a bit subject to change, but as of now I'm at the computer pretty much all the time. I am more likely to not reply in the evenings as that's when I see my S.O. but I'm still on the computer a LOT.
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
I doubt it, but if there comes a time when I can't post I'd let you know ahead of time if possible and would be fine with GM bot-mode.
Do you have experience with PbP?
Very little, I used to do a lot of freeform, ruleless roleplay back in the day but haven't done it for a while. I also haven't done pathfinder Pbp for an extended period of time so I'd say my knowledge is limited.
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
I have been playing rpgs for 10+ years, but have really gotten into them over the past 5 years or so. I like character building and interpersonal relationships especially, as well as just the occasional fun time smacking dudes upside the head. I also like horror, comedy, and drama that can all take place inside the same campaign, building into a multi-dimensional experience. It's fun.
Why do you want to play in this game?
Beyond just liking hanging out over the past couple weeks, I really like the idea of how people view magic - I like the inner sea a lot, but it just doesn't seem to acknowledge that at a certain point, wizards can become freaking ridiculous, and their spells could destroy, just, everything from the economy to the people on a whim.
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
I write well, I like backstories and intense moments, and I like making things hard on my characters. I like RP more than combat, and I like interacting with other characters and the world at large.
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party.
Well, Hlynn is a person you've heard a lot about, essentially a hydrokineticist who's looking to try to find happiness in a world that has kicked her in her face a lot. Half-elf Kineticist from Abbhen who's girlfriend committed suicide rather than keep being used and abused. Hlynn fled her hometown when she discovered she had magickal abilities herself, and decided to be strong and happy for herself and Kethel (strong enough to strike down anyone who threatened that happiness, that is). Secretive, measured, well-intentioned, jaded, sympathetic-ish.
I do have a second character who is much less developed, but more moldable into any party situation. An Elven gal named Henrietta (or Henri for short), she's got a small level of contempt for other elves and their manicured, pretty ways. A crossbowman of some kind (bolt ace or fighter, not sure yet), she likes getting her hands dirty - originally it started as farming and barroom brawls, but extended into her natural skill with crossbows and hunting. The weapon spoke to her more than the traditional longbow, so she took it with the intent of throwing traditions to the wind. She's from Altiendel, but has walked all over. She wants to prove that she's the best. At what? Something. She doesn't really know. Happy-go-lucky, tactless, rash, talkative, loyal.
I should add cause well i messed up a bit with my previous post, Tristan is a doctor by trade, not necessarily a healer. just heavy investment in the heal skill.
To apply to join the party, please post answers to these questions:
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
Do you have experience with PbP?
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
Why do you want to play in this game?
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party.
1. One per day minimum is easily attainable for me. I often can and will post MANY times per day if the situation calls for more interaction.
2. I'm in PST (Seattle), and I work evenings. However, I often have small gaps between patients, so I will often post throughout the day minutes early to mid-morning when I'm getting prepped for the day and going to the gym.
3. No impossibilities for a while. I'm an Enforcer specialist for PAX Prime over Labor Day weekend, where it's unlikely I'll get more than one post in if that, but beyond that no planned lack of internet access. I am all for GM-botting if necessary, it keeps things moving for everyone.
4. I have some budding experience on these messageboards, but my greater experience comes through a Facebook PbP group that I've been doing for the last year where we post many times each day. The GM tends to run the PbP in exactly how you're laying out where our group never actually rolls anything and we never see numbers. It's all RP info.
5. I had a long history with PFS before I moved to a location in Seattle that was highly inconvenient to get to the places hosting sessions. Way back in college I had D&D 3.5 experience. The remaining RPG experience I've had is just in the video game realm.
6. After playing the Facebook PbP game for this time I've realized how much more fun it can be than at a table setting. It allows for a great deal more flavor text that really enriches the dice rolls. Sometimes that happens at a table, but it's a bit more infrequent. I also enjoy the pre-made modules Paizo has made, but I often find those turning into pseudo-video games. It's really fun to build a character that is tuned well for a module with the independent RP addition, but nearly all of my RPG history was centered around homebrew where creative problem solving was the most important thing you can do. I also love to exploit wild character concepts for fun and laughs, but I'm also very big on drawbacks (not the technical rule drawback, just the expression drawback). I typically build this into my characters, but this world you've created has REALLY intrigued me in that the nature of the design is limiting in a way that forces me to think differently and use different characters to adapt to the world. Don't get me wrong, the world you've created is really cool and I like it, but I solve really complex puzzles for a living. I like to gravitate towards things that force me to think differently.
7. I think first and foremost, I won't drop or disappear. Once I commit to something I live up to the commitment. I didn't realize how this can be REALLY rare on these boards, so I feel like it's worth mentioning. If I'm selected, I'm in for the long haul and no half-ass contribution. Secondly, I would like to think that I can help bring some entertainment to a group? This is the fun part where you have to sell yourself without sounding like an arrogant prick. I try to make interesting characters that I will enjoy playing, but who will also be fun for players and the GM to interact with. I don't believe in ruining someone else's good time to do something I want to do. Because of this, I always make sure that while one of my characters, depending on the concept, may challenge the group it won't be done in a way that is frustrating or annoying. Every so often it's even hilarious for all involved. We're all here to have fun, and in a group that means being cognizant of those around you, and I try to hold to that always.
8. I'll submit two for consideration. Each core concept and build is listed among my Aliases, and crunch will be done if selected to fit this campaign. First is this character, Amathelah Basset, the second is Cel Runil. The backgrounds are written and, again, will be modified to reflect the crunch if selected as well. Below is the blurb on what isn't covered in the already written background.
Character 1:
Amathelah is a human female (monk class - zen archer specifically) from a small hamlet in Abbhen. She would join the party after having left her solitary life in a forest near her hamlet. She is a bit socially...off...considering she's had no other human/humanoid contact for a very long time. Her draw to the call to find the missing Altiendel soldiers is not for glory or fame or riches. She is pursuing her path of keeping the balance and working on self-perfection. She isn't often clear with her words, partially from the limited human contact of recent but also as a drawback for having such a wisdom about things that she can make connections between things that may not be apparent to others. However, it is difficult for her to remember that these connections may not be something others have made. It ultimately turns into occasionally saying something that seems like complete non-sense, and not having the social wherewithal to "read the room" that people are confused by what she just said and thus it goes unexplained. She goes beyond traditional labels for many things. It doesn't line up with her mission in life. Good and evil are constructs of the people in the world around her. She seeks to keep the balance. Therefore, she's often seen doing works that people would consider acts of charity, of kindness, of someone who is clearly good. She, on the other hand, is only doing what is necessary to keep the flow of things intact. Joining a party is a new concept for her. She left her solitary life to gain more experiences, to help enlighten her, and as she's re-entered normal society she is beginning to understand that a part of that is learning how to interact with others. She will still work on her physical and mental perfection, keeping the balance in all things, but now she knows that to truly reach enlightenment she needs others around her, and maybe even learn what friendship is, to reach self-perfection.
Character 2:
Cel Runil is a human male (class Aerokineticist) from Sky City. Cel is a mess. The combination of his curiosity and intense fear really is a bad combination. His hair is unkempt and his clothes are disheveled. This is usually because something startled him mid-dressing or hair combing and he proceeded to forget to finish tucking in his shirt or parting his hair. As the guild of Gunslingers has grown, the frequent sound of blasts has really become too much for him. If he'll jump at a gust of wind, you can imagine what a rifle report will do. It finally became too much for him and he packed up and left the city. Curiosity has taken him a great many places, but he's quickly learned that he's not cut out for the solitary life. It's incredibly difficult to sleep in nature when something might eat you! He's very tired. When he happened across the call for help to find missing Altiendel soldiers the curious half of himself perked right up! What could have caused them to go missing? Soldiers should be well trained at escape and evasion, and should certainly be able to handle themselves in a fight, and they can't be found?! It was too much for him, he had to investigate. But the nature! The worrisome things out there! He would certainly need others to help him investigate. In terms of how he interacts with the group, he's quite twitchy, always looking about for dangers (perceived or real), which tends to make him an excellent watchdog. While he's not in any way clingy to people he will still try to hide behind others he thinks may handle threats better. His inquisitive nature does result in him being nosy at times, but he's not a thief and knowing that a quick shout at him will likely send him scampering and silencing his persistent questions about people, surroundings, events, anything that he doesn't understand really tend to leave most (at worst) mildly annoyed with him. He does come in handy, though, he frequently stumbles upon unexpected information that can be quite helpful simply because of his predilection to spy and investigate.
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
Usually I am able to post at least once a day, more often if situation and game speed allows.
GM Mikkel wrote:
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
Afternoon and night UTC +2
GM Mikkel wrote:
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
Probably (getting sick, daily before a test, stuff like that ) planing to be abroad for a month in the summer (should be able to post from time to time ) no problem with Gmail botting
GM Mikkel wrote:
Do you have experience with PbP?
Playing since 2 years
GM Mikkel wrote:
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
I assume you are taking about pnp;)
Creating interesting characters and seeing what happens. I also like interesting fights and challenges.
GM Mikkel wrote:
Why do you want to play in this game?
The setting sounds interesting.
GM Mikkel wrote:
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
I think I fit well into this game, because I am good with creative problem solving and like good roleplaying.
GM Mikkel wrote:
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party. (Details and crunch are not required - I’m much more interested in choices your character would make, not choices you’d make for stats.)
Delighted to be seeing familiar faces as well as new ones!
@ Mighty Glacier: Yes, you could absolutely ask anytime. If it was important and the character should know it, I'd also very likely remind you in a spoiler.
@Ammon "Tristan is a doctor by trade, not necessarily a healer. just heavy investment in the heal skill.": Roger.
@Keila: Indeed, I was thinking pnp. But you're welcome to tell me about any experience you think is relevant.
@Henri@Alaina "If you're Captain America, then I'm Bucky Barnes." =D
-----------------------------
Applications thus far (mostly to help me make sure I'm keeping track):
I did some minor edits to Hlynn's backstory and did a (kinda hasty) base for Henri's backstory, obviously they're subject to change based on if i get in/other people/etc. Again, I know it's not really necessary, but I really like writing backstories.
I’m Nobody’s Slave MK. II:
“I’m nobody’s slave.” The phrase rang in Hlynn’s ears as the girl’s neck spurted blood, sending splatters of the dark liquid across the snowclad earth. The body fell, hard, slamming into the snow, twitching and sending a pool of dark red liquid spreading across the frosted streets. Hlynn could not turn her eyes away, and her mouth was open in an expression of pure horror.
That was when she knew that there were some things worse than death. Even as a child, she was very secretive - finding little pieces of metal, dead leaves, small sticks, and hiding them about her bedroom. An only child to her single human mother, she often had to go out for chores and work, despite her young age. Keeping her strange ears hidden beneath big hats or long hair, she was taught to never talk to others - her father, it had seemed, was not somebody her mother wished to talk about, and the questions brought on by a half-elf would be even more intense than the already curious village (there not being much gossip to have around the village). This suited Hlynn - both of them liked their privacy.
Her mother, Miranda, was kind. They lived in a small village in Abbhen, distrustful of magic as many are. Neither of them liked the place’s phobias to much, but with little money and a young child, Miranda couldn’t exit the community - so she tried to keep as low a profile as possible. In their isolation, she always had enough to eat, they played games of chance and had long, drawn-out discussions into the night. As they grew older, however, Hlynn noticed her mother becoming more distant and cold. Though she still pushed for the talks and games, they became more forced every day, coming home from her job as a seamstress and immediately going to sleep, without so much as a “hello”. When confronted about this coldness, Miranda didn’t answer, just gave a sad smile and replied, “it’s not your fault”. Hlynn was 12.
Hlynn began to pursue other relationships, but it was difficult - she could relate to few people in her village, having finally revealed her elven heritage and having the village entirely inhabited by humans with small minds did not make it any easier, with most looking down on her for having anything to do with a magical-type being. However, there was one girl, who seemed to see something in the young half-elf. “I’m Kethel,” she introduced herself. It was late, just after school as Hlynn began to do her chores. They talked for hours, late into the night, both wrapped in the same blanket to keep warm. They promised to talk again, and Hlynn was happy. Hlynn was 13.
They began to spend the days and nights together, going to school, doing village work together, tending to sheep, and more, and the years that they spent together were the happiest Hlynn had ever been. When she was with Kethel, she felt like nothing could hurt her. At nights, they would run away from the town meetings at night to build their own snow tunnels out in the woods, talk and think about the future, and that’s when Kethel revealed her abilities to Hlynn. They were amazing, sending beautiful sparks of electricity through the air current and carving out small burns in the walls that they touched. When Hlynn touched, Kethel, she could feel her hairs standing up on end, tingling and exciting to the touch. Hlynn was 17.
But it was Kethel’s bravery that made Hlynn fall for her. She would skip school, climb the mountains late at night, tempt wild animals with food just to get a closer look, and swim underneath the frozen lake alone. Whereas Hlynn had spent her years trying to stay under the radar and do what she was told, Kethel always wanted to try new things, do new things. “I’ve got to live every day like it’s my last! And I don’t want to miss a thing.” For the first time since she was a child, Hlynn felt truly happy. They shared their first kiss beneath the single, dead tree next to the frozen lake, and Hlynn could feel static running through her body. Hlynn was 18.
It was when Hlynn saw the way Kethel was treated that she realized nothing could be perfect in this place. They would get kicked out of the meal halls together, would be forced into working fields alone, and shunned at the bonfire. There was always something sad in Kethel’s smile, as she tried to downplay the discrimination to Hlynn. But Hlynn could feel the sadness radiating from her. The bruises she tried to play off as being from exploring outside. Every day she would go home, and as they walked together, Hlynn could feel Kethel’s feet dragging. Hlynn never really met Kethel’s surviving parent, her father, but she would wait at the end of their property line, at the behest of Kethel. Kethel’s father was a well-respected merchant in the community, selling all sorts of curios and expensive items, but that was all Hlynn really knew. She didn’t think much of it at first, but as time went on, she could tell there was something sinister going on there. Eventually, she decided to stake out the house after Kethel had left, and determine once and for all what was going on.
Through a crack in the curtains, Hlynn could make out Kethel, yelling something at her father. Then, a hard slap, and Hlynn could feel the impact from outside. A range of abuse quickly took place inside, Hlynn frozen in fear outside, tears streaming down her face. Every single day after that, she went to the mayor’s office. She begged, she pleaded, and cried out for the mayor to help her girlfriend. The first time she asked, she was only met with the reply, ”That’s the lightning witch, right?”. He laughed. Further meetings were only met with terms like “we’re waiting on a response,” and, “it’s probably nothing.” She didn’t tell Kethel she knew, but only tried to hug her tighter when they were together.
It was a cold, snowy morning when Kethel’s father finally died. Their argument had finally made its way outside of the house, and Kethel was thrown down into the snow, bruises fresh and black against the white snow. She spat blood at her father’s feet as he slowly advanced, a crowd of bystanders surrounding them. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” Kethel’s father insisted. Kethel staggered to her feet as Hlynn exited her house to see all of the commotion. As she stared at the scene across town, she saw the local militia, weapons unsheathed, slowly drawing closer to the two. Hlynn began to sprint towards it.
She could see Kethel in the distance, pulling something from her boot, and approaching her father’s open arms. She could begin to see her expression. Kethel whispered something into her father’s ear, and then drove the dagger in her hands through his heart. She repeated what she had whispered, loudly. ”I’m nobody’s slave!” The militia advanced on her, swords raised, and Kethel stared out into the crowd, meeting eyes with Hlynn. Kethel knew what Hlynn was going to try and do, and she knew that she couldn’t escape. Hlynn tried to push through the crowd, screaming, and broke through just in time to see the knife enter Kethel’s own neck. She collapsed into Hlynn’s arms, and quickly bled out into the snow. Hlynn was 19.
After that Hlynn fell into a state of depression. She didn’t want to go anywhere, to do anything. Her mother, still withdrawn from her daughter, attempted to comfort her in her limited time at home, but nothing would draw her out of this depression. She barely ate and barely slept. Slowly, but surely, she began to come out of it. It started with going to work, the manual labor letting her work thoughtlessly, and then she began to go back to school. Not that it had anything to teach her, anyway, she thought. But maybe she could do it again. Nobody could replace Kethel, but maybe she could make a connection again. She was wrong.
That look on Kethel’s face. Those words. Even as she tried to be more outgoing in town, they haunted Hlynn’s dreams, and were the first things she thought of on that warm summer day when her powers first manifested. It was an unnaturally warm summer when the children began aggressively bullying her. The hats and hair and scarves, as well as her naturally young appearance caused some to be suspicious of her, but when she had to put them in a proud display for fear of dying from heatstroke, this lead to bullying and ire from some of her more vicious peers. Along with her public relationship with Kethel, these factors led to little results from any authority figures, even if they could see what was going on - and Hlynn wasn’t about to go and ask them for help again. With Kethel gone, she was no longer willing or brave enough to defend herself from these antagonists. They ripped at her hair and knocked her to the brink of consciousness, before taking her deep into the mountains to that frozen lake (now thawed for the summer), and held her underneath, calling her terrible names and saying she didn’t deserve to eat the same food they did. It didn’t end well for them. Under duress, the lake froze beneath her and shattered, sending flying spears of ice out faster than she could blink. Two of the boys were impaled, and died nearly instantly. The last one was merely wounded, bleeding badly, laying on the ground sobbing and asking for forgiveness as he slowly bled out. Hlynn was 22.
She knew that day that she might never be safe. Never be free from this kingdom and these people, who would persecute and discriminate against her and whatever magick posessed her. Like Kethel, she would be sentenced to a death that was not her own, a life full of fear and pain, and Hlynn would sooner join her dead paramour than become a prisoner of this society. A slave to their whims, and she finally understood. She would never let the kingdom control her, or her abilities, and she would never let them determine the way she would live and die. She shoveled the bodies deep into the mountain, vowing that no one would ever find out, never discover what she was. And so, this secret, like so many others, began to gnaw at her heart. She left school and her mother often, venturing into the frozen mountains, climbing, communing with the cold and the snow, retreading old ground. She avoided every question, and didn’t talk to anyone - while she didn’t think they would find the bodies, there were many people who reported her last being seen with the boys. She dreaded every day, fearing the question or probe that would prove she was the one who murdered the other kids. She spent most of her nights in tears, thinking of the dead body covered in scarlet blood, and trained even harder. She would not be a casualty - she would kill anyone that came for her. She would be strong for both of them.
She withdrew once again to her bed - from townsfolk and her mother, the closer the day came to her 23th birthday. She had a plan - she was going to run. On the day of her birthday, she celebrated as best as she could, with her mother and a small number of expensive confectionaries, and then, that night in the cold and dark, she donned a black cloak, grabbed whatever gear she could, and stole away into the mountains, a mantra beating heavily in her chest. “I’m nobody’s slave.”
And below is Henri's. She has quite a few holes in her story that will be filled if I end up playing her, I'm still not sure if I want to go with the crossbow or a shotgun/blunderbuss (which I think would be hilarious for her).
”I’m the best. The best at winning.”:
Born a middle child to a family of wealthy elves, Henri never really felt like she quite belonged. During the day, she would be schooled by a private professor on history, magic, the church, and more, but her sight always drifted to the window outside. While her parents were pushing her to become a paladin, a great person in the kingdom, she couldn’t help but pull away from their forced legacy. The city, the outside, and adventure called to her, and like a siren, she could only resist it so much.
In her early life, she could only get away once or twice before the family sent the guards after her, but slowly and surely, she began to get to an age where they couldn’t keep her inside forever. Immediately after lessons she would walk the streets, watching people, animals, stores, and eventually walking out of the city to enjoy nature. Henri would come back with dirt all over her, grass stains in her dresses, and to the tune of scolding from her mother.
The pushing became brutal in her youth - her parents forced lessons daily down her throat, micromanaging everything from her schedule to her diet, and she could find little time to herself - with every new week her free time shrunk, and the lectures grew. She wasn’t good enough. She would never be good enough if she didn’t get her life in order. Did she want to be a failure? She’d never be happy.
She tried to ignore them. She was seeing things and doing things that she had never expected to be able to do, and was learning about the whole world outside of her little dome of clerics and mages. But still, they penetrated and filled her with doubts. What if she wouldn’t be happy doing this? But she knew she needed to act. In her adolescence, after another hours-long lecture from her mother, Henri had decided (albeit rashly): She was going to leave her oppressive little family, and she was going to explore the world. Packing up and leaving under the cover of darkness, she set off to find her fortune.
Her cloak hid her face from the world as she slowly made her way south towards Abbhen. All the cities here were shiny. Too manicured. All they did was remind her of her hometown and her parents. She couldn’t let their words creep back into her mind again! The kingdom of Abbhen, however - filled with smoke, dirt, grit, the history spoke to her and called her to it.
She first learned about her penchant for fighting in a bar near the border of the two kingdoms. She had been slowly burning through the money she stole by gambling - though the inns and taverns she stayed at had certainly drained her a bit. She loved playing cards, the feeling of risk and luck and victory coming from a perfectly executed bluff excited her more than sword training ever could. However, what she didn’t realize when she sat down at the gambling table was that she had walked in on a small gang’s card game, and when she came away with most of the money, they were understandably upset.
As the barroom brawl started, it quickly began to pull in other patrons to her side - only a few, but it was enough to turn the tide against the gang and send them out of the bar with tails between their legs. And it was the first time Henri had felt real, true cooperation - and the first time she had felt so alive. It was a joyous experience, and in a rush of adrenaline and emotion, she had a short, one-night affair with one of her fellow brawlers.
This became her routine across a long set of taverns. The brawl could happen any way - she would often brag and boast to annoy others, along with cheating at cards or or openly bumping into others - making them approach and challenge her. Because of her smaller size and constitution, she would use many dirty tricks and moves to be successful - more often than not she would end up unconscious in an alley, but those times where she won were growing - and on very fortuitous occasions, they would lead to a steamy after-battle celebration with one of the other patrons.
It drowned out her inner doubts, for a while at least. But they pushed at the reaches of her mind, and she slowly craved more and harder fights - by the time she got through Abbhen to Pirate’s Port, she was in need of a real fight to the death - and a local gang could oblige. They needed an enforcer - a brute. Someone to stand by and look intimidating, while they shook down a citizen or two for money. They handed her the scariest-looking weapon they could find, and she immediately joined them. They were mostly mercenaries with less of a moral code - while she didn’t like killing people, she never drew the final breath herself, and what she really loved was the sensation of winning a fight for her life at the hands of someone she was just better than. She loved winning.
Their machinations didn’t last long, however - being such a small gang of mercenaries, they would invariably run up against a challenge that was too much for them, and they ran against it hard. Tracking another gang of more notorious criminals, they were ambushed in the woods - a deadly crossfire rained down upon them as Henri’s gang scrambled for cover, and it was only her distance from them and liberal use of her ranged weapon that Henri managed to get out of it alive. By the end of the fight, there were over 20 corpses on the ground, and Henri was hit again with every doubt that her parents had given her with the force of a bullet.
This isn’t what she wanted. She just wanted fun and games and… if she killed people they would be bad people and the good guys would win and…
She left in disgrace, nursing her damaged ego and personality heavily as she drank her way back through Abbhen. Slowly, she regained her composure, and her love for the fight returned. But buried deep down, she could see it - the dead bodies, and her own, bloody hands. She wouldn’t just be a fighter, she’d be smart about it. That’s what they’d never expect. She’d become the best at it, the best at fighting and shooting, and winning. She wouldn’t lose. The world couldn’t let her - it was her destiny, and the thing that would keep her happy for the rest of her naturally long life. She knew it.
It was a night much like most others. Alaina had just finished another successful bout and she was looking for a good stiff drink outside the Guild. Fortunately, she knew just the place. As soon as she entered the establishment, a cheer roared from some of the other patrons. Immediately, one of the servers brought her an ale. Downing it in one go, Alaina smashed the clay mug on the floor with gusto, prompting another cheer from the crowd. She loved that sound, people cheering for her was as precious to her as her Adoptive Father's love.
"So, who's up for a contest?!" The Wolf asked loudly.
A largish man stood up, "I got a contest for you pretty," He said making a motion to his manhood. "Right here."
The Iron Wolf smiled as she approached the man, several snickers arose from some of the other patrons as she did, they knew what was about to happen. Stepping right up to the man, Alaina looked him right in the eye, "Brother, you couldn't handle...." Taking a couple of steps back, "...this." She gestured all of herself.
Drunkenly, the man reached out for her. Alaina caught his wrist, twisted, and knocked a led out from under him at the same time, sending him crashing into his table. Several laughed uncontrollably as the Ring Fighter made her way to the bar. Getting about halfway there, another table became a pile of kindling. Turning around, she could see some Elf woman bashing a chair over some goon's head. With a smile, Alaina grabbed an ale and started drinking.
Clearly, this Elf knew how to fight, but there wasn't any way she could handle more than what she was facing. Which was about to happen as two more stood up and started walking that way. Finishing her drink, Alaina called out, "Hey, drip and dip, let's keep it fair."
As the two men turned, the Iron Wolf threw her cup and smashed one in the face as she rushed and tackled the other. The entire room erupted into a full out brawl. After the fight, Alaina's adrenaline was racing and there was only one thing to quench it. Looking around, she searched for a.........companion for the night.
This place was nice. Henri could feel the electricity, the sweat and blood pumping in the air, and she knew that it would be a good day. She had chosen this place at random, and it seemed like the chaotic choice was a successful one. Scanning the room, she immediately located a mark - a couple goons, talking to each other, with some ale down but not a ton. They seemed like they would be receptive to a nice game. She rolled the loaded dice around in her pocket. She hadn't gotten a chance to use them yet, and didn't know if they would work. 'No time like the present.'"Oy! Barmaid! Ale for me! And these fine men over here..."
Henri shrugged and gave a large smirk to the muscled man sitting across from her. "The dice fall where they may, my friend! Looks like you're holding on to some of my money." The man growled, and peered down at the two small, metallic dic.
"They're loaded. They've gotta be. No way you could roll 7 that many times." The elf raised her hands, smug grin still plastered across her face.
"You gonna pay up or am I gonna have to beat it out of you?" She stood from her chair, pushing it back and leaning forward.
"You're gonna have to get-"whap! Henri's fist connected with the gambler's face, and as he was reeling, she grabbed the chair out from behind her and slammed him downward onto the table, sending splinters flying across the room. He groaned, regaining his footing.
"Huh, usually that knocks 'em out on the first try." She cracked her knuckles and picked up her mug, still partially full, and weighed it in her hand, gently popping it up and down.
"M... My boys are gonna..." Suddenly, there was shouting from behind, and she turned just in time to see a mug strike another thug in his face, delivered by a muscular woman. As the room erupted in chaos, Henri let out a joyous laugh, lost amongst the sounds of punches and wood breaking.
After the fight, sporting a few fresh bruises and a silly grin, Henri was still completely wired. Today was a good day. But there was one way it could get better...
And here I thought I should be entertaining you guys until Saturday =D
@Isthill: Beautifully written, as ever! Thanks very much for sharing. Hlynn's story is still somewhat more brutal than Abbhen is on average, but, these things do happen. Not every town and village needs to be representative.
By the way, Hlynn's story inspired me to add statistics on crime and abuses of power to the Abbhen primer (and also for Altiendel). Relatedly, bar fights were included.
I think Henri and Alaina may be responsible in part for increasing the fight and murder rate. (Be careful not to get caught - they do have city guards in Abbhen, you know, and they're not incompetent.)
@Alaina: Well, I do think it's generally a good idea for characters in the party to have some history together if possible. So, there's one possible way (with consent, of course).
Two questions:... who is paying for all this broken furniture? How come they let Alaina keep drinking there if this happens? And it seems she loves the crowds, so I'm thinking this would be some time before she leaves. (I guess that's three questions.)
Ooh, more good info c: I can still definitely tone down the stuff from Hlynn in future, I just really wanted to try and portray a character who was constantly kicked while she was down. And presumably the bar fights aren't always an everyday thing, and a full-on brawl is a rare treat for Henri. As for who pays for stuff/death, Henri is pretty careful not to straight-up kill anybody. Not that it makes the fighting any less illegal but still. Also not to answer for anyone else, but Henri is happy to pay for anything that gets broken, it's a small price to pay and she probably doesn't spend much elsewhere early on. Hireling/mercenary rates are generally about 3 gold a day for low level people like Henri, and cups only cost a couple copper (I couldn't find any listed price for chairs or tables but I can't imagine them being more than a couple gold).
I doubt that I would be able to keep up with this PBP, but nevertheless here lies a dot. I adore Pedro the Dwarf, rock on with the inclusion of POC and LGBTQetc characters in the campaign world, I love it.
Dot. I'm going to think about this a bit more before committing. I'm loving the setup! But want to make sure I can do it the justice it deserves first and foremost.
1) Alaina'll pay for most of it most of the time. Like I said, she doesn't always go looking for trouble. In addition to her savings, (the 3000 GP) she does set aside some of the extra she makes in winning fights for such cases. Do keep in mind the patrons do not know she's the Iron Wolf, although I'm sure there are a couple that might suspect. She's just a regular who happens to liven things up on most nights. As for the City Watch, Alaina knows a few that patrol the area, and the Owner of this particular establishment always sticks up for her when it's self defense. Can't say the same for other places though.
2) Not all of her contest end up in a brawl. Most end up being a drinking contest, arm wrestling, or the like.
3) Yes, this is before her bout with the Diamond Scorpion. I figure this is during Henri's first trip through Abbhen before reaching Pirate's Port.
@ Henri - I think we should it open as is. And if we meet later, decide how the night ended at that point.
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule?
I can easily post daily if not more than once daily
When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
I can post pretty much anytime of the day, I am in CST Canada
Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
I cannot for see any errors but things happen, I am ok with GM bot-ing
Do you have experience with PbP?
I am currently involved with a PbP on the forums here right now and in email with some RL friends
How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
I have played table top RPGs for over 12 years not, I enjoy them because they follow a less strict regime than video games and can be more inventive.
Why do you want to play in this game?
This world seems very interesting, I like the limit on magic because it allows other classes to shine, plus it allows casters to feel more rare and special
Why would you be a good fit in this game?
I offer a fun play style and feel that games are best when story driven over just being combat driven.
1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party.
(Details and crunch are not required - I’m much more interested in choices your character would make, not choices you’d make for stats.)
I picked the Cavalier because they are a class I have never really built or played before, I like the idea of mounted combat because it is different than standard combat. I built him to be all around not overly powerful but able to engage in all aspects of the game if needed. I plan to be a lone Patrol man because the area is severely lacking in man power, I offer protection to caravans coming and going to the town.
Dannieal:
Dannieal Vealeric
Human cavalier 3 ( Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 32)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +7
—————
Defense
—————
AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+8 armor)
hp 29 (3d10+9)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2
—————
Offense
—————
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee battleaxe +6 (1d8+3/×3) or
mwk lance +7 (1d8+4/×3)
Ranged throwing axe +4 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks cavalier's charge, challenge 1/day (+3 damage, +0 AC while between target and ward),
tactician 1/day (Shake It Off, 4 rds)
—————
Statistics
—————
Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 17
Feats Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack, Shake It Off UC, Spirited Charge
Traits historian (human - garundi), reactionary
Skills Acrobatics -5 (-9 to jump), Climb +5, Diplomacy +7, Handle Animal +7, Knowledge (geography) +5
(+7 on checks related to selected terrain), Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (local) +2, Knowledge
(nature) +2, Perception +7 (+9 in selected terrain), Profession (herbalist) +7, Ride +1, Sense Motive +6,
Stealth -5 (-3 in selected terrain), Survival +3 (+5 in selected terrain), Swim +1
Languages Common, Elven
SQ mount (horse named Herbur), order of the guard, prepared for the journey
Combat Gear oil of magic vestment +1 , potion of cure light wounds (5), acid, acid neutralizer, alchemist's
fire (2), smokestick (3), thunderstone; Other Gear mwk agile half-plate APG, heavy wooden shield,
battleaxe, mwk lance, throwing axe, traveler's any-tool UE, bear trap APG, bedroll, belt pouch, camouflage
nettingUE, chewing stick, comb (0.2 lb), flint and steel, folding shovel UE, hairbrush (0.3 lb), masterwork
backpackAPG, mess kit UE, mirror, nail file (0.1 lb), pot, scissors (0.3 lb), silk rope (50 ft.), soap, soap,
sponge, sun cinder, sunrod (5), tooth powder (0.1 lb), trail rations (5), waterskin, winter blanket, 49 gp, 6
sp
—————
Special Abilities
—————
Animal Companion Link (Ex) Handle or push Animal Companion faster, +4 to checks vs. them.
Cavalier's Charge (Ex) Mounted charge grants +4 to hit and -0 AC rather than +2/-2.
Guard's Challenge +3 (1/day) (Ex) +3 to damage target, -2 AC vs. others when used, +0 morale bonus
to AC as long as you are between your ward and target.
Mount (Ex) Gain the services of a special animal companion.
Mounted Combat (1/round) Once per round you can attempt to negate a hit to your mount in combat.
Prepared for the Journey +2 (Favored Terrain [Cold]) Bonus to Initiative, Know (geo), Percep, Stealth,
and Survival in selected terrain.
Ride-By Attack You can move - attack - move when charging mounted.
Shake It Off Gain +1 to all saving throws per adjacent ally
Spirited Charge Double damage when making a mounted charge (triple with a lance).
p1
Tactician (Shake It Off, 4 rds, 1/day) (Ex) Grant the use of your teamwork feats to all allies in 30 ft.
@Isthill @Fallen_Mage: Fair enough, that sounds good. (Yes, you are right about the price of tables and chairs Isthill.)
Also @Henri @Alaina: =D
@GypsyMischief @Ren Ashbell: Thanks very much and welcome!
@Raltus: Welcome to you as well.
Here is an updated summary of apps:
Fallen Mage (Alaina)
Hawksw0rd (Xizoh Shadelock)
Ammon (Tristan)
Isthill (Hlynn, Henri)
eMagdAeH(Amathelah, Cel)
Yokaiboy(Keila Free)
Raltus (Dannieal)
Status report from my end: this weekend has been very productive for me - I've written up all the stats for NPCs the party is likely to meet, and sketched out the scenario to the point that I think I can easily deal with what the party decides to do.
Later this week I'll be writing up the intro text (there will be a few long-ish cut scenes as the party arrives and gets oriented with some NPCs).
Speed will probably be more useful in this game than the norm, which isn't to say a dwarf couldn't work (it's certainly world consistent) but it's worth considering.
Occultist is fair game, and the only thing to watch about skald is the ban on item creation feats.
btw I do like to draw stuff sometimes, especially when I get excited about it >_>. I'm very bad but I like doodling while I'm waiting on other stuff, so yeah, here's what obviously happened the next day.
I love this!! What a nice surprise to end a Monday. Thanks Isthill!
To keep up some momentum until this weekend I've been hoping to post some blurbs on other parts of the world, or perhaps some shorts set in the southern continent. That won't happen today, but potentially later this week.
Hi all, here's some filler to help make it through the week. Happy Wednesday!
Far to the north of the the southern continent lies Kairulba, land of enchantment. The Rulbian sea and Kaira river pervade the low-lying land, forming swamps and flood plains in between dense forests. Hardy wooden dwellings are built up on wooden stilts and packed silt to protect them from turbulent storms.
The sun soaks the hazy air during the day, leading most to seek shade in the peak of the heat. Giant oak trees sweep the ground; branches dangling moss that billows lazily in the breeze. At night the warm air feels soft, silky, and charged with magic. Delicate dancing lights flit playfully over the water and through the trees.
Along the coast in a bay far from the river, the graceful trees become sharply twisted and the water turns murky. The land is wrapped in a thick fog that chills despite the heat. The way is lit only by the chaotic flickering of warped metal lanterns. This is the domain of Ak'saih, the bloodhex witch. Travelers beware: his halls are lined with the skulls of trespassers.
Quick update from me: Intro text is coming along. Maps are up next.
Nearly there to the end of the week! I'm getting very excited.
Here is an outline of how I'll be making decisions, if you're interested. My goals are the same (to build a party invested in a good story who will work and play well together), and here is a prioritized list of what I'll be considering:
First: the apps players have submitted in this thread.
Second: other posts; including this thread, the interest check thread, and other threads on the forums.
Lastly: any other interactions I may have had with players (i.e. private messages).
For 'invested in a good story', I'm looking for signs of strong interest in this game and this world, as well as a history of commitment/responsiveness.
For 'would work and play well together', I'm looking for creativity, flexibility, compatible writing/play style, as well as respect and camaraderie toward other players.
I intend to choose some experienced PbP players and some who are fairly new to the forums.
Apps are still welcome through the end of tomorrow (Friday), let's say by midnight Eastern time, EDT.
Knowing my schedule of late, you'll likely see a decision by the time you wake up on Saturday.
What PbP post rate best fits your interests and schedule? When are you most likely to be posting (including time zone)?
Daily at least. I can definitely post around 11am EST or after 8pm EST, and may be able to do so in between, depending on the day.
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Do you expect to have any periods when posting is impossible? (And if so, how do you feel about the GM bot-ing your character?)
Not for the next month or so - there may be some days after that where I have either a family commitment or am traveling, and will let people know accoringly. The GM can bot my character during those times (and make all of my saving throws).
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Do you have experience with PbP?
Nope! I'm excited to be doing one however, as I haven't gotten nearly as much playing in as I would like recently.
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How experienced are you with RPGs and what do you most enjoy about them?
I have been playing DnD and now pathfinder for going on 15 years now, off and on, both playing as characters and GMing. I enjoy vivid characters, fantastic situations, and discovery. I also enjoy making and playing mechanically effective characters, though I do not dump stats as I do not enjoy roleplaying those aspects.
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Why do you want to play in this game?
The world building is very compelling! In particular the tensions between the two nations and the border region that we will be adventuring in seems ripe for excellent storytelling.
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Why would you be a good fit in this game?
I am pretty easy going, enjoy a good story, and am willing to change my character to make the party work well. I am a good writer, and think I can contribute quite a bit to roleplaying via PbP.
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1-2 character ideas including race, class, country of origin, a short background summary, and personality. Essentially a sense of how they’d fit into and interact with the party.
(Details and crunch are not required - I’m much more interested in choices your character would make, not choices you’d make for stats.)
Dulae Toema, Half-Elf Inquisitor of Altien (not quite as detailed as some of the others, but I think enough to go on. Stats to be added to this Alias):
Spoiler:
Dulae was orphaned at a young age. The only memories she has of her parents occur during her darkest dreams; snatches of shadowy figures, blood, and magic, which were quickly forgotten during the light of day. Dulae lived in an orphanage run by the church in the Shining city, and while clothing and food were adequate, there was never quite enough to go around. Like all children in the city, she attended classes to learn of Altien’s greatness and how to live as a citizen. This time of her life imbued Dulae with a lifelong scorn for entitled nobles; the casual cruelty that the noble children heaped on her for her status as an orphan, and the adoration that they received from the other students and the instructors, stoked a fire in her to prove herself better. This fire could very well have turned into bitter hatred if not for the teaching of Altien. She attended services at the Shining Temple whenever she could; the feeling when the priests invoked blessings on the crowds was... sublime. Like a warm tide rising from her heart and suffusing her whole body, bringing peace. It did not erase the anger she felt, but it somehow purified it, stopping it from festering into something ugly. As Dulae grew older and began to recognize how deeply she felt about her faith, she resolved to join the military and become a Paladin.
As soon as she was of age Duale enlisted into the military. She hoped to put behind her the cruelties of children, only to learn that the lessons of childhood ran deep. The names and faces were different, but the condescending scorn of the nasty few was the same. Some of those who had held every advantage, tutors and training from a young age, plentiful food, the best of clothes and equipment, could not bear to see Dulae outdo them, which she did with a passion. During this time she revealed herself to have not just exceptional strength of body, but also an ability in divine magic and a disciplined mind. Her path forward was shattered however when she learned that she could not become a Paladin; despite having the gift of magic from Altien, she had not been offered the Call from her goddess. She was approached the very next day however by a man wearing an officer’s uniform, but with no rank showing. His name was Kieran; he told her that she had a rare type of gift from Altien, one that was shared by a special corps of the military, and one that would see her leaving the general training track at the end of the year. She threw herself back into her training with renewed purpose, and it was lucky she did; only a week before her time to leave she was ambushed by the same cadre of nobles that she was now outdoing, and she was nearly killed in the ensuing fight. Dulae never learned what happened to those who attacked her, as Kieran appeared the next day to remove her. Her new training was much different from before; the sole focus of her superior, she studied the art of working independently, rather than in an army.
Dulae Toema, now retired from her military career, is in many ways the same person she has been since her time as an orphan on the streets of the shining city: a devout follower of Altien who can’t seem to be meek enough to satisfy those who demand she stay in her place.
Why hello there Thaago, thanks for joining us ;)
(Giving Thaago a hard time is a sign of affection.)
Very nice! I really like that she badly wanted to become a paladin and ended up finding another path.
A couple questions:
1) Why did she retire? (Going by the avatar she seems to be only in her 30s or 40s)
2) What is her goal in adventuring?
3) Going back to the full-grown nobles who ambushed her: what is their motivation to physically attack someone out of spite? Why take that risk - they are not above the law here. (Also, it doesn't seem to add to much to her story/development given that she was leaving anyway. Seems she'd already accrued plenty of distaste for nobles from encounters in her youth if you want to run with that.)
Related comment: I didn't have in mind that classism is *that* bad in the Shining City. Sure, I'd imagine rich kids bullying or refusing to play with orphans, but seething hatred as adults for someone poor succeeding? That kind of malice takes a lot of energy. They already have bright futures ahead of them; it's not worth it. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if she befriended a select few talented people of means during training. (That doesn't mean she needs to give up her own bias though.)
EDIT: If this does happen when they're kids, then, well, yeah. I can see that. Not fully developed reasoning skills and all that. If that's the case, then ignore me, but you'll have to push back when she finds out she won't be a paladin (the ceremony happens when they're 18).
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And also an updated roster:
Thaago (Dulae Toema) = committed player
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Fallen Mage (Alaina)
Hawksw0rd (Xizoh Shadelock)
Ammon (Tristan)
Isthill (Hlynn, Henri)
eMagdAeH(Amathelah, Cel)
Yokaiboy(Keila Free)
Raltus (Dannieal)
Also, when I read "she was ambushed by the same cadre of nobles that she was now outdoing, and she was nearly killed in the ensuing fight", I figured they were cold-blooded out to murder her in a back alley somewhere. But if they meant to just intimidate her and things got out of hand, that's a little less of an anomaly in the inter-military crime statistics.
@All: By the way, I also added attitudes on gender and sexual orientation to the primers for both countries when I did the statistics on crime and abuses of power.
Heads up for when you encounter NPCs and finalize backstory: these two countries are less sexist with less gender-based violence than our world (or at least the US of A).
And as an alternate or for future cameos:
Ammon (Tristan)
Players, please join me in the discussion thread for character making/tweaking.
A huge thank you to everyone who applied for taking the time. There’s clearly an abundance of wonderful players here.
If you weren’t one of the four, I have high hopes our paths will cross again in another game. If you'd like a more detailed explanation from me, please ping me a PM.
If you’d like to use the setting material in your own private game, go for it.
If you’re interested in how this story turns out, I hope you will keep watching and join us on the discussion thread. You are welcome here!
