Alright. Sorry for the delay but Paizo ate my post yesterday. I have Mia's page up and a rough background that can be expanded or changed as necessary.
http://paizo.com/people/MiaVanderholt/profile
Bah the oracle is also human and we do not know what our 5th will be. Human is good.
@Nyzaj: Any luck? It seems like we won't be making my deadline regardless, but if you're having trouble finding anyone, I think we ought to try Lukas' contacts.
Alright. Sorry for the delay but Paizo ate my post yesterday. I have Mia's page up and a rough background that can be expanded or changed as necessary.
Looks like a good start! She seems to have a clear motivation, but you might want to expand a bit on her personality outside of her role as a healer. What kind of a person is she?
Also, have you picked traits yet? I can't see them anywhere on your sheet.
I still need to work out and type up the crunchy bits but a description and a backstory are up.
I directed folks toward the discussion thread, and don't seem to have gotten any bites yet. Feel free to reach out to whoever you like - you don't have to wait on my account!
After work I will try a few people.
I've got some good ideas. I'll send some invites out.
And... done! We'll see if anybody answers. They were all part of a fantastic team of players I gamed with a few years back and it would be a blast to have any of them jump in.
Just heard that one of my old friends is going to submit a character tomorrow, so good news!
No I hadn't done traits yet and I'll have those up in a few. As for the rest of her personality.
Since her injury she's lived a relatively sheltered life of the cleric and has spent a great amount of time reading. This reading has led her to a very romanticized view of the world, loving especially the tales of the redeemed heroes. She is very willing to give second chances and will often spare those she fights, not usually willing to kill outside of the last defense of her life or someone who's done something truly heinous.
Trait 1. Weapon of Peace
Even though you are a trained combatant, proficient with any number of weapons, you don’t relish killing your enemies. It’s not that you’re afraid of seeing blood, but rather that disabling a foe is superior to killing someone capable of admitting defeat. When using a melee weapon that deals lethal damage to instead deal nonlethal damage, you take only a –2 penalty instead of –4.
Trait 2. Blessed touch
You may have been raised in a devout family, studied the divine in a formal church environment, or even learned how to combine traditional healing techniques with those of divine casters. In so doing, you have focused yourself into being the perfect vessel for your deity. Divine power flows through you like a mountain stream, making your healing touch more potent than that of others. You heal 1 additional point of damage when using lay on hands, channeling energy, or casting a cure spell.
Trait 3. Affable
You have a genial personality and make it a point to befriend and help people wherever you go. In your travels, you stop to aid others, tell interesting stories, and often buy rounds of drinks for patrons at the local taverns. You bring good cheer to those you encounter, and for this reason, you often find yourself attending important events or fruitful gatherings, and have even become an honorary member of many families. People find you trustworthy, and they are willing to share information with you. You gain a +2 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks to gather information, and can do so in half the normal time. In addition, Diplomacy and Knowledge (local) are always class skills for you.
Drawback. Naive
Your perception that everyone is innately good does not bode well in the heat of battle, when less scrupulous foes might take advantage of your misguided optimism. You take a –2 penalty to AC against attacks with improvised weapons and a –2 penalty to CMD against dirty trick combat maneuvers (see the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide).
I do fully plan on playing her as believing in the best in everyone and fully willing to give second chances. Her use of sense motive is used far more in discovering symptoms that her patients find embarrassing. If this drawback is not available for me, it won't change her role play, but I'll drop Affable off of my traits.
Hi everyone! I'm one of the friends of EJC. Working up a character, and it looks like the party composition at the moment is oracle, alchemist, and fighter, is that right?
Do we have a person to deal with traps, or will that be the alchemist's purview?
So the draw back Family Ties is one I would love to alter a little and then take. It would not be a family member but Mia Vanderholt who can ask me to do anything. My reason being that the guilt Nisany feels over maining Mia compels her to try to help the girl out.
Welcome aboard!
And yes I am taking the Trap Breaker archetype so I have the traps covered. The big gap is a straight arcane caster or that wonderful battle field control magical wonder. Oh and the golden Kobold is a brawler who is apparently going to be buffing.
But the GM is cool so play what you want!
Hi everyone! I'm one of the friends of EJC. Working up a character, and it looks like the party composition at the moment is oracle, alchemist, and fighter, is that right?
Do we have a person to deal with traps, or will that be the alchemist's purview?
Yay! *Beams*
So I get one first level druid spell. I have a few thoughts and ask if anyone has an opinion on them.
Nature's path Very useful for travel.
Air Bubble Because drowning sucks though it may never get used.
Entangle This is just a fun combat spell.
Magic Stone Cause limited amounts of bombs
Hi everyone! I'm one of the friends of EJC. Working up a character, and it looks like the party composition at the moment is oracle, alchemist, and fighter, is that right?
Do we have a person to deal with traps, or will that be the alchemist's purview?
Ohai! :D We're at oracle, alchemist, fighter, and brawler going into skald (me) right now. I have some ability with traps, but if you want to be traps guy go for it - I don't have the "magic traps" bit, and I don't mind being backup.
Hi everyone! I'm one of the friends of EJC. Working up a character, and it looks like the party composition at the moment is oracle, alchemist, and fighter, is that right?
Welcome aboard! There is a definite lack of a dedicated arcane caster, but don't feel too constrained by traditional party balance. Filling in is always appreciated, but most importantly, make sure you pick something that you actually want to play.
I think we're pretty much good to go as soon as you're ready, but there's no real rush. After all, I gave the others a week to get ready, so take your time as needed.
I do fully plan on playing her as believing in the best in everyone and fully willing to give second chances. Her use of sense motive is used far more in discovering symptoms that her patients find embarrassing. If this drawback is not available for me, it won't change her role play, but I'll drop Affable off of my traits.
Naive is very unlikely to ever hinder your character, so I would suggest that you pick something else. I'd really have to go out of my way to put you in situations where improvised weapons are a significant threat, not to mention dirty trick maneuvers. Any drawback that straight up gives you a penalty to Sense Motive would be more preferrable, such as Lonely or Oblivious.
I think Sheltered would be quite fitting for Mia as well, what with her having been in seclusion for some time.
So the draw back Family Ties is one I would love to alter a little and then take. It would not be a family member but Mia Vanderholt who can ask me to do anything. My reason being that the guilt Nisany feels over maining Mia compels her to try to help the girl out.
Again, in my experience, Family Ties is not likely to hinder you much. It might work if your characters had wildly different goals and motivations, but it seems pretty unlikely that they'll have a serious disagreements very often. Of course, if you can work such a point of contention into your backstory, I'd be totally fine with it.
Otherwise, you could consider Doubt or Opressive Expectations to symbolise Nisany's guilt and self-doubt (both for causing the accident, and failing to fix the damage).
If I can find a third trait I will take the Doubt one. That could be great fun.
Neirikr I have an odd request for you. Since you do not want or need us focusing on crafting, and I get that, could I trade out the brew potion feat like the Grenadier archetype does? I would love to pick up a bow once I have the coin for it. I hate crossbows but I will need a back up weapon. If not no big deal I have potions and will do that. Alternatively I could craft a bow and then use it.
Nyzaj at second level I can take care of magical traps. That is why I said I have that covered. Though if our new person wants to play a rouge type I have other options I could easily take.
Neirikr I have an odd request for you. Since you do not want or need us focusing on crafting, and I get that, could I trade out the brew potion feat like the Grenadier archetype does? I would love to pick up a bow once I have the coin for it. I hate crossbows but I will need a back up weapon. If not no big deal I have potions and will do that. Alternatively I could craft a bow and then use it.
That is a rather strong way of putting it, but you can switch it out if you want.
I'm sorry I was not meaning to come across so strong. That was not what I intended.
Here is the crunch for the character I've worked up so far. Still finishing the backstory. She's a bit of a megalomaniac. Think Rita from Power Rangers if she were a low-paid mapmaker for a survey team, combined with a heavy dose of obsessive compulsive tics involving gold (i.e. she puts her gold hoard in her bedroll to sleep on). I will finish it up and get it posted in the morning.
If you see anything off with it, please let me know.
I missed the part where you said you'd have it under control, Nisany. Sounds perfect!
I'll switch Naive out for Sheltered.
Apologies for the delay. Bel is updated with the backstory. I will dot in if all looks well and I have the go-ahead.
Other than my header I am ready. Sorry for the delay and for be an ass about the feat!
Here is the crunch for the character I've worked up so far. Still finishing the backstory. She's a bit of a megalomaniac. Think Rita from Power Rangers if she were a low-paid mapmaker for a survey team, combined with a heavy dose of obsessive compulsive tics involving gold (i.e. she puts her gold hoard in her bedroll to sleep on). I will finish it up and get it posted in the morning.
If you see anything off with it, please let me know.
Apologies for the delay. Bel is updated with the backstory. I will dot in if all looks well and I have the go-ahead.
Cool backstory! Very unique. I really like characters with weird obsessions. The only real question I have, I suppose, is whether or not you consider Beldraim's patron to be a personified force, or something a little more abstract. Or in other words, do you want me to use it, or would you prefer to keep it in the background? Either way is fine with me, but I think I could come up with something cool based on the whole primal dragon thing.
Crunchwise, I would ask that you pick a drawback other than Power-Hungry. As fitting as it is fluffwise, it is very unlikely to come up during play. Meticulous would be fitting, but it's kind of rough. Pride or Vain might work as well. As for your skills, it would make sense for a cartographer to have Knowledge (geography), wouldn't it? Did you spend your background skills? Just making sure, since people seem to forget those a lot.
Also, as an aside, I will most likely keep calling you 'Belhaim' by accident, so my apologies in advance. :P
Other than my header I am ready. Sorry for the delay and for be an ass about the feat!
Relax, it'll take far more than that to piss me off. :P
Everything looks to be in order, save for the fact that Firebelly is meant for worshippers of Torag. Again, I recommend using Archives of Nethys for character stuff.
You mean the spell? I have been considering deities. Torag is one if the one she follows. Cayden and Gozrah are the other two. I just apparently forgot to add them. Typing on my phone is hard. Freaking auto-correct
Well, carry on then.
Woohoo getting ready to start! I wait with bated breath. :)
*sharpens his dice*
Cool backstory! Very unique. I really like characters with weird obsessions. The only real question I have, I suppose, is whether or not you consider Beldraim's patron to be a personified force, or something a little more abstract. Or in other words, do you want me to use it, or would you prefer to keep it in the background? Either way is fine with me, but I think I could come up with something cool based on the whole primal dragon thing.Crunchwise, I would ask that you pick a drawback other than Power-Hungry. As fitting as it is fluffwise, it is very unlikely to come up during play. Meticulous would be fitting, but it's kind of rough. Pride or Vain might work as well. As for your skills, it would make sense for a cartographer to have Knowledge (geography), wouldn't it? Did you spend your background skills? Just making sure, since people seem to forget those a lot.
Also, as an aside, I will most likely keep calling you 'Belhaim' by accident, so my apologies in advance. :P
Thanks! Yes you may certainly use the hoard. I think it’ll be cool to have it a part of the story rather than in the background.
I’ve changed the drawback to Pride. As a character with an overdeveloped ego, I think any challenges to her authority would likely cause her to start seeing red and get her blood up so that she misses things and says things she probably shouldn’t. I haven’t really played with background skills so far, so I admit I completely forgot them. Bel should know Knowledge (geography), so to tighten up her build mechanically in relation to her profession and background, I’ve replaced the Pragmatic Activator trait with Scholar of Ruins. I assume a mapmaker for a survey team would have to know about the many dungeons and things left behind by ancient civilizations to create accurate maps, but if anyone knows of a better trait that gets Knowledge (geography) as a class skill relating to mapping regions, I am all ears.
Heh, it must’ve been a subconscious thing when I was naming Beldraim that it’s so close to Belhaim. I plan to just refer to her as Bel most of the time.
Now that that’s cleaned up, I wanted to get down how I see the survey group and everyone’s position within it, just so I’m not clashing assumptions with anyone.
Lukas Neidhart – military attaché and protection
Nyzaj Bandit’s Bane – Local muscle (will meet at or around Belhaim?)
Nisany Blim – Tinkerer, mechanical expertise
Mia Vanderholt – Field medic, diplomatic relations
Beldraim de Codice – Commissioned mapmaker
Lukas Neidhart – military attaché and protection
Nyzaj Bandit’s Bane – Local muscle (will meet at or around Belhaim?)
Nisany Blim – Tinkerer, mechanical expertise
Mia Vanderholt – Field medic, diplomatic relations
Beldraim de Codice – Commissioned mapmaker
This sounds right to me. Lukas would have been assigned to the mission from the get-go in Cassomir, and have proved himself a genial, if laconic escort as they set about their peregrinations.
Just for fun, shall we come up with some encounters they've had along the way? Perhaps we can each come up with one such encounter to help build a little history? Mine would be:
While traveling up the Selen River toward the Isle of Aren, the group found their intended campsite already occupided by a small herd of River Elk. Footsore and tired, Lukas brashly decided to try and spook them off by yelling and banging on his tin cup as he approached, only to find the oldest male rearing its head and snorting as it took quick runs at him.
Much to the amusement of the others who had stayed back, Lukas was only able to avoid a deadly fight by climbing a tree, where he remained trapped for half an hour before the small herd moved upriver and abandoned their site.
It took two days for Lukas to start finding the elk jokes funny.
I mean, I'll definitely try diplomatic relations but being a sheltered individual, you might have to point her to practicality over idealism from time to time.
Now that that’s cleaned up, I wanted to get down how I see the survey group and everyone’s position within it, just so I’m not clashing assumptions with anyone.
Lukas Neidhart – military attaché and protection
Nyzaj Bandit’s Bane – Local muscle (will meet at or around Belhaim?)
Nisany Blim – Tinkerer, mechanical expertise
Mia Vanderholt – Field medic, diplomatic relations
Beldraim de Codice – Commissioned mapmaker
I'll leave the details of everyone's exact roles up to their respective players, but Nyzaj is definitely already with the group. The assumption that I'm going with is that at least a part of you have worked together on some mission in the past, resulting in him joining the party after the scattering of his tribe—or concurrent to it, as it were. He can elucidate further on that, but I do want everyone to arrive at the same time.
Just for fun, shall we come up with some encounters they've had along the way? Perhaps we can each come up with one such encounter to help build a little history?
I absolutely endorse that you keep this going in the gameplay thread, adding something about how the trip was for each character as you introduce them.
For the human members of the party, what are your ethnicities? I just want to make sure, since that might affect how they interact with some of the locals.
Bog standard Taldoran from Cassomir.
Mia's from Andoran so I'm thinking Chelaxian in ethnicity.
Is mischievous or sexy an ethnicity among the Gnomes? Cause I am a mix.
I will post after some sleep and I will need to think on the thing that could have happened during travel. Though there would be a lot of laughing at the big burly man being trapped in a tree.
*pokes the Gameplay thread*
Forgot to mention, but Bel is Taldan.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Fair warning: I'm giving everyone time to get their introductory posts in. After that, I'll start being snappier about moving the action along.
We still need posts from Mia and Nisany.
Terribly sorry. Weekends tend to be rather hectic for me and this one was. Not all of them are, some are even restful. But I do live with a six month old now. I did not want to rush my post so I waited for Monday when I could put more than a few brain cells to the task of typing.
Mia are you cool with us being from Olfden That is a town I am familiar with and they have a copper dragon who frequents the local tavern.
I apologize but I'm not going to get the post till this afternoon. Work was way to long and I need sleep. Once I wake up, I'll read the other posts in the Gameplay and add my own.
I added some quests into the campaign description based on what's going on in the gameplay thread. Some of them are pretty silly, so don't feel beholden to them. They're just suggestions. Also feel free to make up your own directives as you see fit. I'm just throwing them out there for reference, since they're so conveniently laid out it the module.
As an addendum, most of the time it will obvious whether or not something is worth following up on. For example, the trails on both Bophre and the Kells are months old, so there's little sense in actively pursuing either of those. I'll do my best to not lead you on a wild goose chase, but feel free to ask for clarification as needed.
Very tired tonight. Post tomorrow.
Does anyone else feel a foolish determination to explore every corner of Belhaim and accomplish every mission?
Full completion badge?
Let's just say, there was a point in time that I had every single quest achievement World of Warcraft had to offer. :P
It seems to me like we have a consensus on what to do next. Assuming that there are no objections, I will move on with the assumption that you are going see the baroness. As I said earlier, it is already late afternoon, so you probably won't have time to visit both Biton and Lady Origena. Xemne's Tonics is more or less on the way to the manor, though, so let me know if you'd like to stop by.
A visit to the baroness sounds good, and I'm happy to stop by Xemne's if people want to check it out too.
I am good for whatever but Nisany has no coin to donate.
Sorry about the novel I just dumped into the gameplay thread. I had some time to burn. :P
Just FYI, I added a link to another Google Slides presentation where I'm going to be putting up pictures of NPCs. I might do one for monsters as well, so they'll all be in one place and easily accessible.