Hey gang!
I wanted to get the discussion thread up, so people could start chatting and bouncing ideas off of each other for character creation. I will repost the creation outline again later tonight, in case you need it again.
That is a fine and fancy skelly you got there. All blinged out, brother.
A Horseman of the Apocalypse needs to look fabulous while destroying worlds!
I'm reminded of Captain Barbossa and his love for really big hats.
Anyhoo. I'll be playing a Keleshite wizard, going with the elemental focus whatsit rather than traditional specialization. So, favored spells fire, opposed spells water, etc.
Cue all sorts of puns about being hot-headed, having a fiery temper, and so forth and so forht.
Fabric rips between sight, mind, and screen as Amiamble enters the thread through explosions of light and ripped fabric.
"I summon myself from the aether and into this thread! Let the circuits tremble and the pixels quake at my coming!"
Amiamble dusts himself off from the bits of alternate reality and unformed chaos from his naked body. He then slices through he silver cord attached at the waist.
"Legacy of Fire, eh? I shall ponder the depths of my black soul and darkest intents for a character worthy of this group."
Ami draws a large stone from the aether and places it near him. Ami dusts off the rock, has a sit, and begins to ponder. His chin rests upon this clenched fist and that upon a bowed elbow upon knee.
Doomy doomerson mcDoom-dooms?
Gentleman and ladies, may I introduce Aldebert Piddlespot a merchant turned adventurer. He's a short tempered halfling who adores his brother Amiamble. He had a somewhat successful mercantile business importing items out of Solku until it had a little setback - Gnolls. He and his brother escaped with their lives and were going to meet with Haleen until she disappeared.
Aldebert is wearing Scale Armor (I think) and is clearly uncomfortable in the heat. He bears a Cold Iron Guisarme and a nicely inscribed wooden holy symbol to Abadar.
I look forward to playing with you all! :)
Haha, this'll be great! Two teams of brothers. :P
Nice to meetcha, Aldebert. Gnolls appear to be a common element in the backstories for James's character and myself as well... there could be some considerable overlap, actually, given the mercantile thing. I'll have to post what we've got in a bit.
Once Rand sends me his build, I will shoot you both some ideas for the trait.
Also...
I'm a little surprised that no one went with anything too crazy. I really like what I see though. No complaints there! I just expected maybe an advanced race or two instead of two humans and two halflings. :P
Once Rand sends me his build, I will shoot you both some ideas for the trait.
Also...
** spoiler omitted **
Thanks.
Gotcha! Thanks for clarifying. :D
Hi all! Nice to make your acquaintance.
I just had a crazy bit of drama in the past few days, so a bit behind the curve in thinking of a character. Appreciate your patience as I gradually pull my head out of the sand.
Yay! Sorry about the last couple of days. But I'm glad you're still here with us.
No problemo! No rush!
Hey everyone. Sorry for not posting soon, I am on vacation. I have settled on playing Hazim Al-Jabira, the elder of the Al-Jabira brothers.
And here is his occasionally pain-in-the-butt younger brother, Mahdi. Stats comin' soon.
Amiamble shifts on his rock, barely moving his head to nod to both Aldebert and Mahdi (ignoring St. B and Scarecrow as they have no discernible form) a modest gesture of acknowledgement, but it is clear that he is lost in dark thoughts of creation.
On occasion, he simultaneously pull an idea out of his head with his left hand while opening up a rift in the thread's fabric to cast the idea into the pits of null creation.
That concept was unworthy. And Furion is a silly name.
Amiable continues to think.
That's interesting you say that, Amiamble...
In the face! Suck it!
Testing, testing. Here's Hazim Al-Jabira. Character is mostly done, just selecting a drawback (thinking over protective) and then traits, and I'm done.
Amiamble raises his head, still smoking and charred from a recent and *totally* unexpected and random explosion to nod and welcome Hazim.
I hope that one is useful.
Ami conjures a rag from the aether and wipes away the char from his face. He quickly goes back to thinking.
Here's the wall of tl;dr that James (Hazim) and I collaborated on for our characters' backstory:
Their two sons also rode with them, Hazim and Mahdi. Hazim learned from his mother all the tricks merchants might use to disguise everything from a sick camel to a broken vase... as well as how to move quietly in the dunes, or how to throw a knife at twenty paces.
Mahdi, five years younger than his brother, was more indulged by their parents. He had a quick wit and took well to the tallying of profits and loss, but he was only ten years old when the caravan made its last trip.
For all Ziya and Ahmad's experience, sometimes the desert is a foe that cannot be outsmarted, and its dangers are many-- including the rapacious gnoll slavers that roam the highlands and occasionally dare to attack choice prizes moving across the desert.
One such pack of gnolls descended on the Al-Jabira caravan in the night. A gnoll spear took Ziya as she stood the night watch, and her dying scream roused her husband, the boys, and the rest of the guards, but it was too little, too late: the caravan was overwhelmed.
Ahmad was cut down as he attempted to shield his children with is life, and though Hazim tried to fight, he was still a youth, and no match for gnoll raiders. Both of the brothers were dragged off from the ruins of the caravan, kicking and screaming.
The gnolls marched them through the night back towards the hills. As dawn approached, the gnolls claimed a small sandstone cave as shelter from Katapesh's burning sunlight, shoving the loot they had taken-- both the brothers, and the material goods-- into the hole and climbing in after them.
But Hazim had learned many things from his mother, and one of those lessons had been how to twist free of ropes around the wrists. While the gnolls slept, Hazim freed himself and his brother. They crept back out of the cave and fled, braving the lethal heat of Katapeshi day as they followed the gnoll tracks back towards the caravan.
Somehow-- using every trick of the desert their parents had taught them-- both brothers survived the trek. A troop of Katapeshi guardsmen, investigating the smoke rising from the torched caravan, found the brothers taking shelter in the wreckage. They were brought back to Katapesh, where the captain of the guard suggested to Hazim that the brothers place themselves in the care of one of the orphanages of Abadar.
Hazim refused. He had saved his brother and himself from gnoll slavers; he would take care of them both now. He vowed to provide for Mahdi however he had to.
Ten years later, Hazim has stuck by his youthful promise, even when the road has led him into the crime-ridden pits of Katapesh, the twisting corridors of the Nightstalls and other dens of iniquity. While he has bloodied his hands with theft and darker deeds, Hazim has tried to shield Mahdi from the realities of life. Much of the money that Hazim has made has gone into seeing that his brother had a good education-- first in his letters and figures, but as Mahdi has grown older, in magic as well.
Madhi has studied at several of the schools of the arcane in Katapesh. He shows promise, but like many young wizards, he has an over-inflated sense of his own power. He is proud and hot-tempered, quick to imagine offense from his fellow pupils, and quick to boast of efreet blood in his past, which may or may not even be true.
He loves his older brother but also considers him over-protective and has reached the age where he perceives Hazim's guidance as interfering and bossy. He also has little idea of how much his education has cost, and takes Hazim for granted in some respects.
That said, the two of them always have each other's backs. Ten years of being the only ally the other could depend on has made them into a solid team, indisputably loyal to each other, presenting a unified face to the world however they may bicker in private.
Also, Mahdi's stats are now in his profile.
Nice background! Those damn Gnolls - always getting in the way of success and an easy life.
Thanks! And yes, gnolls are a clear threat to the way of life of our entire party. LET'S LIGHT THEM ON FIRE!
Character is done, sent to DM, and posted in my profile for those just in case moments. Hazim al'Jabira is ready.
*brofist* *of brothers*
I am almost done, with some skills, abilities, spells and back story still do complete. I present to you:
Malkia Zedek. Daughter of Arshea, mother of the clan
*Mahdi bows to Malkia.*
Lady, an honor to have you with us. I am pleased to have the gods on our side as well.
I rarely meet one who worships the so-called Empyreal Lords. Please, tell me more of... Arshea.
Amiamble lifts his head to nod at Malkia as well, but returns to his furious thinking, mixing ideas and concepts in strange combinations...no recipe too dark, nor any taboo honored.
A half-undead who worships at the celestial bodies? No that is an awful concept...that should be banned from all thought.
Ami puts his head back down on his fist, a picturesque state of maniacal creation.
The tall, dark complected woman smiles as Mahdi bows. "Arshea teaches simple, practical truths. People love freedom, but need each other too. Give your enemy mercy, but don't hesitate to protect your own life, because people rely on you. There's beauty and good in almost everything, even the jackal men. Look for it and make it grow. If it won't grow, then let it go. Above all, let men and women choose their path. No one should own another's fate."
She gets a bit of a frustrated look on her face. Dammit girl, watch where you say that. There'll be slavers guiding you there. Don't scare them if you don't need to.
And don't tell them about the Star Oasis. It's too early.
Mahdi has a seat, cross-legged, on one of the tasseled cushions, gesturing with a hand for Malkia to do the same if she will. He briefly eyes the hunched, thinking figure nearby before returning his attention to Malkia.
"It seems a sensible enough set of beliefs. Few could find anything to take offense to, there, could they? Be merciful-- within reason. Be free-- within reason. Be charitable-- within reason."
Mahdi enjoys arguing for argument's sake; his tone is lightly teasing. "A thoroughly reasonable goddess. So no holy wars or persecution?"
Malkia looks intently at Mahdi, taking his love of debate for sincerity. "What use is there in those things? Faith is for the greater, common good. Holy war and persecution are the stuff of men and gods who do not deserve my devotion. They'll lead us all to ill ends. Vengeance. Retribution. They have no place in the realm of Arshea."
"No use at all, as I reckon them," Mahdi says with a white smile. "This is why I am a student of the arcane, and not the divine. Although like any sensible fellow I do offer prayers to Nethys.
"But Arshea sounds most tolerant. How long have you served her?"
All this talk of gods sparks an interest in Amiamble.
Ami summons a few gods from the Aether...good Gods, evil Gods, animal Gods, demon Gods, and various demigods. He holds them in his hands, staring at them, judging and weighing each. Some he discards, casting some into the Void, others he tears off their heads and tosses them to the ground. A forge god is cracked in twain, his back broken. A pretty arty goddess's head is bitten off and gobbled whole. Soon, the large pantheon of gods is reduced to a small handful.
I don't want those Gods...these I consider.
In his hands are a spattering of Gods: a green peacock, a small sun, a full tankard, a gilded coin, a paragon human, a signed contract, a beastial visage, and a painted whore.
He takes the whore in his hands, looking at her figure and smirking. Still looking for what he seeks, he sets the Gods before him, staring upon them, thinking.
In a burst of furious creation, Amiamble steps off his rock and kicks it into the Aether, it's form unmade in nano seconds.
Drawing his will and form unto him, Ami screams of primal force.
Amiamble wills a brightly colored cloud of mystic change to exist before him, he steps in, but a shadow backlit by the lights of creation.
The shadow morphs and changes, first to giant, then to a titan, then to a mouse, then to a halfling, finally finding form that fits function.
He emerges tentatively, one hairy barefoot then the next, his face clad in a scarf that hides his forehead and from his nose down.
He looks upon the arrayed strangers with trepidation, only to settle upon Aldebert's face and find calm.
His forehead almost seems to pulse with wasted runes or melt skin, but is hidden by white cloth and sunburn.
A strange medium sized savannah cat emerges from the light swirls behind him, taking an aggressively defensive posture behind the halfling, a warning of gnashing teeth. A green cowl hides much of the cat's head, and the sharpness of it's teeth unleashes a deep growl at the assembled menagerie.
"Down, Yeenoghu. I'm sure these are friends. If they huddle with Aldebert, they must be." Ame stroked the cat's strange features with his hand, trying to calm the beast but also hide his own uneasiness.
"Are they friendly, Aldebert?"
Excellent. It looks like just about everything has all come together. There's just a few little tidbits of information I need to know before we begin. I am working on the opening posts as we speak.
If everyone could please post your three saves, your perception (with vision type) and spellcraft modifiers (if applicable) in the Race field of your profile... That would be very helpful. I like to use people's base perception modifiers as a passive perception, so I don't have to make you roll all the time. Same for Spellcraft checks.
Mahdi currently has no dagger. :P Primarily he will use his quarterstaff if forced into melee, I suppose, unless I change my mind. Although I should probably buy a dagger for him. Everyone needs to cut up their dinner meat sometime...
"Are they friendly, Aldebert?"
"Quite friendly my brother. These two here, they are brothers as well - and they too have recently been beset by the scourge of Gnolls. A holy POX upon them! What we need is a good war to go and wipe those beasts off the face of Katapesh!" He calms down a little as his quickly reddening face pales a bit and he continues, "...and here we have a lady among us - so behave yourself and mind your manners."
Aldebert makes introductions.
Question for each of you that I didn't think of asking before, in case you're not terribly familiar with the region of Katapesh.
How would your characters feel about:
1. Pesh
2. Slavery
While they won't play big, prominent roles in the AP, both of these things happen to be two of the largest industries in Katapesh. Many people make their livings via either market, and not all dealers of drugs or slaves are "evil-aligned" (though they probably aren't necessarily "good" either.) But, if you have lived in Katapesh (the city or country) most or all of your life, you would certainly have an opinion on these matters.
There's a good article on pesh in one of the Curse of the Crimson Throne AP books, if you want to read more about it.
GM Sloth - I sent you a PM with my characters views.
I'd also appreciate it if others would at least 'spoiler' their views. I'd rather discover your character over time and in-character rather than in a sound-byte OOC post. Thanks, and sorry for being twitchy. :)
Hey all. I was just having a conversation with GM Sloth and Aldebert, and wanted to discuss with the broader group:
Although this is a setting where slavery is common and legal, I realize I'm not going to be comfortable playing in a game with PCs who unambiguously favor slavery, own slaves, twirl their waxed mustachio at the prospect of buying them, etc.
Knowing that some players enjoy making a comedy out of things like this (and perhaps might enjoy playing a flamboyantly nasty slaver), I wanted to discuss before jumping into the campaign. I'm not judging folks who enjoy that, but I don't think I'll enjoy dealing with it over the course of a long campaign.
Aldebert and I talked, and it sounds like he as a PC will likely have a complex relationship with slavery. This wouldn't necessarily kill my enjoyment of the game. There are some themes that could be maturely explored (e.g., is temporary, indentured-servitude-like slavery different from U.S. chattel slavery? could it ever truly be practiced in a way that's not corrupt?). But for me it's too fraught a topic for PCs to lampoon offhand.
If I understand GM Sloth correctly, he and I agree that even in Golarion slavery as a practice is an 'Evil' act, though Neutral characters may engage and perhaps even Good characters might have a complicated relationship with it.
Anyway, let me know if this is going to crimp on your style. I will likely bow out of this game. If your character is going to explore some of that Neutral gray area around slavery, I may change my character, but in any case you can count on me getting pretty *intense* with some of the roleplay.
Thanks for reading!
Hi again everyone. Josh has reassured me about my concerns. I do think I will be adjusting the character tonight, to go with a bit more light-hearted theme. Looking forward to beginning.
He has probably used pesh at least a few times recreationally, likely in a mild distillation, and since HE experienced no serious addictive urges, he therefore has a bit of unconscious arrogance and little empathy for those who find pesh a much harder habit to kick.
His acceptance of it as a mercantile reality and his own personal experiences have been somewhat at odds, changed by he and his brother's experience at the hands of gnoll slavers while young. He would be definitely opposed to 'slavery' as the gnolls practiced it-- aka, kidnapping people with violence and then selling them as chattel. Mahdi values personal will and individuality, so this sort of slavery is distasteful to him both philosophically and personally.
(This distaste does not mean he's going to go trying to free every slave he runs across; economic and legal realities remain economic and legal realities. Mahdi would not try and incite a slave revolt if it meant he was going to wind up imprisoned himself, for instance, nor would he bankrupt himself trying to buy up slaves.)
However, as Bernie points out, chattel-slavery is not the only type of slavery in existence in Golarion and in Katapesh. Selling one's self to alleviate a debt, or entering into indentured service for a set period of years, are also common forms of slavery. Mahdi likely finds these less offensive than the idea that someone could literally be forced into slavery-- he no doubt still thinks they are distasteful situations to find yourself in, but he would acknowledge there's a big difference between racking up enough debts that your own freedom is forfeit, and being snatched off the street and thrown into irons.
On the whole, Mahdi regards slavery somewhat negatively, but also does not think it is the sort of thing that can be eradicated just because he finds it distasteful. It's maybe like pollution would be to most modern people-- we know it's bad, but it's there in our atmosphere; we can take steps to recycle and to reduce our personal waste, but very few of us are willing to go picket outside a mass polluter's factory. "It's A Shame, and Somebody Else's Problem."
Bernie, thanks for stating your concerns. I appreciate you are willing to lay that sort of stuff down before we start! It's good to be among adults.
The shepherd drives a small flock of sheep into the market square. His eyes alight on the brothers al-Jabira. "I recognize you. You're... You know Haleen, do you not? I hoped to see her and ask her of her travels." He looks young, attractive under his light stubble and trail grime. His breath smells sweet like sheep's milk. "They call me Malki."
Malki finds them both distasteful, but is not fervent about starting a drug war or drive for abolition.
He would have a harder view of chattal slavery, or abuse of those who have forever reason been forced into slavery on a temporary or long-term basis (especially if they're slaves due to crimes of poverty).
2,000 words, and still going!
*gulp!*
The gameplay thread will (finally) be opened either tonight or tomorrow afternoon by the latest. Woot!
Wow. It does seem like it's taking a long time, but it's my fault for expecting a fast Sloth, huh? ;)
Looking forward to it.
Well, considering someone only just got their character to me on SUNDAY. After they revised it 500 times...
500 times? Geez, I feel much better now for only revising once...
Paizo really needs to step up its creation of non-white messageboard avatars. Finding an Arabic shepherd boy should not be this difficult... Kyra, you'll have to do for now...
500 times? Geez, I feel much better now for only revising once...
Paizo really needs to step up its creation of non-white messageboard avatars. Finding an Arabic shepherd boy should not be this difficult... Kyra, you'll have to do for now...
Agreed. There were very few Arabic/Middle Eastern options when I looked through-- I think I was lucky to snag Mahdi's face before anyone else could. ;)
Aaaaaaand we're live! :D