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LAND, GOLD AND TITLE!
IN THE NAME OF HIS MAJESTY EODRED ARABASTI II AND THE GREAT KINGDOM OF KORVOSA, THE TRADE ROUTE THROUGH THE BLOODSWORN VALE MUST BE OPENED. IF YOU BE OF STOUT HEART AND ABLE BODY, CAPTAIN TOLGRITH NEEDS YOUR HELP. REWARDS APLENTY FOR THOSE WHO HELP TAME THIS WILD LAND. INTERESTED PERSONS SHOULD REPORT TO FORT THORN, INSIDE THE VALE, IMMEDIATELY.
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Greetings! I’m GM Rennai, and I’m preparing to run the Paizo module Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale, a survival- and exploration-themed story that takes place in the Mindspin Mountains, on the border of Varisia and Nirmathas. I’ll be looking for 4-6 level 6 players.
The Bloodsworn Vale was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the Chelish war of expansion, fought between the area’s native Shoanti inhabitants and a detachment of the army of Cheliax led by Field Marshal Jakthion Korvosa. The story is that for every soldier that fell on either side of the conflict, a blood-red rose sprang from the ground to mark the grave. If that’s the case, then reports of the battle’s ferocity and deadliness are certainly not overblown - the Vale is covered in rosebushes so thick that travel has become nearly impossible.
During the Chelish empire’s height, the Vale served as an important trade route, a connection between the heartland of the empire in Cheliax and their more remote holdings in Varisia. Chelish soldiers held the dangerous creatures of the Vale at bay, and laborers painstakingly maintained the road’s navigability - but then the Chelish Civil War threw the empire into disarray, and the pass was forgotten. Now, the once well-worn path has all but disappeared, retaken by time, monsters, and the ever-present roses.
But the Vale is not completely forgotten. King Eodred Arabasti, the aging monarch of the once-Chelish city of Korvosa, has turned his eye to the abandoned path, seeking to reclaim the Vale for his crown and re-open the once-great trade route. To that end, he has dispatched one of his most trusted vassals, Sir Gyrad Tolgrith, a hale and hearty fighter with years of campaigning experience, along with several squads of conscripts. These men and women have met with somewhat limited success over the three months they’ve been working - while they have managed to re-establish an outpost in the area, Fort Thorn, the magnitude of their task is daunting, and they’ve fallen behind schedule. Stories trickle back to Korvosa of workers and caravans being attacked by strange creatures or simply going missing, water supplies mysteriously fouling, and the rosebushes - always the rosebushes.
- Builds will be 20-point buy, sixth level. You will level up once during the module.
- Classes: all Paizo are allowed (although Occult classes will be a learning experience for me). I’ll consider third-party, but I make no guarantees, and I do strongly prefer Paizo material.
- Races: all Core, Featured, and Uncommon races will be considered, although I tend strongly toward the more traditional races.
- Hit points: PFS style (max for the first die, half+1 for the following). Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can roll for all Hit Dice but the first in the recruitment thread (you’ll still get max for the first).
- Traits: two traits, with a drawback allowed to take a third.
- Alignment: I’ll consider any, but much prefer non-evil; do not use alignment as an excuse for being a jerk as a player.
- Starting wealth: 16000 gold. I will not allow pre-game crafting for higher starting character wealth, but there should be time to craft during the module.
- Hook: Your character should have a reason to trek out to the middle of nowhere and work with a team to reclaim a remote piece of wilderness, whether motives are altruistic or selfish. See “About the Vale” for information; if you need more, let me know.
- You should be able to post at least once a day; I will be on and posting on weekends. If you won’t be able to post once a day fairly consistently, leave the opportunity for someone who will be able to. (I am flexible when it comes to weekends depending on the players, and I understand that sometimes life happens and PbP posts drop to bottom priority.)
- If you haven’t posted for 24 hours during combat or if your delay is holding up gameplay in some other way, I’ll GM-bot you to keep things moving. If you’ve not posted for a week without advance warning, I reserve the right to take over your character as an NPC and replace you with a more active player if appropriate. So please, do your best to let me know if you’ll be missing for some time.
- I’ll hold myself to the same expectations for posting frequency as I do you. My posts tend to be late night/early morning American West Coast time, although I check the boards fairly frequently and may be on at other times as well.
- I don’t judge based on grammar, spelling, or writing ability, but I do want evidence of some thought put into your character. If you post nothing but a character sheet, you will not be chosen, and the more I know about your, the deeper I can draw your character into the story.
- Feel free to post character information from your main alias - I don’t expect you to create a separate alias just for recruitment (although you can of course feel free to if you wish).
- When we start play, I’ll want character sheets either in text format or with an easily accessible link on your alias. I have a character sheet template available if you don’t already have a format you prefer.
- I’m glad to take on newer players as well as more experienced players.
- Above all be polite, friendly, and willing to have fun and help tell a good story. There’ll be plenty of fighting, but I’m looking for players who will have fun with the non-combative times as well.
Recruitment will be open until December 18, 2015; if that changes, I’ll give at least 24-48 hours notice. Good luck, and I look forward to meeting everyone!
I'm very interested! I'll try to come up with something interesting if time allows me!
I am interested as well, I'll post when i come up with an idea.
Working on either a monk who travels around dispensing wisdom and helpful advice to create the next generation of heroes.
Or, Oracle or bard haven't decided that wants to conquer the world to eliminate evil. still thinking.
Color me very interested as well.
I'll start working on some sort of outdoors type of PC (hunter, ranger, druid, something like that).
Game on!
Sick.
Dot.
i might try this, but I will not make any promises that I will have an entry done in time as I want to take a bit to feel the inspiration of the character come to me.
Interested. I've got this thought for an alchemist or occult character whose main drive is to investigate the weirdness surrounding the roses. S/he would see this as an opportunity to get paid to investigate a mystery, with acceptable risks. Would that work with what you have planned?
I am considering submitting a gnome pyrokineticist Chelish loyalist early next week, assuming I get time!
I think I'll submit a Hellknight from the Order of the Nail. This seems to be right up their alley.
Here's the crunch on Mairen Roäc, a Holy Guide paladin of Erastil. I think it's a particularly apt combination for this module:
A holy guide believes that it's her sacred calling to clear the roads of bandits between towns as well as to escort travelers to safety. She must enforce the rule of law in the wilderness and help those that cannot defend themselves against the many dangers of the area.
Focus that around a devotion to Old Deadeye:
Erastil is an elder deity, his worship hearkening back to the time when mankind first set about harnessing the wilderness and mastering nature.
I'm envisioning her being guided to this venture by her faith, either directly by omens sent by Erastil, or by simply recognizing it as a holy undertaking.
I'll write up her background soon, but I'm imagining her as a conflicted character; something about her past haunts her, and robs of her any blind certainty she might once have had. She labors now to prove to herself that she's worthy of the powers given to her by Erastil, suffering from doubt even as she manifests his favor on a daily basis.
I would love to try out the Slayer with the vanguard archetype or a cavalier. This module is mostly out doors correct? So few games work for having a mount. I have always wanted to try a Cavalier.
Glad to see so much interest already! I'll definitely be keeping track as ideas start to come together.
@GM Giuseppe, Edward Sobel, The Fox - No rush, I'm planning a couple of weeks for recruitment. Take all the time you need for inspiration to strike. :)
@Ammon Knight of Ragathiel - Either sounds like it could be interesting.
@Fabian Benavente - Definitely a module for nature-y type characters. Any of those would work well.
@Gerald - Sounds intriguing!
@Neirikr - Indeed, Order of the Nail would be fitting.
@Witch's Knight - Yes, that should work out just fine. There's enough rumors floating around that it should pique interest.
@Mairen Roac - Yes, a holy guide paladin of Erastil would be very apt for this story.
@Deaths Adorable Apprentice - Yes, the module is mostly out of doors. I would keep in mind that the overgrown wilderness-y nature of the area may limit mount charging ability some, and some action will be inside, but a mounted character should work reasonably well.
Dotting for interest.
So, just to be sure: are Background Skills in use?
Oh, yes! Sorry, I'd forgotten to mention it in my original post.
Originally, I was going to make an anti-paladin for this game, thinking it would be fun playing something evil for a change. Instead I made James, the Hellknight of the order of the Crux. While the Order of the Crux is mainly extinct, he was recruited by one of the remaining members after that Hellknight witnessed James slay a demon.
Since then, James has been training in the ways of the Hellknight.
Still working on the backstory of him being a solider and the hook of while he would be interested in this game.
Dot
A halfling girl walks in, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, and dressed in a leather skirt and a sheepskin vest.
"How do, all? I'm Anafa Oakleaf, but you lot can call me Annie." She seems to fill more of the room than her small frame would suggest is possible.
"I'm real excited to go on this here adventure. A girl can't just sit around doin' nothin'. For me, sittin’ still is harder’n any kind of work. The gods intended womenfolk to be outside as well as the menfolk, and they don’t know what’n they’re missin’ when they stay’n all cooped up in the house."
Looking around, she asks, "Where's the bar in this town?"
Also, in my home game group, we have reduced the critical hits of firearms to x2 instead of x4, and they feel much more in line with other weapons. So I'm perfectly happy with such a change, if you want. :)
Neirikr here. This is my finished submission: Jetta Stahle, a Hellknight of the Nail.
Her reason for venturing out to the Bloodsworn Vale is obvious. Combatting the forces of savagery is the the creed of her order, and retaking the Vale from the beasts of the wild would be prefectly in line with their interests in the area (both strategically and symbolically). Yet, Lictor Severs DiViri would likely be skeptical of King Eodred's dedication to the operation, assuming it to be one of his latest vanity projects. This would be Jetta's first 'big' mission as a full-fledged Hellknight, to go and see if the attempt is actually worth investing the order's resources on.
Just wanted to congratulate Neirikr on creating a great PC. Jetta is fully realized and very cool. It'll be very interesting to adventure together if we both make the cut. Kudos!
{Ammon Here} Made an Alias for him, Still working on it though .
So after some thinking and contemplation I have Decide to go with this Character for my submission.
He is Abel The Wanderer A Human like Undine, more on his backstory and reason for seclusion will be in the Alias backstory.
Flowing Monk of the Sacred Mountain
He grew in a remote area listening and learning from the Spirits of Nature (at least that's what he calls them) He learned to fight by listening and fights in both a Graceful and strong fashion, switching between being sturdy like the Mountains or graceful Like the Waters.
He wishes to right the wrongs and imbalances of the world in his own way. Has an strong sense of morality understanding where good and evil stand.
Personality wise he is a listener.
He is patient and wise, he seeks to help other overcome personal quandaries by helping them understand other points of view.
Being hopeful and relatively at peace, he doesn't start fights but when started he will fight back. Even when scared he tries not to show fear and acts as an example for others to follow.
He does whats right not for a reward, but because he believes that is how people should act.
As for why he would be here, to him this would not be a simple place in the wilds, it is nature, he see's it as his home. As such He believes he should right any wrongs or imbalances in the area and guide others through the chaos.
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A rather ditsy looking Half-elf stumbles in, smelling of earth and dirt and smoke, with sticks and leaves in her hair, both woven in a band and just haphazardly stuck its clear she spends her in time in the forest. With nothing but simple form-fitting robes and slippers she seems rather unimpressive.
"Oh man, like the Bloodsworn Vale? I heard there was some absolutely righteous roses there. I'd like love the chance to get in there and just like try some of those plants. Like what properties do they possess?"
As she pulls up a chair she pulls out a large leaf that is wrapped around a batch of pastries. "Oh man, you just like have to try these, they'll like make things all funny."
Taking a bite herself she'll introduce herself as she chews "Omph, like I'm Rainbow Starshine, like have you ever seen a rainbow at night, like wow,"
James was still young then and still had the supplies he was sent to get. Instead of waiting around for the House of Gullion to come back and take him, he returned to the surface and tried to get as far away from Krelgar Keep as he could get. His escape brought him to a ship bound for the Inner Sea. He barbered away most of what was left of fated day to Rybalka and he gained passage on the Golden Squirrel. After just one day, he regretted his decision to get on this ship. He quickly found a home at the keel of the ship, emptying his lunch for most of the journey. Just shy of the Inner Sea, the Golden Squirrel lost any luck it had as a huge storm sprung up and caused the ship to go way off curse, further north and ended up wrecking on the Hellmouth bay.
James was lucky to swim to the shore, where he spent several weeks traveling in the wrong direction and ending up in Pezzack, a port city in Cheliax. This is where he was able to get a break as the Chelish army was looking for new recruits to join the army. Upon joining, he was hazed for being a Drow, something that isn’t seen often in Cheliax. He quickly became stronger and meaner, beating all of his fellow soldiers in duels. He was quickly promoted to Captain and was given a platoon to command. His first mission was to clean up a band of outlaws near that have been plaguing the town of Pangolais in the Uskwoods.
It was once again on the seas going north. He made the Captain of the ship stay close to the shore on threat of death. The Captain didn’t argue, since it was easier to get to Nisroch that way anyways. Once they reached Nisroch, they had to chart another ship to take them up the stream to Pangolais. Once there, he set out to find the bandits and to eliminate them.
The skirmish with the bandits lasted longer than he would have liked, but he finally was able to get them cornered in an underground cave system, hidden in the forest. Being underground again didn’t affect James, since most of his youth was spent in these dark tunnels. But his sight wasn’t what it use to be. Living up on the surface for too many years has ruined his night vision.
Soon his troops started to come across bodies drained of all of their blood. As if something was living down here that they didn’t want to face. His troops were joking around that it might be a vampire, bound to these caves by its master. The truth was much worse.
The group of bandits was able to summon a demon from the abyss. A huge mistake for the bandits as the demon was too powerful for their control, slaughtering the last of them as James and his platoon found them. The demon didn’t care that his platoon didn’t summon him, it was just happy that there was more blood to feast upon.
The battle was bloody and James really didn’t remember much of it after the initial valley of arrows were launched and batted aside by his front line. The next thing he remembered was the bone fingers of the Hellknight standing over him, as they traced over his face. Given the option to join his fellow platoon members in the afterlife or become one of the few members of the Order of the Crux was offered, James took it.
That was fifty years ago now. Since then he has been wondering the lands of Varisia. The Hold of Belzken and the Worldwound, fighting and getting stronger. He needs to get stronger, for he still needs to go back to Rybalka and settle his score with the House of Gullion.
On his way through Janderhoff, he heard about a journey into the Bloodsworn Vale, and those who were interested in going in to report to Fort Thorn. Which brings him here today, looking around this place at those already gathered. Noting that none of them are weak and that they would all make worthy allies, even though he could deal with most of the dangers himself. He nods at the Half-elf as she stumbled in.
”The Roses are as red as blood I hear. My master told me stories of how the battle lasted for days.” He leans up against the wall by where she set. ”I am James of the Order of the Crux.”
I have the chance to try a Cavalier and I am rather excited about it. I will get it worked out over this week. I have never made one before so this should be fun.
Just wanted to congratulate Neirikr on creating a great PC. Jetta is fully realized and very cool. It'll be very interesting to adventure together if we both make the cut. Kudos!
Well, thank you! It would be interesting to get Jetta in with a paladin, especially one of Erastil...
Sorry, had a post earlier, but my computer ate it. It's great to see so many good characters already!
there is one thing i have a question about, nothing major just, should i be using the unchained version of a monk or the regular or either?
So I cannot find the information about if the edict is violated, even temporarily. I really like the idea of the Order of the Penitent. I would like to have one level of Barbarian with this one. So this person would have a bit of a dark past they struggle with. The Rage could cause them to not show mercy though. So if I go this route what happens if I violate the edict?
At 1st level, a cavalier must pledge himself to a specific order. The order grants the cavalier a number of bonuses, class skills, and special abilities. In addition, each order includes a number of edicts that the cavalier must follow. If he violates any of these edicts, he loses the benefits from his order's challenge ability for 24 hours. The violation of an edict is subject to GM interpretation.
Nothing permanent, unless you choose to leave the order. You don't need to get atonement cast on you or anything like that.
Also one more question, i get a feat a lvl 5 can i save it's use for level six, it's for quarterstaff master which i don't qualify for at level 5 but i do at level 6.
Thank you Jetta I keep just looking over things. All freaking week I keep missing the obvious in front of my flipping face.
Definitely interested if recruiting is still open.
Definitely interested if recruiting is still open.
The recruitment is open until the 18th of this month.
I am glad that you like my character :)
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@GM Rennai, I am glad you liked her, I've had this character rollin' around for a while now and it seemed like with all the Hellknights and serious characters being submitted there would need to be some non-serious foil just in case so I thought Rainbow would be perfect.
@Abel the Wanderer - As for regular vs. unchained monk, I'm fine with either, whichever you prefer and whichever fits your concept better. Unchained monk might be better, though, as it'll let you qualify for Quarterstaff Master at level 5. With regular monk, you wouldn't qualify for Quarterstaff Master until level 7 when you got BAB +5.
@Deaths Adorable Apprentice - What Jetta said. :)
@MendedWall12 - As James said, recruiting has only been up for a few days now, and is definitely still open. Feel free to throw something together!
that's why i wanted to know if i could save my level 5 feat for level 6 instead.
Unchained monk has the unfortunate side effect of disallowing the flowing monk archetype part of the build.
@Abel the Wanderer - Regular monk doesn't have +5 BAB until level 7, when you'd normally be getting a feat anyway. So it'd be a moot point.
I've got an Iomedan Sacred Huntmaster percolating in my brain; if she gets adequately fleshed out, she and her mountain lion will show up here.
@Redblade8 - Sounds cool!
It seemed like with all the Hellknights and serious characters being submitted there would need to be some non-serious foil just in case so I thought Rainbow would be perfect.
Yeah, I can't think of a better idea than putting an addict and a cop in the same team. :D
Definitely interested if recruiting is still open.
After some consideration, I've decided to rescind my original interest. This looks like it will be a very fun campaign, but as yet, I don't have a character concept that I think fits with the group so far. You all enjoy a great module!
To make sure I understand and do them correctly, since I have never messed with Background skills. Am I able to put skill in all the listed background skills or only the ones I have as class skills?
Oh and I love the idea of a stoner and Hellknights having to work together :)
Here is a link to the offical rules, but the basic of it is this: Skills are split up into adventuring skills, the ones that come up frequently in a lot of adventures, and background skills, the ones that you've probably never rolled a check on before in your life.
You get all the skill ranks you normally get and can spend them however you want; you also gain two background skill ranks per level that must be put into those less common background skills. You can still spend normal skill ranks on Perform (a background skill) if you like - you just can't spend background skill ranks on adventuring skills like Perception or Disable Device.
You aren't limited by your class's class skills in terms of what you can put ranks into - if you want to be a fighter with ranks in Perform (interpretive dance), feel free. :D You do get the normal class skill bonuses based on your class's class skills (and any other source, such as traits), so your fighter wouldn't get the +3 to his checks that a bard would get, but he can put ranks into it.
It's a solution to the "I wish I could take that skill because it fits my story but I need these skills to survive" problem, and it leads to better, more rounded characters in general.
Ok I wanted to make sure I understood it correctly. Wish this had been there for the game I started a two years ago. I love it!
Oh, it's two background skills per level. I thought it was just two skill points total for background. I'll have to edit that really quick.
Ok I wanted to make sure I understood it correctly. Wish this had been there for the game I started a two years ago. I love it!
I'd come up with it independently as a homebrewed archetype for my paladin of Shelyn about a month or two before Unchained came out. The moment I got the book, I incorporated it into my Roll20 game, and my IRL game adopted it a week or two later.
I am considering doing so anyways. I love skills and think there should be more skill points anyways. They are level eight and I would have to talk to them. I doubt they will complain and it might sweeten the pot since I am going to hammer them for the broken stats. One has a dex of 24 or 26 and another has a charisma of the same.