For those that did not get in, there is another Reign of Winter recruitment right HERE that might be of your interest! Good luck!
I would not truly encourage Frosty to try to run two parties. I have seldom seen that work out well. I run a Thursday night game too. I prefer to run IRL but am considering starting a PBP. Thinking Mummy's Mask as I really like the setting. I'll have to master mapping for PBP and to tell the truth it intimidates me a little.
I agree that two parties running the same AP can get confusing. I've even had difficulties running two tables of a PFS scenario concurrently.
@Freyja, I think you should go for it! We've played together in so many different PbP games and I know I always enjoy reading your contributions. The learning curve is much less steep in PbP since you have ample time to research a rule, track down a graphic, polish up your prose, or hit up your friends for help. Please feel free to contact me as well if you hit a bump in the road. ^_~
I also have to advocate for GMing PbP. I'm still greedy and play in more than I GM, but I try and do my best to give back when I can. I started out GMing for PFS face to face, but much as I wanted to encourage real role-play, we always pushed the time limit unless it was pretty strictly limited. I was really disappointed after buying some supplements to help flesh out scenarios and generally had to leave them aside if we were to have a chance of finishing during our slot. But even PFS can be more relaxed in PbP. Now I read through my supplements and find nice little tidbits of regional culture or extract some lovely images and I'm able to augment the scenario to give the land and the people more life. It's so gratifying! ^_^
And APs can become a full world to me in PbP. I can immerse myself completely and see the characters as true people with all their facets and dimensions. Even though time may muddle my memory on certain events, the search function is always there to help me remember the moment as clear as the day it was posted. It's really the ideal venue for me.
So excited to have been picked for this AP! Really looking forward to getting into this character. Frosty inspired some great characters here, I sincerely hope everyone who didn't get accepted finds a great game soon!
Grats to those who made it!
In case someone drops out. I was really bummed I didn't get this done in time. Have fun guys!
10 minute Background:
-Step 1: Write at least 5 concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character.
1. concept overview
Thorvald, naturally gifted warrior of the north who has come south to see the lands of the long summer, and to escape local trouble up north.
2. list of important life events
A nearly frozen, yet not frostbite boy, is found wandering in deep snow near the edge of the Feywood. The young boy knew his name was Thorvald and he had been brought by a cold stranger.
The village master wished to turn him out fearing fey meddling, but the village crone warns against it saying that the boy bore the mark of the spirit of cold.
He is taken in by a local farmer who's wife was barren.
Thorvald had a penchant for escaping is duties on the farm to wander the edge of the fey lands. Some of the villagers fear he will insult the fey who live there.
There he discovered a limestone cave and a bastard sword inside it. He trains with he sword in secrecy. What he lacks in formal training he makes up in raw physical ability and warrior spirit.
When the Winters War come to his village he takes up his blade and defends it from traitor Ulfen of Irrisen.
Despite his efforts the Village Master uses coincidence and his apparent resistance to cold to cast suspicion upon him.
Out of fear for reprisals against his aging parents, Thorvald makes the decision to go south where the Crone says he must go to unravel the secrets of his past.
3. physical description
6' 4" 225 pounds of farm hardened Northman
Brown hair and penetrating blue eyes.
He has a noble air to how he holds himself
4. personality profile
Loyal and trustworthy.
Stalwart with an eye for the underdog
Grateful for his adoptive parents he has a soft spot for children in need.
5. Quirk
Thorvald tends to be suspicious of those in power because of his experiences with the Village Master. Not paranoid, but he does like to question the motives of those in power.
-Step 2: List at least 2 goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1. To find out more of his origins and become a great warrior so that he might return home someday and repay his adoptive parents for their kindness and expose the Village Masters lies.
2. As a player I want to immerse my self in this character and take him to 20th as a pure barbarian.
-Step 3: List at least 2 secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet.
Known to him - the spirit that brought him to the village was Tolc
Empyreal Lord of cold, frozen wilds, and survival
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Domains: Chaos, Good, Travel, Water
Subdomains: Azata (Chaos), Azata (Good), Exploration, Ice, Storms
Favored Weapon: Javelin
Symbol: Caribou antlers cradling a javelin of ice
Sacred animal: Caribou
Sacred color: Icy blue, ivory
Obedience: Kneel naked outdoors at night while dipping your hands in two bowls of tepid water. Slowly raise your hands above your head and hold them there until the water from both bowls has evaporated. Gain a +4 sacred bonus on saves against cold effects.
Cult
Temples arctic outposts, hunting lodges, ice caves
Worshipers arctic rangers, evokers who use cold magic, natives of northern reaches, trappers
Minions celestial ice elementals, frost worms, remorhazes
Boons
1: Frozen Magic (Sp) mount (caribou only) 3/day, chill metal 2/day, or protection from energy 1/day
2: Icy Shards (Su) Three times per day, you can breathe a 15-foot cone of ice particles. The cone deals 1d6 points of damage per HD you possess (maximum 15d6). Half this damage is cold damage, while the other half is slashing damage. A Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 your HD) halves damage taken from this attack.
3: Glacial Dark (Sp) You can cast polar midnight once per day.
Tolc is master of the frozen lands, where people struggle daily to survive the harsh elements. He gazes favorably upon those who learn to live within this wild domain and appreciate its fierce beauty.
Tolc stands 7 feet tall and has a stout but muscular figure. His light brown skin always holds a rosy flush, as though the empyreal lord had just stepped in from the cold. Numerous scars mar his broad face, which constantly sports a stern expression, though a kind light occasionally warms his hardened gaze. From his back stretch two arching tusks carved from celestial ice.
Snow-Strider and his agents help worthy individuals struggling to live in cold, inhospitable climes. Many northern cultures credit Tolc with teaching their people to build shelters from ice. Tolc is a sworn enemy of Kostchtchie, and Tolc's champions hone their skills in battle to best combat frost giants and white dragons. On occasion, a mortal champion catches Tolc's attention long enough for the empyreal lord to grant this mortal divine strength and tactical knowledge with which to defend her kinsfolk.
Tolc can sometimes be found in the coldest reaches of Elysium's mountains, but his followers on the Material Plane claim to see Snow-Strider in their temple-longhouses with some frequency. Many believe he assumes the guise of a wanderer in need of respite and leaves flecks of gold in the bedding of those who provide him hospitality.
Not known to him- Thorvald
Words of the Crone- "The white winds call and pacts lie broken. Where the sons of the Ursine ruled they shall again for the North beckons and misery follows those who heed its call! This boy is marked. The eyes of our ancestors are upon him. To cast him out would dishonor our blood and anger the spirits who bore him here."
Thorvald's father: Savol Kodiakborne
The Kodiakborne Line:
Unusual amongst the Ulfen, ancestry is very important to the Kodiakborne who can trace their lineage back to Ungbhol Kodiak friend and champion of the first Linnorm king over 5000 years ago. The Kodiakborne commanded a large territory east of Grungir Forest, much of which was claimed by the witch queen Baba Yaga during the Winter war 1000 years ago. Since that time Ungbhol' s descendants have tried several times to reclaim their homelands and failed and have lost much of their standing. Savol's great grandfather, Yorin, was the last of their line to claim the title of Linnorm king over 150 years ago and died defending against an Irrissen attack. Savol's grandfather, Sabior, was a thane to Hagreach's last successful Linnorm king and his father, Unther, was a powerful chieftain responsible for almost twenty towns directly on the border to Irrisen.
-Step 4: Describe at least 3 people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
1. Friendly- his parents Sven and Anna
2. Friendly- Grunhilda the Crone
3. Hostile- Orvald the Village Master
-Step 5: Describe at least 3 mannerisms your character has.
1. Rests his right hand upon his sword pommel
2. Touches his chin when thinking
3. He likes cool crisp air and will often wander outside.
Thorvald
Human (Ulfen) barbarian 1
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +5
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +2 shield)
hp 15 (1d12+3)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +1
Resist cold 2
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft. (30 ft. in armor)
Melee bastard sword +3 (1d10+2/19-20) or
cestus +3 (1d4+2/19-20)
Special Attacks rage (6 rounds/day)
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Statistics
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Str 15, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Power Attack
Traits armor expert, northern ancestry, suspicious
Skills Acrobatics +3, Climb +3, Perception +5, Sense Motive +6, Survival +5
Languages Common, Skald
SQ fast movement
Other Gear chain shirt, heavy wooden shield, bastard sword, cestus[APG], backpack, belt pouch, blanket[APG], flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), pot, soap, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 41 gp
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Special Abilities
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Energy Resistance, Cold (2) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Fast Movement +10 (Ex) +10 feet to speed, unless heavily loaded.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Rage (6 rounds/day) (Ex) +4 Str, +4 Con, +2 to Will saves, -2 to AC when enraged.
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