Cool, cool. I wasn't sure if that was just setting traps, but I suppose it has to be both, eh? If you can make them, you can find them? :)
Good to have you on board.
Yeah far more interested in the finding and disarming but I have to give up my spells to get the complete trap disposal package.... for level one its just better than regular ranger.
There's always Eldritch heritage if you want a truly unique heritage! As long as you've got he charisma and feats.
Glad you could join us Zanbabe. We are finishing up character creation and should be able to begin shortly thereafter.
hey all apologizes for taking so long. I have been busy and the death of my Grandpa hit hard. So I admit I was quite distracted, I finally finished my character and got the computer to stop fighting me...... and before midnight!:
Eilistraee Silvertongued
dyed black hair
Green eyes
Sorry to hear about yoru grandfather. My condolences.
As for Eilistraee (besides too many vowels in her name) there are several issues that need to be addressed before she is game ready:
1) Feat - you choose Exotic Weapon Proficiency but there is prerequisite for that feat to have a +1 BAB, which Magus does not have at level one. Additionally, you choose bladed scarf as your exotic weapon, but then did not buy a bladed scarf. Thought that was odd...
2) I don't see any spells prepared or spellbooks spells as part of this profile so far. Going to need those added.
3) I don't see an alignment for this PC.
4) Trying to determine how you spent your skill points. I show 4 to start: 1 in Know Arcana, 1 in UMB; 1 in Perception (maybe?). Can't tell if you are trying to take 2 skill points in Perception to get to +3, but if so, you can't use more skill points per skill than you are level, so at Level 1 you can just use one rank per skill.
5) Gear - this area seemed kinda odd. No weapons, no armor, but 300(!) arrows and 30 days of rations seems a little strange. I'm guessing the weapons and armor section didn't get carried over, but with 150gp budget, you have spent all but 11gp before getting to those items. Might need to re-work this.
6) Encumbrance - Without arms or armor, Ellie is already at Heavy Load which reduces some items it seems you are trying to go for, like rapid movement (from spell dancer). Might have to lighten up.
Here is my cleric of Torag. Let me know if you have questions, comments, or concerns.I believe I have seen this fellow before -- in a mess of goblins in Sandpoint!
I do have some ticky-tack stuff to ask about on the build. The character sheet was a bit hard to follow, so if I have stuff wrong, please LMK.
1) The trait I see for Wisdom in the Flesh is for followers of Irori only. Looks like your deity is Torag.
2) Your ACP with shield engaged is -6, not -4. This really deflates the Acrobatics you have been trying to build up with traits.
3) Tobacco is 1 gp, not 1sp. But the Traveller's outfit is free (not 1gp). I show your ending gold at 47.56, not 48.16. Test me out on that, please.
4) Couldn't find smoking pipe as an equipment anywhere, but I just added it as a custom item. If there is a Paizo entry, link it so I can see where I missed it.
5) 1st level Spell slot open still, right?
1) Changed traits for Fate's Favored and Roll with it.
2) Adjusted ACP.
3 and 4) Replaced Tobacco and pipe, with cigars, but I don't know how much they cost. Should I say 1 sp each?
5)Yes, open slot.
Thanks, I got the change to traits. I'll give you cigars for free beacuse of my great benevolence. If you scratch the pipe and tobacco, your ending gold is 49.06gp.
Looks like you are all checked off to begin.
I don't mind.
The weight was also off with the Mwk Thieves tools because I meant to write down a Mwk Backpack... which is why he isn't encumbered and I have Mwk Thieves tools following right after thieves tools. I added Varisian Sign Language as the extra language.
Ok, with these changes I have you at Light load and 4 gp of gold left over. I wondered if you meant MW backpack, but didn't know for sure.
Any other changes since the partial submitted on Saturday? I have him good to go, unless you have other things to change.
How much does a hopeknife cost? I could have missed it, but I didn't see that in the Player's Guide. I put one in my backstory for flavor purposes, but I am not sure whether I can actually afford it... might have to switch some things around. :)
<< Anyway, this is my alias and character. I think I have everything in there, but it is late, and I'm a little brain dead, so totally possible that I forgot something or figured something out wrong. Just let me know if there are errors I need to fix.
On that note, I was wondering. Instead of being given a hope knife (since they're masterwork and I can't afford one anyway) can Nakoma have stubbornly made her own when she was a child. It could have the broken quality, and cost me maybe half or three quarters the price of the dagger I paid for. Then I've got a few silver left over?
Just curious!
Not sure Zirelle, it's a Mwk Dagger but you're not supposed to use it for anything other than killing yourself or mercy killing people... pretty grim.
Perhaps you could have inherited an old one past it's prime but still serviceable and just pay a regular dagger cost and say it was one of your grandparents or something.
Zan Tain, Human (Varisian) Ranger (Trapper), LG, Religion: Desna, Hair: Black, Eyes: Green
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 10
HP: 12, AC: 17, FF: 15, Touch: 12, Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +2, CMB +4, CMD: 16, Initiative +2, Perception +5 (+1 Vs Traps)
Focused Study Alternate Racial
Feats: Skill Focus* (Disable Device), Fast Learner
Traits: Trunau Native (Campaign), Armor Expert (Combat)
Class Features: Favoured Enemy (Humanoid Giant), Track, Wild Empathy, Trapfinder +1
Skill Points: 6+2+1+1
Climb 7/5=1+3+3-0/2, Craft,Disable Device 10/8=1+2+3+3+1-0/2, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge Dungeoneering 6=1+2+3, Knowledge Geography 6=1+2+3, Knowledge Nature 6=1+2+3, Perception 5=1+1+3(+1 Vs Traps), Profession, Ride, Spellcraft 6=1+2+3, Stealth 6/4=1+2+3-0/2, Survival 5=1+1+3, Swim 7/5=1+3+3-0/2
Languages: Common (Taldane), Varisian, Giant, Varisian Sign Language
Parade Armor 25gp 20lbs, Heavy Wood Shield 7gp 10lbs, Scimitar 15gp 4lbs, Rangers Kit 9gp 28lbs, Thieves Tools 30gp 1lbs, Masterwork Backpack 50gp 4lbs, “Hopeknife” Mwk Dagger 1lbs, Cold Iron Dagger 1lbs, Dagger x2 2lbs Gold: 4gp,
Carried Weight: 86lbs
Zan Tain has been a native of Trunau his whole life and with one exception has spent his whole life in and around it. Two years back he helped a more experienced ranger guide some merchant to Lastwall and spent a few days in civilisation.
Zan’s mother casts a long shadow even in death as one of Trunau’s best scouts and defenders when she was in her prime. She ran afoul of a group of orcs while defending the village some ten years back who were trying to attack a caravan coming to the settlement. She sold her life dearly to buy them time to get to safety.
It has been recognised that Zan has an interest in tracking giants, this stems from seeing one years ago he lost track of that had tattoos surprisingly similar to some Varisian ones. He’s never seen one again quite like it but often tracks giants that wander near Trunau… thankfully he has enough sense to avoid engaging them unless necessary.
The most dangerous foe he has faced to date was an ogrekin barbarian. Rather than face the behemoth straight on Zan lured it into an area where he brought down a small avalanche of loose scree onto the ogrekin.
Thankfully Zan’s time as a guide for the militia’s patrols rarely means encountering giants but he’s developed quite a reputation for being able to disarm traps. Some of the the orc hunters in the area can have vicious traps left around to catch game… or larger quarry. He’s practiced hard to be able to perform well without his light armor getting in the way.
Hmm... yeah, if they are masterwork, that's out of reach for even the natives, who would have one by tradition.
In my background it was a gift, but I know if we have something we're supposed to pay for it. Since I would never use it for anything and only just wear it though, maybe it could be flavor-only?
It's very odd. If you take the Tranau Native trait you get one but none of the others seem to so it's almost like if you don't take that trait you aren't necessarily a local... and it's not that useful if you are actually roleplaying.
What Baldek suggests is correct. Not all hopeknives are MW, only the fancy ceremonial ones that are given as fine gifts. Every resident of Trunau has a hopeknife, whether its a simple sharpened blade tied to a wooden handle or an elegant and finely crafted blade. The game equivalent is a dagger (2gp) all the way to a MW blade (302gp).
If you take the trait you can have the finer blade, if you buy the lesser you can re-skin into a simpler, but still morbidly effective, dagger.
If you are not a Trunau native, you may not possess a hopeknife yet. That can also be part of your backstory.
How much does a hopeknife cost? I could have missed it, but I didn't see that in the Player's Guide. I put one in my backstory for flavor purposes, but I am not sure whether I can actually afford it... might have to switch some things around. :)
<< Anyway, this is my alias and character. I think I have everything in there, but it is late, and I'm a little brain dead, so totally possible that I forgot something or figured something out wrong. Just let me know if there are errors I need to fix.
Looks like all the technical details checkout. I agree with your leftover gold and you are light encumbered.
To get the Linnorm bloodline, you must take the Wildblooded archetype, but I don't think there is an mechanical difference.
Looks like you are good to go.
Since 4 of the 5 of you are ready to go with character concepts, I'd like to discuss how we integrate at the beginning of campaign. It appears you are all living in Trunau, though just Tan is a native. Using the Gazetteer included in the player's guide (linked in original post of this thread, I believe), give some more detail about your life in Trunau. How long have you lived here? Where do you live? What do you do on a daily basis? Would you interact with any of the named NPC's in the Gazeteer that's not required or even suggested, just for flavor.
The backstory of you got to town is important but what I want to hear more about now is what you do since arriving.
YOu may need to ask me questions about some of the NPC's mentioned, and I am happy to color those in as needed.
We are close to starting, once we hear from Ellie about her build updates, I think we can begin.
PS: There is a map of Trunau and a list of notable NPC's in the Campaign Info tab for your current and future reference.
Here is the requested detail about life in Trunau... let me know if Halgra or Agrit would not have done these things, or if there are other complications, like no houses being empty, or anything like that.
After arriving in Trunau, Zirelle proceeded to Ivory Hall to inquire about work. It was her first time out on her own, and she didn't really know the details of how commoners supported themselves, and just assumed that she would be able to gain employment, food, and shelter with the leader here. After talking to Halgra about it, and a rundown of her life and what she had to offer, Halgra probably could have provided these things easily, but although she saw potential in the girl, she also saw inexperience and selfishness. She decided to employ her, but to also force her to face some realities. She offered her a not-overly generous wage, and then asked where she would be staying. I, uh... I... thought... I... don't know. Where is there to stay? Halgra suggested the Long House. Zirelle sputtered at this. Among the bachelors, you mean, with no privacy at all? When Halgra saw that she was truly concerned about this, and not just looking for luxury, she asked if she was willing to pay for something better. Desperate (and unable to pay to feed and house the horse anyway), Zirelle asked if Halgra would take her horse in exchange. Halgra thought taking the horse away was a good idea, since that would force her to become one of them and not to run back home when things got hard, so she agreed, and found Zirelle a little house near Ivory Hall that had recently been vacated due to casualties. She also told Zirelle she was to go and train with Agrit everyday so that she could learn to cast some spells that would be useful in the war effort. Zirelle agreed. So, the whole time she has been in town has basically been helping at Ivory Hall, and training with Agrit at the House of Wonders. Zirelle has been getting used to having her own house and making her own food, and shopping in the market, and a lot of other things that she never really had to deal with before, and isn't that good at (so far). She has also seen the lights at the Plague House herself, though she has never gone out there to try to find out where they were coming from.
Here is the requested detail about life in Trunau... let me know if Halgra or Agrit would not have done these things, or if there are other complications, like no houses being empty, or anything like that.
** spoiler omitted **...
This seems a reasonable approach, although the town doesn't need a full time administration, so Zirelle's use is probably rather limited.
Baldek has opened up a small smithy, which also serves as a temple of sorts. I see this as a very small affair. He’s not very skilled yet, nor is he too good with words, plus his scar across his neck... The smithy would be in a poor neighborhood, a small tent, and an outdoor anvil next to a fireplace. He has had many visitors, but few customers buying his wares, and no Torag followers, just some involved conversations.
My question: Where would the smithy be located? What would make sense?
A smith separate from Sara Morninghawk's Clamor? If so, it will probably see little business as she is popular, well-connected, and a good smith.
A separate smithy would probably be located in the lower quarter of Truanu nearer to Sanctuary and the Main Gate. There are something like 20 dwarves in the village of about 750 citizens, so the number of direct Torag followers is quite low. Abadar and Iomedae the most venerated deities in Trunau, with Gorum perhaps a distant third.
First gameplay post is up, we can do some of the introduction while waiting for Eilistraee to complete her character. I sent her a PM asking for some reply ASAP.
Okay... part time work it is. :) Just enough to get by.
The first way people might know Nakoma is due to her arrival. Nakoma stumbled into Trunau over ten years ago (she was ten years old), so she's been here a long time. She was delusional, heavily wounded, starving, dehydrated and suffered severe burns over part of her body. Any people trying to get near her were victims of her wild flailing, biting and raving in Shoanti. She made a huge ruckus and caused some damage. Realizing she could only understand Shoanti, the people sent for Miss. Morninghawk (Sara's Mom) who eventually convinced the child to follow her and accept some water.
Since she spoke only Shoanti when she arrived, Nakoma cleaved to those who could speak her language - Sara Morninghawk and her Mother. I'm not sure how old Sara is, but I imagine an older child or a teenager. Over time Nakoma and Sara became good friends, while Sara's Mother became like an aunt to her, always checking in on Nakoma and ensuring she had enough to eat. If there are any other Shoanti in the village, Nakoma would have formed early friendships with them as well. Nakoma mourned deeply when Sara's mother died. Nakoma is still good friends with Sara and goes to her for all of her smithing needs.
After a she was watered and less violent, Sara's mother got Nakoma settled in Sanctuary, and gave her care over the clerics there. They tried to care for her, teach her common, and help her find solace in Iomedae, but Nakoma would have none of it. She fought, screamed and refused to pray to their strange god. She never let her star knives or bow out of her reach. Although the did heal her in time, Nakoma refused to allow them to cast their divine spells on her--not trusting in their weird warrior goddess' intentions--and so she was left horribly scarred. She still bears these scars (proudly) to this day. From her unhappy few weeks spent in Sanctuary, Nakoma noticed the Longhouse, the place the warriors seemed to come and go from. She was a warrior. So in an act of rebellion she ran away from Sanctuary and moved into the Longhouse. She was still ten at the time.
From what I can tell in the book, none of the clerics at Sanctuary are there still. The one in charge is too young to have had to dealt with Nakoma as a child. If any clerics are around who tried to heal her they would remember her as a trouble-maker, wounded in body and soul. The old orc who's a long time resident might have known her then, if she's been there that long, but even if she could speak Shoanti, Nakoma wouldn't have communicated with her, thinking her cursed by the spirits.
Nakoma moved herself into the Longhouse alongside the other warriors after only a few weeks in town. She still spoke only Shoanti, but knew that they were warriors, and so was she. This caused quite a stir at first, but Nakoma refused to be moved out. She slept alongside the warriors, ate alongside the warriors, and mirrored their rituals and duties each day for weeks. Though it offended many at first, after a few weeks they were accustomed of the young warrior girl, and accepted her presence without further complaint. Even in those early days she drilled alongside them and went on watch patrols along the city walls and gates. Nakoma still lives there to this day. Any guard who were working ten years ago would remember Nakoma from these early days, probably regarding her with respect, or in a fond/parental fashion. She refused to be taken care of, but I'm sure some of the guards would have looked out for the girl anyway. Any guards who signed on not long after she arrived probably disliked her at first, since they earned their place and having a scrawny kid there probably offended them. In the years since she's probably made friends with these people. After a decade they'd be comrades like any other. Anyone who is new to the group after Nakoma reached adulthood probably didn't treat her any different than the other guards.
The people at the Longhouse (and the other guards) are Nakoma's closest friends. They are her comrades, and her tribe. Of those named in the book, only the Grath's are mentioned. She would have become friends with Kurst and Rodrik, although their dad is too old to be her friend, he probably respects her as a guard.
Sara Morninghawk's mother would have encouraged Nakoma to attend classes at the Commons, which she would have eventually allowed--sort of. Nakoma attended classes infrequently to placate the Morninghawk's. This resulted in her finally learning common, and how to read and write, as well as some other knowledge. The kids who attended the Commons with her probably thought she was weird. The martial-minded ones were probably jealous, and those who joined the guards are her comrades now, but the smart ones probably thought Nakoma was difficult or stupid.
Nakoma still lives at Longhouse to this day, working as a warrior/guard/hunter/scout. She's a Trunau at heart. She had her own hope knife ceremony, and is a full citizen. She's fought and bled to protect this town and its people. She's lost comrades and watched them burn at the Flame of the Fallen. She's likely a recognizable sight to most people, and she would recognize people as familiar by sight (she'd see them from the walls and such), but she's not particularly extroverted. She attends gatherings and such, but otherwise most of the people she interacts with are her comrades from the Longhouse and her time as a guard.
Nakoma does not visit the churches in town and has little need for purchases of frivolous nature. The final exception is tattoos. Nakoma has gotten many Shoanti-styled tattoos over the years around her many scars and burn marks. Whoever the town tattoo artist it, Nakoma is good friends with them.
I think that's all for now. Heading over to the gameplay thread.
I won't be able to fully flesh out the rest my character background til next week. Quite busy til Monday but will try to sort out alias shortly.
We are. Thanks for checking in.
Just so you guys know, my real life name is Suzanne and my family calls me Zanne/Zan, so whenever you guys talk about Zan it feels like you are talking to me. I haven't gotten mixed up long enough to actually POST in reply to something you said to Zan so far, but I have hit reply and then realized... just wanted to let you know in case I do something weird like that. I keep thinking everyone is talking to me. :)
Haha. Noted.
@ Zirelle
Hey, just making sure Nakoma's actions didn't offend you or anything. Obviously I'd never leave behind another player's character. I just didn't think she'd let others come in without consulting her co-worker first (in character only, of course). Especially if it's a town member she doesn't really know (which is a lot, lol).
If it did, then apologies. And if not, great. I'm totally fine with our characters butting heads in the beginning. I just wanted to make sure.
Thanks!
Seemed like RP to me. Thought it was acceptable character reactions from strong-willed ladies. No harm, no foul. There's a mystery to solve after all...
You didn't offend me at all... only my character. And you escalated it a lot, so not sure how to get it back to where they could be friends again. I tried to de-escalate there at the end, but she's definitely not going to just let your character order her around.
I thought so, but I was just making sure.
I'm sure you'll hang around with Zan instead of me and we'll eventually get to respecting one another through whatever comes up in the adventure path. In time.. lol
Zan the only one born in town trying to keep ye at arms length from each other. You're all blow ins to him.
Hahaha. Fair enough, Zan.
I hope people don't mind Zan's internal ideas. He's sitting there going "Well I'm in my twenties now, I should probably start thinking about settling down." Blunt an matter of fact way of thinking... besides surely Rodrik's death wont lead to some kind of grand adventure!
I don't mind at all!
I hope people don't mind Zan's internal ideas.
You're golden as far as I'm concerned. Haven't seen anything that bothered me in the least.
Just a quick note. I'll prompt you if you need charisma, perception, or other rolls throughout the investigation, or make them myself behind the screen. I know it's easy to get dice-happy, but for the majority of the interaction, it's not required. If you feel like rolling for the fun of it, please continue, but its not terribly affecting the responses of the various NPC's until I call for it.
Thanks for the good game so far! Farther than some PbP campaigns I've been part of already.
PS: Has anyone played this adventure before? Meant to ask before, but failed to.
Never, I have intentionally avoided it since I don't have a physical copy hoping to play it. I did run a homebrew adventure in Trunau kicking off a mythic campaign with the Arch Villain being a new Liche who was uniting the Holds of Belkzen by force with some Asura assitance, my second Pathfinder Campaign I ran after the demise of 3.5 and not being too keen on 4th Edition from the GM's side.
I don't remember playing it, but I may have in person several years ago, because the tug of war seemed familiar, and
I have this sense of impending doom, like the whole town is about to be wiped out.
But seriously, if that is correct, I don't remember any of what is currently going on. We had a group in New York that I played in weekly for years where the DM would just pull scenes from different things, and we never knew the names of them, because we thought it was all homebrew, which it seems to have been, but only partially. So every now and then something seems familiar, or I feel like I know what is going to happen in one specific circumstance... and then sometimes it does, but other times it kind of does but in a very different way, and sometimes it doesn't, so... not sure if it is just playing Pathfinder too long and something happening that was similar in some way. I don't feel like I know anything long-term, but if it becomes familiar, I do try to stay in character and not make decisions based on my questionable memory.
Other than the PBP games I've joined recently, I never get to play anything. I GM a lot, and own a lot of the adventure paths, but Giantslayer is not one of them. I am SO THRILLED to not only be playing something, but playing something I know nothing about. Thanks for running it for us.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
No one seemed to bite on the MLT reference from before, so I will give you the answer:
Miracle Max: Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world - except for a nice MLT - mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomatoes are ripe
[smacks his lips]
Miracle Max: They're so perky, I love that.
From The Princess Bride where Miracle Max is played by Billy Crystal. I just watched it at the movie theater a few weeks back celebrating it's 30th anniversary, which makes me feel quite old...Many many other memorable lines from that film, but that one seemed to fit the situation well.
One of my all-time favorites -- no question.
OMG! I knew it sounded familiar, but that's not one of the lines I would recognize out of context. Haha.
Agreed, though. Definitely one of my favourites.
There are a ton of leads at this point. Since this is PBP and takes time to develop, it can be easy to forget certain things. If you think it might be helpful, I will post a list of the leads you develop in the Campaign Info tab for you to refer back to later on.
You'll have to make, add to, and subtract from the list, but I can certainly post it. Just let me know if you;d like that service and what might go on it so far.
Well, hmm. A central place for clues could help, but not sure we need a list in campaign info that you would have to keep updating(?). Here are some things...
--We still need to talk to Omast. That was one of the people on the initial list, and it is possible that he knows what Rodrik was investigating.
--We need to find out who Rodrik was close to (the "thoughtful muse") at the Sanctuary.
--We need to find the engraved hopeknife.
--We need to find Rodrik's journal.
Questions:
Were the half-orcs involved in the murder? (if so, why) --Is it worthwhile to track them down?
Was the unnamed guest at Cham's the murderer? (if so, why) Who was this person? Are there any leads as to *where* we could find him?
What the crap was Rodrik investigating?
Possibly related issue:
--Who is painting the weird cross/sword symbols all over town? If it is related, how?
--The white-painted graffiti in the half-orc rooms... does it match the cross/sword paint? Is it related? Is it covering something up? (Doesn't say anything: "no intelligible pattern.")
Any comments, additions, or clarifications where I missed something or we already know something that I asked about?