My initial respose would be for new PCs rising up as I previouslhy mentioned but you are the GM so lean towards you preference. The main thing is it's a good group with a good GM so want to keep the band together so to speak.
Adventure wise what would you be thinking of?
...grim dark sidenote. I'm in a Reign of Winter game where we've almost TPKed several times... we just got hit in a surprise round for an AOE doing 31 damage, reflex save for half, at level 3... it's not looking good.
Going through the options :
1. Another set of Trunau defenders might catch the orcs' attention, while one sneaks in with a set of cure potions. Basically, get us on our feet long enough to withdraw to the healing station.
2. A new wave of defenders is very possible. I have a notion for another former student of Acacius' trainer, who arrives just a little too late.
3. I certainly would continue playing with this group, whether in Giantslayer or another ap. I am in a number of ap's, but I'd be happy to try different characters so I wouldn't let that limit the groups' options.
I'd be okay with any of those, but leaning towards 2.
I will say RoW is also a meat-grinder, especially the first book which is just a long series of combats with environmental issues mixed in.
Seems like you are both leaning towards new characters continuing the fight. Let's see what Nakoma has in mind, and we can make a decisino from there. Sounds like Zirelle is out of actino for a bit either way.
I would love to make new characters to continue the defence of Trunau.
Question for everyone: my husband would love to join our group, if you guys don't mind. Is it alright if I offer him a spot as our fifth player?
Sounding like there will be a wave of reinforcements, perhaps thrown together by fate and having to introduce themselves in between orc slaying.
I have no objection to a fifth player so long as they fit the group dynamic.
I'd have no problem with it.
Not sure why, if we are going to stay with this AP, we wouldn't just run with the same characters then and save the hassle of rebuilding. I'll allow each of you to choose whether your character was rescued form the guardtower and healed, or expired there. (They lose all their gear etc). Still need to keep some sort of balance to the group, but I'll leave that for you to police.
For now, just say if you are staying or changing.
I don't mind adding a 5th if everyone else is onboard.
...well Zan kept bleeding so it's a new character for me. I have a few ideas depending what mix we are looking at.
Acacius was stable, so he could potentially have been rescued. If I can keep him, I would. If not, I'd be looking at a dwarf slayer.
Awesome! Sounds like it's alright as long as Zirelle doesn't mind. I'll let him know so he can start thinking about his character choice. Level two characters? What starting gold?
If we can keep our characters, I'm in for doing so. Nakoma's super pious. She could have been lucky enough to stabilize and get rescued. To clarify, if she was rescued, she also loses all her gear?
I don't mind a fifth player at all. Maybe it would keep us alive next time.
I don't want to play Zirelle anymore if she's dead. Maybe it is poetic justice for running out on her true love. Plus, it is ultra annoying not to be able to use a bow, and she seemed super weak versus everything we faced. It was somewhat frustrating. I think I want to rebuild... maybe a bard so I also have at least a little ability to heal, which was sorely needed.
I won't be able to make a new character till probably the 15th though, sorry (just popping in now, but don't have long). Hopefully when I can get to it, it won't take long... I play bards a lot, so I can copy a lot from some of my other profiles.
... If you could please let the story show that her old boyfriend in Lastwall found out and cried about it though, that would be good. And I'm still glad we saved Sara and Agrit even if we couldn't save ourselves.
If you retain your character you can keep your earned gear. If you rebuild, you need to start fresh.
The average wealth of 4 existing PC's was about 625gp, including gear value. We'll start there, and I'll keep the loot pile to divide when you are next able.
I am fine with Acacius and Nakoma staying, Zirelle and Zan leaving. Zirelle as a bard is fine with me. Adding a new PC to the mix will probably help survivability a bit, as i said, there are harder fights coming.
If Zirelle changes out for Bard, then someone else is going to need to take primary arcane caster role -- whether that's new player or Zan you can work out.
I don't mind waiting until the 15th to get the story up and running if everyone else is ok with the hiatus.
The hiatus is fine by me.
Yup, sounds good to me. Take your time, Zirelle.
@ Zan - Let me know if you want to fill the arcane role or not, so my husband knows what the party needs. He's excited to get started.
I actually have a sorcerer idea I've been hoping to try.
Burning Amplification and elemental bloodline fire will let me start setting enemies on fire with cantrips.
@DM DoctorEvil can you put up the character generation rules here as the recruitment isn't attached to the campaign.
Very cool!
The creation guidelines are on the first page of the Discussion Thread.
Looking at that post, I see DMDE listed roles, namely: damage dealer, healer, magic-user, and skill monkey.
A few thoughts!
Damage dealer: I think Acacius, while not dishing out as much damage as a fighter possibly could, does compensate for that with reach and (normally) high survivability.
Healer: looks like Zirelle's bard will cover that.
Magic user: Zan's fire sorcerer should cover this.
Skill monkey: Zirelle's bard?
Nakoma, your husband could further bump up any of those roles or multiple ones.
Ok enough work on it for tonight... and early draft.
Combat wise early on I'm just going to 'acid' splash people with fire to try set them on fire. If all of them are on fire I can either hit them with the elemental ray or a crossbow bolt.
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16
HP: 6+2+4+2, AC 14, FF 11, Touch 13, Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3, CMB +1, CMD 14
Alternate Racial Dual Talented
Bloodline Powers: One of the four elements infuses your being, and you can draw upon its power in times of need. At first level, you must select one of the four elements: air, earth, fire, or water. This choice cannot be changed. A number of your abilities grant resistances and deal damage based on your element, as noted on Table: Elemental Bloodline Energy Types and Movement.
Elemental Ray (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you can unleash an elemental ray as a standard action, targeting any foe within 30 feet as a ranged touch attack. This ray deals 1d6 points of damage of your energy type + 1 for every two sorcerer levels you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.
Feats:
You can expend some of the energy of your fire spells to make the flames linger long enough to cause your opponents to catch ablaze.
Benefit(s): Whenever you cast a spell with the fire descriptor, you can take a –1 penalty on the spells’ attack rolls and reduce the spell’s saving throw DC by 1 to cause any target that is dealt fire damage to catch on fire. The targets do not take burning damage for catching on fire until their next turn, and each target can attempt a Reflex saving throw to put out the fire before being damaged each round. Rather than the normal DC 15 Reflex saving throw to put the fire out, the target must succeed at a Reflex saving throw with a DC equal 10 + the spell’s level + the modifier of your spellcasting ability score). You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll or before your targets attempt their saving throws. This feat has no effect on spells that neither allow a saving throw nor require an attack roll.
Traits:
Resilient (Combat)
Orphaned by Giants (Campaign)
You grew up in a tranquil, happy home near the mountains, but that peace was shattered when giants came down from the mountains to raid your settlement. The giants killed your parents and left you a young orphan, and since that day, you’ve sworn to avenge the deaths of your kin. You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls against creatures with the giant subtype, and a +2 trait bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits against creatures with the giant subtype.
Languages: Common, Orcish, Ignan
Adventuring Skills 4+4
Appraise, Bluff 7=1+3+3, Craft, Fly, Intimidate 7=1+3+3, Knowledge (Arcana) 6=1+2+3, Knowledge Planes 6=1+2+3, Profession, Spellcraft 2+2+3, Use Magic Device 8=2+3+3
Favoured Class Bonus: Spells +2 Cantrips
Spell Slots Per Day:
1st 5(4+1)
Spells Known
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Light, Acid(/Lava?) Splash, Mage Hand, Message, Daze, Detect Poison
1st: Mage Armour, Feather Fall
Gold: 635gp
-Ceremonial Silken Robes
-Light Crossbow
-Dagger
-Light Mace
If Zan is going full arcane caster, and Zirelle is going skill monkey (maybe traps and DD?), maybe our new player needs to be at least a half-healer, if not full cleric. Hate to limit options, but there is a lot of damage out there. Not mandating, just suggesting.
Play what you want, and you can always use a wand to make up if short on healing.
Happy to review concepts while we are on short hiatus.
Looking at that post, I see DMDE listed roles, namely: damage dealer, healer, magic-user, and skill monkey.
A few thoughts!
Damage dealer: I think Acacius, while not dishing out as much damage as a fighter possibly could, does compensate for that with reach and (normally) high survivability.
Healer: looks like Zirelle's bard will cover that.
Magic user: Zan's fire sorcerer should cover this.
Skill monkey: Zirelle's bard?
Nakoma, your husband could further bump up any of those roles or multiple ones.
Way to miss me on that list, Acacius! Haha. Nakoma is a pretty nifty healer, if I do say so myself!
*looks*
Doh! My apologies!
I was taking Nakoma as a half healer into account. Other half melee.
Might need more when a giant hits you is all I’m saying. But it’s your party build it how you want.
In other campaigns, I've found oracles of life to be quite interesting healers. Either combined with paladin for lay on hands or taking the divine herbalist archetype for a near-equivalent.
Hi Everyone! I'm excited to play. I am happy to make a healer. I'll give it some thought and get back to you soon.
Thanks for having me.
Hello TrinketMike and welcome!
Hello and welcome.
Got any ideas on a build thats turning you head yet?
Thanks.
Oh, plenty of ideas. It's the deciding that takes time. I've settled on a Varisian cleric who worships an Empyreal Lord. I'll have further details up tomorrow.
Just stopping in. Got to the new house but still have to unpack. I will have the new character tomorrow sometime though.
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Hi Everyone. Just completed my character. Zeke is a Varisian cleric of Arqueros the Golden Bulwark, an Empyreal Lord of protection and watchfulness. Zeke was born and raised in Trunau. He is a full-time member of Trunau’s militia, and typically works patrolling the walls, or manning the watchtowers. Once a week, he trains other citizens in the Commons, in order to inspire them to defend themselves and their town. Each morning he gets up early and sits beside the Hopespring. There he holds his heavy shield over his head for an hour while reciting prayers to Arqueros, and meditating on how best to protect the people around him. Upon completion, he straps on his shield and continues on with his day. He typically removes his armour only to bathe, and always keeps his well-used morningstar and shield close at hand. He believes that it is important to be vigilant, and ready for battle at all times.
Once a year his relatives in Kaer Maga host a week-long celebration, full of songs, tales, liquor, family and friends. There the Magravi Clan and its branches remember the lives of those who’ve passed on, celebrate the births and marriages of the year, and select a time for the next year’s celebration. One such celebration has recently come to an end, and Zeke is just arriving back in Trunau after over a month away from home. He’s happy to be back and… Is that smoke on the horizon..?
I know that my character would know Nakoma, and the Grath family. He would also know any other full-time members of the guard.
Sounds great!
Acacius is new enough to town, so I doubt Zeke would recognise him or vice versa.
Unexpected travel has intruded on my plans to post yesterday and today. I do plan to get updates in place tomorrow. Apologies!
Here is the profile for Azen, Zirelle's replacement, but she isn't done. I'm sorry. I worked on her, but I'm too tired to finish, and will need another day. I apologize for delaying the game further. Feel free to proceed without me if you like... we could insert her character later.
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No worries (either of you!). Take your time.
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I'll echo Nakoma here. :) Sure take time as needed.
So the plague house burnt down fifty years ago (well burnt down again fifty years ago). I'm thinking with the Elemental Fire Bloodline linking it in. Now fifty years is a while with a human character. If my new character was a baby infected during the plague who survived the fire...
Years later when he started manifesting magical abilities that people note includes an affinity for fire they grew suspicious. After his parents are killed by giants he flees Tranau on the next merchant caravan.
A little more about the backstory, Grauk? How did you return to Trunau? When? Why? What have you been doing up until the orc assault?
May not be great fans of the Iomedeans, who ran the Plague House before it burned down again. Just something to tie you to the village and have some interpersonals.
Also need to know how to engage you in the fight in the Inner Courtyard where we will begin again. Why are you there and willing to fight?
I am fine giving a bit more time before beginning. I will be reviewing the new builds in detail to make sure they are correct.
My plan is to begin the story the story at the healing area of the Inner Quarter. Nakoma and Acacius were saved by a group of soldiers and dragged back there to be revived. Then, they will pair up with the new crew. Come up with a story about how you came to be at the barricade, so it's easier to fold new and old together.
Just give me the heads up when everyone is ready to begin.
Its just a starting point. Linking in his power either being a result of or starting a famous fire in town. Almost taking an X-Men style mutant approach to acquiring his magical abilities.
Grauk isn't his real name and most in town don't know who he is. I am thinking he has a life in Vigil to the south. He's probably half terrified and infatuated by fire since it's had such a big impact on his life. Kind of a mercenary hedge wizard for hire though tries to avoid more dangerous jobs generally being careful.
He comes back to Tranau every few months or years as a caravan guard as an excuse to secretly visit his cousins... perhaps one or more of them has been killed or badly injured by the orc raid so he's just been embracing his inner pyromaniac and setting orcs on fire (with liberal amounts of running away laughing as burning orcs chase after him). Until the raid hit he was probably quietly talking with his cousins in a back room, they might not be too keen on their strange cousin from the south.
I might spend some starting money on a masterwork dagger that is a recently deceased cousins he is just using to help him kill things (you know orcs) now for when fire hasn't kept them at bay. He's from Tranau originally but he's not hidebound by tradition and might upset some of the locals with this strangers liberal use of a fallen towns folks dagger.
<-- Okay, I think Azen is done.
As to how she gets into the party, I think she was working at the healing station helping to heal and maybe even cheer up the wounded with a song here and there, and either her mother came by and told her to go check on that little blonde chick that she had taken under her wing a few months back, or she just didn't see her come back, and so she was part of the rescue party that found Zirelle dead and her companions bleeding out. She sees their need, and she has always wanted to be an adventurer as well, so she either joins them right there and then, or (if her mother is around), she asks her for permission first, and then does it.
(She is one of Halgra's children, so up to you, DM, whether you want Halgra involved in the story.)
I think the orcs are not going to enjoy our second push!
Let's hope so!
And we're both ready to go.
Will I have renewed access to my abilities for the day? Or will I start with only the uses I had left?
Oops, forgot to add my hopeknife to my inventory. Doing so now. Just the price of a regular dagger, right?
I thought they were masterwork daggers?
Oh, you are probably right. I guess I won't get one. I don't have that kind of cash. I'm just going to have a dagger around my neck that *looks* like one.
... On that note, the one that Zirelle sent her old boyfriend must have just been a replica as well, since she only spent 50 gold on it.
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They're masterwork, but we were allowed to have a cheap one that was a regular dagger if we wanted.
@ GM: Since the attack happened at night, I tweaked my background slightly. My family would have just arrived that evening in Trunau from their holiday, have started unpacking, and cooking up a celebratory 'welcome home' meal in their crowded little home when the attack began. They live in the Inner Quarter, so their house is likely on fire or being plundered right now. He probably would have spent the beginning of the attack trying to get everyone in the nearby homes to safety, and battling his way through the neighbourhood. Maybe he even helped set up the barricade that the healers are behind now? Just some thoughts.
Hopeknives are MW for purposes of use, but the cost is widely varied based on how fancy or plain the ornamentation is. If you are a native Trunauan, like Azen, you would've been given your hopeknife at coming-of-age as Ruby was in the opening scene.
If you bought your own later, you could've spend from 2 to 2000 gp on it depending on the craftsmanship and intricacy of design.
Since everyone else is full to start, I will grant Nakoma and Acacius full use of powers to start the new session. Seems only fair, if they had brought new bodies, they would be full also.
I assume you are all ready to start v1.1 then? I think there are few lingering build questions, but we can start and deal with them along the way.
Will have a post from the southern barricade up soon.
Ah, understood on the hopeknives.
If Acacius ever ends up thinking of himself as a citizen of Trunau, he would certainly acquire one. He can certainly get the idea behind them.
I'm ready to get stuck back in. :)
New PC's may want to review the loot pile on the Loot Tracker link to see if there is anything worth swiping there. The gear held by Zan and Zirelle is lost as is their coin (it was in the average for the new characters). But the non-claimed items are all available still.
Update the tracker for everyone's starting money etc.
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@Nakoma: That seems fine to me!
@Azen: What may seem strange to Azen about Acacius' speech is that he wasn't even in town before a few days ago. If she interacted with him at all, he would have had an accent of southern Lastwall, perhaps near Vigil.