Alrighty then, I think that'll more or less do it for Sholano, I think he's as fleshed out as he's gonna get for the moment.
A couple questions for you, then, if you don't mind: First, is Sholano the kind of guy that'll fit in 'round here? Not necessarily "will you pick him?", so much as "is he even a viable sort of character for this AP?". I'm fully aware that he's an odd duck (and not from Talingarde), and I have to wonder how much he can fit in.
Second, in a unorthodox move, what're the chances I could drop a second submission into the mix? There's another villain kicking around in my head, and I so rarely get the chance to let these guys out to play.
Sorry Sholando, I realized that I missed your other questions on the last pass. In regards to "fitting in", I have to tell you that choosing to have Sholando from the mainland rather then Talingard seems to limit some of his plot hooks. I don't know about you, but if I was arrested in mexico and I somehow managed to break out of prison, I would get the hell out of the country first chance I got, not plan to overthrow them. The rub is that I don't see a concrete reason for you stay in Talingarde. Yes, they branded you and planned to kill you.. but you disrved it. There's nothing that's keeping Sholano in Talingarde.. no reason why he would risk his life to stay. I feel like Sholando would have better suited to a Crimson Throne, Second Darkness, Runelords or Shards of Sin campaign.
Sholando, please don't take the feedback personally. I think the backstory itself was well written with excellent details but not perhaps for Way of the Wicked. Now.. with your other character idea. Find a reason why he (or she) would want to burn Talingarde to the ground and see the clergy of Mitra crushed underneath the booted heal of Asmodean Hellknights and then you could have a winner.
Bahram remembers his childhood. He remembers his father, a Knight of the Alerion, who would come home and look for excuses to rail against and beat his wife and children, but who would always leave the house with his armor polished and boots shined - usually by Bahram himself - so that all who looked upon him would marvel at his upstanding character. He remembers his two older brothers, and even his older sister, being thrown out of the house - often, literally - as soon as they were old enough to fend for themselves under the law, and his father telling inquirers that it was for their own benefit.
He remembers his mother fleeing the house in tears one night, and his father running after her; try as he might, though, he can't remember ever seeing her again afterwards. He remembers his father's fondness for drink after his mother left, and how, when there was enough of it, he would sometimes find some peace. He remembers, on those days when he knew there was not enough, the long days spent in the yard, working to become stronger, harder, faster than his father, and how it never seemed to make a difference when the door would slam shut at the end of the day. Most of all, he remembers the hatred he had toward his father, the resentment he had toward the church that empowered him, and the frustration toward a system that allowed those sorts of things to happen.
He remembers it all. Until now, however, he couldn't do anything about it. Now he can, and he wants the city of Talingarde to burn.
He had just moved his inebriated, unconscious father to his bed, as he did most nights. When it wasn't done, his father would beat him in frustration when he awoke. As he was heading to his own bed, Bahram suddenly fell to the floor, screaming and thrashing for what felt like days, but in reality must have only been a few minutes. That's when the vision, the sending, came to him.
The darkness is absolute. There is no sound. No feeling. Nothing. Then, a voice drills itself into his skull, You have been chosen.
A flash of light illuminates a mountain...no, a creature, more massive than any living thing could possibly be, with the head of an octopus and the wings of a bat. The collective souls of Golarion cry out for mercy, for aid from their puny gods, but their pleas are in vain. It seems to last forever...
Again, the voice...the presence...enters his mind, We are coming.
Another flash, and he sees the movements of the stars, of entire galaxies. The infinity of space is laid before him, and his mind shrinks from its vastness. He sees a comet flying through the fabric, and it falls toward a small planet. His focus shifts momentarily, and he sees a once-great city that was lost beneath the waves, returned to the world from the depths of the sea, rivers of water streaming down the streets.
No, mortal. My time is near, but you have not been called for my use.
Another flash and suddenly he is in the water himself, sinking...no, being pulled...deeper and deeper. The light slowly grows dim once more as he descends. He perceives...something...lying in the silt. The comet. A sickly green light emanates from within it, and he can sense...a presence...within. As his mind touches the fringes of that presence, it recoils in horror from the vast intelligence. He tries to escape, sending his thoughts anywhere but here, but his struggles are for naught.
As his mind is overtaken, he hears one final statement.
His father found him the next morning sitting, knees held to chest, beneath the table, rocking himself and muttering under his breath. When his father couldn't rouse him with threats or by kicking him soundly, he stormed off for the day, vowing that if Bahram wasn't acting normally by that evening, he would be sorry.
When his father arrived home that evening, the sun had already set, and the house was dark. He called out, "Bahram! Get your sorry a** down here and fix my dinner!" There was no answering scuffle of feet, no meek "Yes, sir." in response. Nothing. He went to light a candle, but before he had felt his way to it, it flared to life. He turned to find his son standing in the middle of the room, staring at him...but something was different.
He was as tall as he had once been, and as massive, but his skin was stretched, thin, pallid...melted, almost. His eyes had a strange glow, and there was a foul stench of month-old bread emanating from him. "You have wronged me, father. You will pay."
His father, surprised by his son's appearance and new-found courage, laughed. "Boy, you'd best be leaving now, and I mean to make you." Bahram picked up the candle and a small bag, muttered a short incantation, and a fiery eagle appeared behind his father, screeching and attacking him.
His father dove beneath the bird and rolled to his feet, grabbing his longsword from beside the door and drawing it, but when he turned to face his son, there were now two of the hell-born birds facing him, with Bahram behind them, laughing and readying a club.
His father fled, then, throwing open the door and running, screaming for help the whole way. When officials arrived at the house, they found Bahram sitting in front of it, smiling. "This is but the first step of many. I am His, they are coming, and you. Will. Burn."
I present the new Slevin.
The son of a famously popular prostitute, when Slevin was born with one eye as black as the deepest midnight with an iris that formed an eerily luminous white starburst, it was simply assumed that the client that had gotten his mother pregnant had had some fiendish heritage, a reasonable explanation for why the potion the girls all took to avoid that had failed.
The fact that Slevin grew up in a brothel was not particularly unpleasant for him, in fact he was well cared for, his mother being the extremely talented top earner, he was liked by everyone, a thoughtful, deep boy whose rare smiles added light to any room.
That all ended the night an over aggressive noble's son with a penchant for sadism came to the brothel while Slevin was running errands for the madam. The crowd of the girls sobbing outside told him something was wrong, the sight of his mother's body on the floor of the room was his first true lesson in loss, one that left him with a cold dark pit in his heart. The emptiness he felt was a cold darkness that threatened to swallow the boy. overwhelming his every emotion, the boy’s face becoming an expressionless mask that betrayed nothing.
When word came a week later that the killer had been caught, the boy found his way into the crowd that had assembled to witness the noble, given up by his disgusted parents, taken to stand trial for his crimes.
The darkness growing inside young Slevin spoke then, a whisper, yet one that could not be ignored. In a burst of speed, the boy dashed forward, drawing a knife from the belt of a shocked constable and lunging forward to sink the blade hilt deep in the murderer's heart with an accuracy that seemed to have an almost divine guidance. In that moment, looking into the eyes of his mother's killer as the light left them, Slevin experienced a distortion of time and space.
He stood in the infinite blackness of night, the twinkling of an infinitesimal number of stars creating a perpetual twilight in which he found himself lost and alone, the vast emptiness threatening to swallow him like the emptiness in his heart. And then he was there, dark and powerful yet unassuming, cold and terrifying yet comforting in his familiarity, he stood before him draped in silence and shadow the perfect meld silence and death, a quiet promise of the secret power to destroy any that would ever take anything from him again. He approached, silent and powerful, locking eyes with him and in that moment he saw that in the darkness and silence would lay the power to make his enemies suffer, the knowledge to bring down the strongest opponent.
Then, he was being pulled away by a guard, the body of his mother's killer at his feet. None who had seen the brutality of his mother's death could hold him responsible, and the constable was spared the difficulty of deciding the boy's fate when a priest of Mitra offered to take the boy on in order to guide him along the right path.
The priest in fact only paid lip service to Mitra, being a member of a secretive cell of the followers of Norgorber.. He had seen the boy's eyes and was determined to lead the boy on the path to Norgorber’s true purpose. Unlike many of the god’s other priests, his new master worshipped The Dark One, a combination of all of Norgorber’s disparate aspects, embracing the Dark Glory of the Taker and Deathbringer.
Over the years Slevin developed into an exceptional assassin, his every kill a dedication to his Dark Lord in which he was privy to a secret of the universe. Gifted with incredible ability by his dark master, his kills were all but untraceable, until the day his mark, an elderly powerful merchant, targeted for his strangle hold on numerous royal contracts, turned out to be the father of a noted Paladin warrior. With the aid of the church, the grieving son was able to track Slevin down through the use of high power scrying spells, taking him into custody, while losing a dozen men in the process, determined that he would stand trial for his crimes.
Onto the questions. How does Slevin feel about nobles considering the fate of his mother?
Slevin is none too fond of nobles and a part of him enjoys when he has a noble as a mark. There is a certain pleasure that fills him when someone who considered themselves untouchable discovers that they are far from it.
What was her name? Does he know who his father is or is he even concerned about his potential infernal heritage?
Her name was Yesenia. He never knew his true last name and took Wraith as a professional moniker. He gives his father no thought at all, perhaps it is the utter absence of such that lead to his embracing of Norgorber’s favor.
Outside of having been trained to kill from the shadows, what is it that motivates Slevin?
Ironically, Slevin considers those who proclaim themselves as “good” to be the most corrupt of all. He seeks knowledge and power, partially for it’s own sake, partially to ensure nothing he cherishes is ever taken from him again.
How does he feel about prostitutes considering his mothers trade?
He definitely has a soft spot for prostitutes and would kill someone abusing one in his sight without the slightest regret, and more often thn not with little hesitation. To him, they serve others in a way that should be respected and protected. Satiating the body the way knowledge and secrets satiate the mind.
Does Slevin have secret that you would like to see develop?
Will require a bit of thought.
My story has been updated to answer the questions you had about Vexis. Hopefully I did not miss anything. I saw that you have selected already from the skills category.
Did Oswald ever consider the option of a raise dead spell rather then something so extreme?
I've always been of the opinion while it is probably a viable option for adventurers, for most common people it is so costly and an ordeal that few see it as a solution. As to why Oswald never considered it, he did in some sane corner of his conscious but by the time he had seen his family die in his arms, his mind was already snapping under the strain. In the time that he would of been able to get up the funds for three 'raise dead' spells by liquidating all his assets and taking out loans from friends (5,000 gp x 3 in materials plus the cost of 3 castings of the spell is a lot for anyone not swimming in a vast inheritance or diamonds), the deadline for a reasonably leveled priest casting the spell would of expired and lets not even get into the costs of Resurrection or True Resurrection. But even if the cost wasn't an issue with Oswald, the little trust he had in the priests of Mitra has been forever shattered. They are the horrible monsters that torment his dreams, their laughter and fingers pointed in mockery as he cradles his dead children in his arms. If a priest of Mitra was to offer to solve all his troubles by bringing his family once more to life, he probably would end up smashing the priest's head in with a heavy stone instead of listening to the split-tongued devil in sheep's clothing. That isn't to say though that some part of him wouldn't be tempted by such an offer...
How would he react to the loss of his poppet?
To Oswald, the poppet is more than a mere tool that helps him focus his mind and powers, it is the last piece of his old life that he clings to desperately with all his strength. He thinks his wife and children are with the voices that speak to him from the doll, waiting for Oswald to find a way to bring them back to join him on this side of the veil. If someone was to remove it from his possession, it would likely send Oswald into a mad fit of thrashing, biting, spitting, and cursing. Once the initial madness quells, he will do everything in his power to rip the eyes and tongue from the one who stole his poppet and everyone who chooses to stand between him and its recovery.
Outside of seeing the church of Mitra brought to its knees, and seeing his daughter returned to "life", is there anything else that is important to Oswald?
He would see not just his daughter revived, but his son and wife as well. Beyond these goals, and the destruction of the Mitra faith, Oswald is a man of simple desires. He would like to see rise to a place where he and his family can live in peace without the threat of eternal damnation looming over their heads as the Orders of Mitra promise those like him. Any power or prestiege that he might gain in the pursuit of his goals are incidental and only of value to him as a means to an end.
Sholando, please don't take the feedback personally. I think the backstory itself was well written with excellent details but not perhaps for Way of the Wicked. Now.. with your other character idea. Find a reason why he (or she) would want to burn Talingarde to the ground and see the clergy of Mitra crushed underneath the booted heal of Asmodean Hellknights and then you could have a winner.
Okay then, fair enough. I figured that Sholano being foreign might be a problem, but...well, it worked for him in my head. I have one quick thought on that subject, before I start up a new character. With just a few tweaks to details, I could have Sholano be from Talingarde originally, before the Mitran takeover. I think he does have to wander the mainland for a while, but he could be returning to Talingarde after a long absence (half-elves live for a while, after all), and discover these self-righteous jerks running things now.
I'm pretty sure I can weave a decent little tale of revenge and deceit with something like that, actually - and more importantly, hang on to the core of the character in the process. Gimme a few hours, I'll see what I can cook up. If I can't come up with something that satisfies me, you'll get to meet Vyshaan, the mad tattooed spellslinger.
Bahram is an exceptionally large brute of a man, who carries himself with the careful grace that comes, eventually, from often hitting one's head on door frames, or harming others without even trying (much). You can tell that he would be a formidable opponent in battle, but that isn't the bit that makes you nervous. No, the worst part is that, despite not being particularly wise or bright, he is persuasive. In fact, when he begins talking about the dark tapestry and the powerful beings that reside there, his eyes take on the glassy sheen of madness, and you feel yourself being drawn into his delusions...
Some points of interest about Bahram's background and such:
- Bahram's father is still alive, and will likely be listening for word of his son's death in Branderscar prison, ready to put on a good show for anyone that comes by to support him in his time of "grief".
- The fate of Bahram's mother is an unknown. She might have fled the city, or been killed by Bahram's father, or anything in between.
- Bahram is lawful evil, but after re-reading his background, he seems to be giving off some pretty chaotic vibes. Let me clarify a little. He knows that the law is there to protect people, as it should have protected him. However, people are flawed, so the law is not applied uniformly, which causes injustice. When faced with this, all you can do is be true to your code of honor first, and do your best to right the system. He has not had a chance to determine his own code of honor yet (since he was being psychologically stifled by his father), and has only recently been given the power he would need to right the system (or destroy it altogether), so these things will come with time.
- Bahram's motivations are fairly simple. First, gain power. Then, take revenge (or, rather, exact justice) upon his father. Everything else is tertiary for now, partly because he doesn't know how far this is going to go. Eventually, it might include preparing the way for the Great Old Ones, however they direct him to do so, but until he's given direction along those lines, he'll use the powers as he sees fit at the time and look to gain more power through their use.
- As I mentioned before, Bahram doesn't know it yet, but he'll be doing some necromancy if given the chance, to fit with the Xhamen-Dor theme.
- Bahram has stared in the face of infinity, and it broke his brain a little. He isn't going to be stark, raving mad, because that would make him a much more chaotic character. However, he did go through a large personality change, and with his new-found powers (which he knows are granted to him by the infinite power of the dark tapestry) is likely going to be feeling a little invincible for a while.
That's about it for now. Please let me know your thoughts.
Figured I'd whip up that writing sample for you either way, since it's not a bad thing to have and if you were going to say yes then, hey, it's already done.
She was calling an Erinyes, a fallen angel. Not only did it seem one of the easier outsiders to call--and no matter how much confidence she held, she was not stupid enough to call something stronger--but it could be bargained with by giving it holy items to ruin and deface. Much of what she hadn't spent on the scroll went to purchasing holy items of varying values revering Mitra. It was the only god she could buy items of, and they were plentiful. Foul symbols that existed in tribute to a false god. Even the purcase of them made her uneasy, and she had said a great many prayers to Asmodeus asking for his forgiveness, justifying the purchase of them, of giving money to worshippers of Mitra, by promising they would be ultimately used against them. The Prince of Darkness would not be disappointed.
After making a full rotation, she drew the scroll, fingers again trembling against the paper. With the bag discarded she could with her free hand draw the dagger she held at her side, alchemical silver to defend herself with if the devil did not take kindly to her summons. Her whole body had since begun to quiver, and she was glad noboy was listening to her cast the spell for the cicle, as her unconfident casting was a disgrace to her proud magical inheritance.Stepping out of the circle carefully, she inspected it to make sure everything lined up perfectly, nudging a little silver powder with her feet to get it back into the line. It was perfect, a testament to all of her ability. Her revolution began here, and with the power she would gain, more could be sought, until finally Talingarde and their reverence of the joke of a god Mitra could come crashing down in cathartic fire.
Unfurling the scroll, she took plenty of deep breaths, clinging hard to the dagger and forcing her concentration so much that for an instant her claws retracted, digging into her palm and piercing the skin. She hissed and thrashed her head, but kept herself level, and began to chant the words of the Lesser Planar Binding spell. Ten minutes the spell would take, ten minutes of intense focus and chanting, where nothing else existed. Not the room, not her desires, not her panic, and not the sound of metal boots against stairs, rapid against the creaky wooden stairs that led down to the basement of the abandoned house she had hidden out in. There was an upward pull of the magic, a lift that seemed to tug upward from her feet through her body, like a million painless hooks hoisting her into divinity. It was an addictive thrill that she would revel in when it was over, because casting a spell had never felt so enriching.
It eended the moment the sap struck her in the back of the head, hard and blunt and sending her stumbling to the floor, the lift suddenly gone, the spell broken and the backlash of interruption making her scream in both agony and disappointment. Another strike, this one in her midsection, which she clutched at, and she saw the towering with hunter standing above her, smirking and delivering a third strike to her exposed back. Everything had gone to waste, her spell ruined, her life savings thrown away, and a sentence over her head of one of the most grievous offenses in Talingare. She'd be burned for it.
"What's your name?" he scowled, voice edged with contempt, making her furious. Nobody spoke to her like that, but the dagger was no longer in her hands and she doubted her claws could do anything against his armor, so she averted her gaze and tried to think. There was no way she could indict her parents, whose secret shrine to Asmodeus would be found, condemning them also as witches.
"Ariana," she spat, and blood came with the words, intermingled with thick strands of saliva that gave the faded, worn wooden floors the first glimpse of colour they'd seen in years. Something came to her then, a word. Not a real word, but one that seemed believable enough, a send-up to her heritage and to her pride, far removed from her surname of 'Khail'. "D-Ddraig. Ariana Ddraig. And I have no choice but to surrender to you, servant of a fool god. You shall not have my mind though, and I shall die in tribute to Asmodeus, certain to rise up as a demon and strike you down, lay bare all of your false-rightenousness."
Another blow to her head sent her from consciousness, the words which would comee to haunt her in the remaining days of her life the only faint echoes left as she fell into dreams of failure and regret. "“May Mitra have mercy upon your wretched, damned soul.”
I did some thinking about Lady Rose. Her charisma is too much a part of her to play any class that can't use it, but upon thinking about it I decided I'd be alright with reworking her as an Oracle of Bones or an Abyssal or Daemon bloodline Sorcerer.
An interesting option I'd though of was using the Dragon Disciple PrC, keeping the abilities the same, and re-flavoring it as a "Demon Disciple" (as Rose becomes more and more like her mother).
Already having an Antipaladin in the group makes it unlikely a second one would be chosen. If either of these options would get me into the game, I'd definitely do it.
This is Stratos from earlier posting on this Transmutor for submission. While I need to take care of traits/feats and whatnot, the story is what I'm interested in right now: Will it work?
Do give it a glance from Kyras's profile or the spoiler below, Avatar, and tell me if you think he might mesh well with your world.
I also invite criticism from the rest of the applicants; tips for self-improvement are always welcome gifts!
In his youth, Kyras had been a zestful merchant. Bartering and haggling, swindling and fast-talking – the ambitious young man did it all. Since he was a boy, he'd made a living off of dealing in whatever he could. His mother was but a serf of a Chelish slum in Ostenso, and trading roast rat for some swill that wouldn't kill you on the way down was a necessary ritual for survival. Over time, the boy grew into a teen, and teens do stupid things. With a reputation for shrewd bargaining, Kyras tried to win the affections of the daughter of some merchant – Larron, a slave trader. Though not particularly high on the social ladder herself, he treated Faella like a queen – as well as one of the streets could. No diamond earrings could he provide nor silk dresses nor exotic delicacies, but he showered her with fresh field daisies, wooden charms (with no scratches even!), and even salted poultry. At each offering, Faella smiled icily, then spoke some pleasantry to excuse herself and slipped away through the streets. Finally, after a week of exceptionally lucrative trading, Kyras acquired a pendant with some very attractive rock at the center. The lavender stone even matched the color of the sprig of lilac Faella like to wear in her hair. Getting her alone as best one could in the well-populated avenue, he offered it to her.
“A priceless pendant for the most lovely lady!” he announced, holding the piece out by its chain.
Sighing, Faella glanced around, then stepped closer to him. With a paper-thin smile, she lifted the amulet, inspecting it. The smile became a smirk, and a dash of mirth escaped her lips. “A bit of brass and rock? This is trash – like you. Go home.”
Speechless, Kyras was unable to ratify his hopes with reality as she pushed the accessory back into his hand, but a distant feeling to him then. Trash. Holding back tears, he looked around the street. Nobody seemed to be watching, so at least no public insult was added to the injury he felt on the inside.
Just as nobody was watching now – the prisoners in the line could scarce relate to his life, Kyras many years beyond them, his bastard blood giving him longevity. At least it would until he met his end here.
For weeks, Kyras strove to find purpose in his life. Seeming like an eternity for the adolescent, he concluded he simply didn't have enough to offer his fancies. Not wanting company from a working man or woman for the rest of his days, he sought to gain something well-respected in the tyrannical nation: power. Far from noble, Kyras would have to earn his by money or merit. As gifts given remained a struck nerve for him, he opted for the latter. He heard talk of his father's kind being apt in the arcane arts, so he decided to learn what he could; perhaps his cunning and blood would work together to make him into something. Education for one of his lowly status though? Not likely – he was lucky enough to be literate and good with sums from his dealings over the years.
Hatching a plan, he made arrangements with a few of his contacts to break into a mageling's quarters – some acolyte of Asmodeus. Kyras had always respected the Lord of Hell, partially out of necessity in Cheliax, but partially out of admiration; one day, he wanted to be the one making contracts of import. His followers were another story though. Arrogant and self-assured, they pranced around the town as if they were gods themselves. Their mark was especially haughty, and he boasted loudly of his dark talent quite often. Sure enough, he possessed a spell tome, reagents – the whole nine yards. He also possessed a spot of luck that night, as his empty room was happened-upon by some of his clergy. Kyras didn't know any of the priests, but he was easy enough to identify by his ears. Not wanting to discover what punishment awaited him, he and his bandits ran. The now-thief was lucky enough to be carrying the book with him, and he only grabbed what he could carry before slipping out by nightfall.
Running across the border to Andoran, Kyras had a rather difficult experience in the wilds. He wasn't strong, nor was he skilled in the ways of the woods. A few squirrels and the blessing of happening across a wandering hunter was all that kept him going. Upon arrival in a village in the free nation, he essentially collapsed near the well at the center. Passers by stared and whispered to each other, but none approached. Until nightfall, that is. Rousing him from his sleep, an old man helped him to his feet.
“You mean to show your colors here, you fool?! Put that damned book away!” His visitor meant business by his tone.
The man glanced around the area, walking Kyras back to his house. Once inside, he planted Kyras in a seat at his table.
“Worship of Asmodeus is a quick trip to the gallows here,” he said, gesturing towards the book in Kyras's hand; he'd taken it out at the well to remind himself of why he'd come. Little did he realize the blood-red star on the cover was something to conceal now. The hungry youth looked tiredly across the table at him, in no state to run or fight. Almost as if reading his mind, the old man spooned him some soup into a bowl from a pot on the fire. “I'm Wolm. We'll get along just fine.” The smile which followed would later become Kyras's own.
Wolm turned out to be a slave-trafficker. Highly illegal in Andoran, the trade paid quite well from his contacts in Cheliax. In the man's cellar was a small arcane sanctum of sorts, where he practiced his concealed talent and kept his victims until they could be shipped the last leg of the way. Spellcraft which required a subject found many a victim in that basement. Over the years, Kyras grew to be just as talented as Wolm, much to the man's distaste. The halfblood had an eye for value and a mind for magic. Due this conflict, Wolm sent him away to negotiate some new terms with a new vendor – none other than Larron.
The caravan was enclosed and stocked with potent sleeping mixtures to keep the slaves in one place and silent. This meant the road was smooth until they started waking at Ostenso. A few lashes kept them in line as Kyras and one of the traffickers from the caravan entered Larron's (new) estate – he'd been quite well for himself, it seemed. The terms were discussed, and but there was an impasse. Due the length of the argument, the keeper of the manor suggested they stay to dine.
“I'd like you to meet my daughter, Faella,” sounded the man's basso voice over his wine goblet as a fair figure entered the chamber from behind Kyras and sat next to him. They turned to face each other.
Her face drained of color, and the smile on it vanished with the recognition. She had aged more than the elf-blood let him though, so Kyras took a few moments to take in her image. She was still unwed.
Icy as ever, she pretended she didn't know him at the table, refusing to acknowledge their presence. Larron retired to bed before long, suggesting they would be more agreeable in the morning. Kyras and the trafficker knew the negotiations were going nowhere though. It wasn't unheard of for a meeting to be ended early with no end to it, but Kyras had yet another idea. When nobody was looking, he slipped a dose of the sleeping mixture into Faella's wine. Before she knew it, she was asleep. They took her body back to the caravan and left in the night – not an unusual time for them.
Trash.
He had his fun with her on the way back to Andoran. Some of the new spells he'd been meaning to try needed a subject he knew a bit about, and she would be perfect; if she could handle his courting faux pas in his youth, she could handle a few misspoken words for a spell. A little accidental fire or lightning never hurt anyone. Yet when they arrived at Wolm's house, guards with an eagle crest on their armor awaited them. Accused of forbidden worship, they were, and the guards held up Kyras's spellbook as evidence. Thinking fast, he played dumb, insisting he'd never seen it before – perhaps it was some of his new lady wife's effects? The guards bought the story, and they took the sleeping Faella – complete with numerous effects depicting the Pactbinder on her person, along with her Chelish clothing. Their hands full, they said they would be back to pick up the heavy tome as they carried her to the barracks.
With no time to lose, Kyras dashed into the house to see the state of affairs. Wolm was nowhere to be found, and though the basement looked rummaged through, nothing seemed missing. Grabbing the tome, some coin, and what reagents he could, Kyras returned to the caravan. Whomever sent the investigation there knew what they had, and it could have even been Wolm himself. He needed to get out of there, so he and the trafficker made for another point along their route in Talingarde.
Establishing a residence with his coin, Kyras continued his trade for some time. He changed houses numerous times, gaining wealth and status as he stayed in the kingdom. Respected for his wealth and holdings, the position felt hollow. They didn't respect him for his ability – rightly so as his skills as a mage needed seasoning yet. He gave himself more to his research, and by doing so, became lax with security.
One day, a familiar scene greeted him upon his return, but there was no way out now. This time, his book was not the only thing found – evidence of his elaborate trafficking was plentiful on his estate. The sentence was decisive, the transfer swift: Branderscar Prison for beheading.
Glancing ahead, he'd no doubt the headsman's axe would meet his neck before long. Asmodeus might have a use for him afterwards though – there was always a deal to be made.
Grr. I just finished writing up my new take on Sholano's story, and then like an idiot I forgot to copy to wordpad before telling the forum to save it. It is now rather late at night, so I'm gonna hit the sack and do it again tomorrow, but here's the nutshell version. I found the gazetteer on Talingarde to glean a little more info as fuel for this one.
They fled the kingdom, eventually making their way to Varisia and the city of Korvosa, taking up service once more in the newly rebuilt Temple of Asmodeus. Not wanting to tell her son of his father's true origins, she told him his father had been put to death by Mitrans during the purges, a Hellknight who had fought openly for the Asmodean church. Thus did the boy learn the value of waging your battles from the shadows.
When he came of age, Sholano traveled Golarion and honing his skills, anxious for the day when he could return to the city of his birth and revenge himself on the church responsible for his father's ignominious death. But not through rampant conquest, that was hardly his way - no, he intended to pull a greater feat. Take them for everything they had and leave the stones to crumble behind him.
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One other idea, that I wasn't sure was appropriate but fits in to the above neatly: Sholano's true father may be the former Prince Hallen, the monarch called the Mad.
Grr. I just finished writing up my new take on Sholano's story, and then like an idiot I forgot to copy to wordpad before telling the forum to save it. It is now rather late at night, so I'm gonna hit the sack and do it again tomorrow, but here's the nutshell version...
That's the worst!
After a little more thought...
@GM
In his perverted outlook philosophy, Talingarde is the new opponent, a fighter to be bested, the biggest one yet, and one that he can't even see, but it will bleed, and die... Just like all the others.
Not formatted, but how I would see Kusuma thinking as he rots in the cell, hopefully giving you an idea of how I would keep him invested long term.
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Round seven
...
Thanks DM C, I spent two hours refining that ten minute background. Now on to the crunch, which my fu is much weaker at (as you mentioned about Perrah). Now to do a bit of reading up.
If I think of anything else to add about Kurgh's background and personality I'll let you know. Seeing some of the other PCs I haven't done that many words yet.
Anyway thanks for doing this Celeador I admire the effort on your part and hopefully your campaign will reap the benefits.
Cheers
CURRENT APPLICANTS
I. MARTIAL CHARACTERS
1. Kusuma, LE Human Male Monk (Ayrphish)
2. Mikhail Halancoun, LE Dhampir Male Antipaladin (DM Barcas)*
3. Rosemary Lillith Thorn, Aasamar Female Antipaladin (Doomed Hero)
4. Darsis Valdane, Human Male Ranger (Byden)
5. Arnaud Deschaux, Human Male Gunslinger (CorvusRed)
II. SKILL CHARACTERS
1. Steinki Uðr, LE Dwarf Male Inquisitor (Michaelane)
2. Aaron Broodmark, LE Half-Elf Male Inquisitor (sunshadow21)
3. Sholano Gale, LE Human Male Rogue (Viscount K)
4. Ethaniel Tessarin, N Human Male Magus (F. Castor)*
5. Barnabas Wright, LE Human Male Rogue (Fanguar)
6. Vexis LaVayn, LE Human Female Rogue (vonklinen)
7. Slevin Wrath, NE Human Male Inquisitor (Mark Thomas 66)
III. FULL ARCANE CHARACTERS
1. Myra the Darksting, NE Human Female Sorcerer (Kor BloodRage)
2. Ariana Ddraig, LE Human Female Sorcerer (Nidoran Duran)
3. Athena Giovanni, LE Tiefling Female Sorcerer (MPCampbell)
4. Erikan Staldidt, LE Human Male Sorcerer (littlehewy)
5. Oswald Turrill, NE Human Male Witch (Draconas)
6. Kyras Farson, LE Human Male Wizard (Stratos)
IV. FULL DIVINE CHARACTERS
1. Inam Darkskye, NE Sylph Female Druid (Darkfire142)
2. Bahram Akhavan, LE Human Male Oracle (Pedwiddle)
3. Kalmah, LE Human Male Cleric (LichdomCome)
4. Kurgh the Dwarf, LE Human Male Cleric (French Wolf)
*selected for campaign.
I believe I have everyone listed, but if I somehow missed you let me know and I'll make the changes. I'll also be posting a new set of notes shortly. Thank you all for your continued involvement and I am really happy with the level of quality from the applications.
I have edited some of my background's diction and added a few clarifying details. Again, I will worry about the specific mechanics if you green-light the story for me.
It looks like there's a very healthy roster.
Good Morning Villains and welcome to round eight!
Yesterday I asked Mikhail and Ethaniel for their thoughts on who they would like to play with. Barnabas Wright Has been selected for the third spot in our vile band. The combination of skills and duality of character will make for a strong addition to the group. Barnabas, please join the others in the discussion thread.
Thank you for the writing sample. I thought your prologue was very well written and I like your choice in dragon heritage. Playing a character with the blood of a "good" creature, and rejecting your heritage towards down the path of darkness gives you excellent structure to build off of. I think Ariana is understandable, and her darker urges make sense. The Religious Monarchy of Talingarde, would censure the "darker" forms of magic. As I recall there was a Magical College in Matharyn that was burned to the ground during the Asmodean Purge. I'll see if I can find some more information on it.
Once the greatest college in all of Talingarde was dedicated to Asmodeus. And then the Church of Mitra came to power and its great library was burned. Any who resisted this fanatic luddite regime joined their books on the pyre. That was decades ago. In secret the College of Thorns yet persists and you are the last of its members. What few know or even suspect is that the college though was betrayed by one of its own members -- the Magister Tacitus of Morimun
I agree that writing the background to a first level character can pose a challenge. The trick is keeping it interesting while maintaining a reasonable expectation of what that character would, and would not have been able to do. I think that you found a good combination, and much like Kurgh, you were shaped by the embarrassment and scorn of your family. Mechanically, Athena is strong, her enchantment DC's are extremely high for a 1st level character. At a first glace her Charm Person shows a DC of 19 vs women and 20 vs men. I don't have any further questions at this time.
Thank you for answering my questions. I understand what you mean about structuring your posts to fit the general mood of the campaign. Feel free to expand your backstory, but I have no further questions.
I read your updated back-story. I can see why you gravitated towards Lamashtu, but I think that Norgorber was the better choice for what you were going for.
I haven't watched Justified, but I have heard good things. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the update's Arnaud. I think that by expanding your imprisonment following the assault on Pellious, you gave Arnaud a deeper level of depth. Locked away, facing the scorn and derision of prison guards and inmates alike, Arnaud was forced to change or die. Arnaud could have been redeemed if things had gone a different way, instead he became the animal that he hunted for so long. This was an excellent tweak.
The raise dead is a fair point. It would have been far too expensive for even a skilled and respected doctor such as Oswald. Furthermore the clergy of Mitra had failed him once before, and it was unlikely he would have placed much trust in them. Concerning Oswalds madness: Like Bahram you are both playing the broken man angle, and I think it's very solid. Would Oswald be able to work with others towards a common goal? Is he able to control his insanities when necessary, or at least pretend to?
When I read your outline for the first time, I thought you had a good idea, but I wanted you to expand on it. I had some concerns with someone who would worship, or revere a being that wanted nothing more than the complete destruction of everything in this world. But you know what? Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.. Bahram, I asked you to expand on your character and you did just that. The abusive, alcoholic father, the missing mother, siblings who were forced out. All of it is good. Your prologue was solid, and an excellent indicator of your ability. If I'm being honest, I am still a little concerned with his struggle between order and chaos but I think you really stepped it up.
Good story and solid tie in as a Half-Elf (highlighting the slower ageing). Like Barnabas you choose to go the slaving route. I think that you managed to tie in your back history to Cheliax, Andoran and Talingarde quiet well, and that in and of itself was impressive. I instantly took away from the story the sense of arrogance that seems to radiate off of Kyras, and I thought it was fitting for someone who managed to raise himself out of the gutter by subjugating others who had been like him. One question: What does Kyras think happened to Wolm? Did he set up his fledgling apprentice to take the fall for slaving, or did something else occur?
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After seeing the background, attention-to-detail and applicants thus far, I can't help myself...
Submitting for your consideration, one Kaynen Catesby ... villainous bard or alchemist (or both?)
Yes, you're quite right with Kyras' arrogance. As was written, he's been humbled a few times in his life (Faella, being illiterate regarding the book he risked his hide to steal & needing tutoring), but he's bright; he knows the odds he overcame to come out of that cesspool as someone in another land with an estate are extraordinary, and he doesn't believe in luck, so he must have tipped the scales in his mind. Even on the chopping block, he's convinced he can negotiate with a god later.
One question: What does Kyras think happened to Wolm? Did he set up his fledgling apprentice to take the fall for slaving, or did something else occur?
Perhaps Wolm had him take the fall - the face value approach.
Perhaps someone else was investigating them and Wolm was/wasn't captured. If so, who? What would their reason be, and how would they know to target that house?
Further, consider this: If Wolm -did- have him take the fall, wouldn't that have a good chance of revealing the rest of his trade line? There must be something big to make him do so. The man is skilled in the ways of spellcraft, so perhaps there is more to him than met the eye.
Maybe the "fall" was not a fall. Perhaps his placement in this prison was intentional, a crucible of sorts. After all, Wolm invested a good bit of time and information with his apprentice. He didn't have to help Kyras along in his magic studies, so was there some hidden gain for him?. Perhaps Kyras is an unintentional pawn in a grander scheme.
I leave the possibilies open to you - along with the status of his father, whomever that may be - so you can nudge the story into interesting nooks and crannies. I find it more interesting if I leave a few blind spots in the backstory for a possible DM surprise. Let me know what you think.
I'll take care of the mechanics tonight. How do you prefer spell knowledge/prep portrayed for your viewing?
Would Oswald be able to work with others towards a common goal? Is he able to control his insanities when necessary, or at least pretend to?
I don't see Oswald as a completely mad raving loon that needs to have a straight-jacket on for his own safety. He is a man obsessed, whose whole world has shrunk down to the view of what helps or hinders his family, regardless of the current state of reality. He might talk to his poppet like it was a real breathing child, he might smell like he has been swimming in the Talingarde sewers, he might state the sky is bright and sunny in the face of a thunderstorm, but he is not a stupid man. He knows not to step into the path of a speeding carriage and that trying to go up and punch the king in the nose would see him beheaded or hung from the gallows. However, he could be talked into doing either if presented with something that would bring him closer to his goals. Yeah, that's the best way to describe Oswald: Not stupid, just easily manipulated.
Any thoughts on my potential class changes, noted earlier?
Ariana Ddraig: Thank you for the writing sample. I thought your prologue was very well written and I like your choice in dragon heritage. Playing a character with the blood of a "good" creature, and rejecting your heritage towards down the path of darkness gives you excellent structure to build off of. I think Ariana is understandable, and her darker urges make sense. The Religious Monarchy of Talingarde, would censure the "darker" forms of magic. As I recall there was a Magical College in Matharyn that was burned to the ground during the Asmodean Purge. I'll see if I can find some more information on it.
Thank you. I imagine her appearance as becoming more and more draconic as she comes into her power, especially at levels where she gains things like natural armor or her breath weapon. With the amount of pride she takes in her heritage, I can see it being a great source of turmoil and conflict for her. She probably won't be having any second thoughts about her path, but I can see her second-guessing her magic and abilities a little because of where they truly come from.
I don't see her as being a member of the College; her grandparents likely were, but her father shies away from much of his magical potential and her mother is complacent a magical crafter. As a result, they would probably not be practicing in secret, as even their worship of Asmodeus itself is a risk. They'd keep little contact with that portion of the community out of safety. She would have certainly heard of it though, and seen it as one of the glories she could restore to Talingarde. Likely, she would envision herself as being a very important figure in, if not outright leading, the college.
@Avatar of Mitra
Thank you for helping me shore up my backstory. :-)
I had some concerns with someone who would worship, or revere a being that wanted nothing more than the complete destruction of everything in this world.
First, I submit that reverence is for clerics. I believe that oracles are chosen by their Mystery (or beings associated with it), regardless of any particular devotion on their part.
If I'm being honest, I am still a little concerned with his struggle between order and chaos but I think you really stepped it up.
Well, on one hand, Bahram is disgusted with his two-faced father, and believes that people should be more honorable than that. In that respect, he values the tenets of Law. He also believes in justice under the law as it was intended, not whatever gets enforced, because sometimes people, like himself, fall through the cracks.
On the other hand, I submit that the goals of the Dark Tapestry aren't the goals of Bahram. Xharem-Dor is using Bahram as a vessel for his power, which seems (from what I've read) to center around disease and necromancy. Bahram is grateful for that power, and will use it as best he can to further his own goals. Of course, if they come around with a request that he do something that is against his own ideals, he'll have a tough decision to make...
I will also point out that Xharem-Dor is the only Dark Tapestry being that has LE clerics. The others are decidedly chaotic.
Anyway, just trying to address your concerns a little bit. Again, thanks again for the feedback!
As always, I tend to be quite late for these types of things. Anyway, here's Jerucho, a die-hard who is too stuborn to die, and too stupid to quit. Details in the profile. Cheers
Quasimodo's evil twin is done. Crunch sorted and I tweaked one or two bits to suit the PC. Finding the deformed trait certainly fitted with the nasty chap's body.
Things like power attack and endurance were chosen to reflect his monstrous body and its ability to give and take punishment. Someone used the word brutal earlier on in this thread and that is what this body gives Kurgh. His priesthood may provide the trickery and stealth but he is very much a blunt instrument or tool.
Finally the stat block is based off of Herolab but any mistakes are mine, since I used your example in the discussion thread.
As before let me know if you have anything else to discuss..
Cheers
Good evening villains, time for round nine.
I see some interesting things, and no one has touched upon Alchimests yet. I have some questions. I'll just need to review my notes and get back to you.
Take a look in the discussion thread. I posted the character sheet template.
Doomed Hero, I gotta be honest here. The comment in Rose's history about her using sex as a weapon since she was ten really made me pause. To be honest, It made me very uncomfortable. I understand this is a evil game, but the angle your going for really disturbs me. I want the characters to be evil, but still have a sliver of humanity.. I think you took the character concept too far.
Nidoran, I posed updated information on the info tab. Take a look a Mitran involvement in politics. It deals with how the clergy responds to arcane magic. You might find it interesting.
Your very welcome.
That's a good point about revering as opposed to using. Considering Bahram's situation he would have latched onto any power that was offered.
Jericho, It looks like you made your character for a previous skull and shackles game and re-submitted it to this campaign. There's quite a few changes that would need to be made.
French your right, the deformed trait was fitting. The trickery => Melee priest is also mechanically sound, since you can use it as a move action. Do me a favor though and edit your character name in profile tools so that the "dwarf" is capitalized to "Dwarf" Its minor, but it bugs me every time I look at it.
Hope its okay for me to submit an alternate entry, since the group already seems to have its share of martial characters. I'd still love to play Darsis, but it seems this character might be a bit more suited, please tell me what you think Avata of Mitra - its only a first draft so there are likely a few errors and areas that need polishing, and I still need to do the ten minute questions.
Crunch wise Hardan is an Undead Lord Cleric who will be concentrating on summoning. He gets to have a skeletal minion, which he will need 8 hours to summon so likely will not feature for a while, and can heal regular types with negative energy so should be able to cater to the whole parties healing needs.
He took to to the religious teaching of Mitra, a promising student who embodied the virtues of compassion and love. As he matured he was made aide to Cardinal Julius Arnetti, a pious, but ambitious man who saw great potential in the bright handsome youth and sought to polish him for high office.
But unbeknown to his friends and teachers Hardan had come to have a terrible fear of his own mortality. Nightmares haunted his sleep, he saw the faces of patients and friends turn suddenly cold their flesh withering away to show brittle bone. He began to see snatches of his life from before the Church, his mother and father, bloody corpses, lying still on the floor in a spreading pool of crimson gore, and then just as the horror threatened to overwhelm him an angel would come soothing his woes even as her perfection crumbled and she deteriorated into a skeletal form that held him close and told him everything would be alright, he need never die, all he needed to do was serve and she would teach him mastery over death.
Life continued on as normal, working in the hospice, taking lessons, working for Cardinal Arnetti and attending services, but more and more Hardan's faith was become a hollow lie. Mitra had never done anything for him, despite all her platitudes it was Mitra who had taken his parents, and Mitra who let his patients, who had come for her aide, slip away. So in his head he began to replace Mitra's name in the devotions with the name of his angel Mahathallah.
Years passed and he learned from his new Mistress insinuating himself at the heart of Mitra's Church and feeding news gleaned from the Cardinal's correspondence to the followers of Mahathallah and those of her Master Asmodeus.
Finally his angle came to him in another dream, holding him in her embrace as she asked,
"You would do anything for me would you not Hardan Vorbis?"
"Anything Mistress."
"Then I need you to serve a man named Mikhail Halancoun, and restore him to his rightful seat in the name of Asmodeus."
"As you will Mistress. Where do I seek this man?"
"You must be consigned to the Branderscar Prison my child."
"I will not fail you Mistress."
The next day he calmly issued letters in the Cardinals name, with the man's long since memorized signature and seal clear, that sent Sir Balin of Karfield and his men to put Arldin Abbey to the torch since it was certain that they were followers of Asmodeus - his Mistress assured him the place would reek of evil. Then he issued documents transferring five hundred thousand gold pieces of the Cathedral's yearly budget into commissioning a huge statue of the beautiful angelic herald "Hallah" and commanding that the building begin in earnest to be completed within six months.
Arldin Abbey burned with many of Mitra's most faithful trapped inside. But then nothing happened for three weeks, Hardan was almost ready to take up a blade and try to murder some poor fool when the lumbering beast of bureaucracy finally scented his crimes. He was lead away to a swift trial protesting his innocence all the while, and finally hauled off to the Branderscar to await a life of hard labor in the salt mines.
There waiting for him was the man he was destined to serve and see elevated to greatness...
@Nidoran Duran: Nidoran, I posed updated information on the info tab. Take a look a Mitran involvement in politics. It deals with how the clergy responds to arcane magic. You might find it interesting.
I do indeed. It doesn't change very much for Ariana, but the library would certainly add another motivation for her. It would be the ultimate success in her bid for knowledge. The "Magic Among the Faithful" section also provides her with a few more angles of frustration to work off of. They marginalize even their own spellcasters, where she feels they should be a ruling class.
Thanks for showing me all of this background stuff about the campaign's setting. It definitely shifts Ariana's interests slightly to a less selfish one; she doesn't simply desire power and a society that conforms to her beliefs, but now has legitimate aims and is fighting against what she feels to be unjust. Really helped me flesh her out, into being someone who's guided not only by dreams of success and revenge, but by legitimate revolutionary aims.
I've been racking my brain for some time to create an evil character that would enjoy playing, but honestly, I don't think it'd last long for me. Nothing I formulate works out in my head.
Thus, I'm going to just note I'm out. I won't be making a submission. I'll keep following it, however. I wish everyone good luck. I'm sure the game will be great.
I think you took the character concept too far.
No problem. I was aiming for Antipaladin, and in my head that's as purposefully far away from virtue as someone can get. That was the idea that disturbed me most too, so I figured it was perfect. I'm not a sicko. I can dial it back as much as you want.
Ok GM, here is my revised and expanded background, copied from
Erikan's profile:
The bishop was quite right in his suspicions. The magnetic Staldidt was indeed a covert worshiper of Asmodeus (GM: and if you so choose, part of the plot that ended Markadian IV's reign and life), coming from a long line of Staldidts carrying Infernal blood in their veins. His wife Varina was one of the few successful and covert criminals in the capital, a former dancer and Madame to the nobility. In the year 4690, the couple had their only child, a small but beautiful child named Erikan.
Erikan was much loved by his parents, and no less because he exhibited traits of a chosen of Asmodeus. Ferdan instilled in his son a love of the Dark Prince of gods, and also the notion that Erikan was chosen by Asmodeus to do great things in His name.
Erikan would often travel to the Royal Palace when his father performed. A canny boy, he would roam the palace largely unnoticed, and found Princess Bellinda's chambers. The older boy found the girl enchanting, and the two became firm playmates, Erikan often delighting the princess with stories and tricks his father had taught him.
Over the course of a decade, Bishop Givernan gathered scraps of evidence, along with the aid of a family friend's young and aspiring Watchmen, one Farrinius. Eventually, in the year 4700, when Erikan was 10 and the princess 7, this evidence was enough to have Ferdan arrested, tried, and executed for the crime of Blasphemy. Varina pled innocence for her and her son (largely the truth), and the pair were spared.
For obvious reasons, this completely ended Erikan's contact with Princess Bellinda, and fired in him a roaring hatred of Markadin V and the clergy of Mitra. Varina's business began falling apart, as none of the nobility wanted even the slightest chance of being connected to her. She began whoring again herself, and Erikan took to the streets to perform on his lute. The pair relocated to the poorest district in Matharyn. Farrinius was promoted to Captain of the Watch in Erikan's new district, and continued to watch and harass the boy.
In the first year of his new life, just after his eleventh birthday, Erikan received his first blessing from Asmodeus - the ability to cast prestidigitation. This helped him immensely with earning money, and he revelled in the feeling of his Infernal arcane power. He was clever enough to realise that Farrinius would spot overt uses of magic, however, and so he used his power as subtly and discreetly as possible.
However, the boy, while handsome and charming like both his parents, was undersized and physically weak. He was often tormented by larger, stronger, envious children, and he learned well the lesson of avoiding confrontations from a position of weakness. He promised himself that when his power grew, he would make them all pay.
Then Gerrick came into his life. An old friend of Ferdan, Gerrick was a handsome thug who posed as a merchant. Gerrick waited a seemly time after Ferdan's execution before approaching Varina, whom he had long lusted after (as had many a man). Disgusted at the way Varina was forced to make a living, he made her an offer: to take no other man but he, in return for his help in regaining her former wealth, power and, to those in the know, prestige. Varina accepted immediately. Garrick was, after all, handsome, powerful, clever, and kind, albeit in a distant way.
The pressure on Erikan to bring in money swiftly diminished. Gerrick was as good as his word, and very effective at what he did, which was intimidate, outmanoeuvre, and defeat those that stood in his way. Coupled with Varina's understanding of her business, and her innate intelligence and tenacity, the pair became virtually the biggest mundane crime power in the city (although in general they had little competition in a city as Lawfully Good as Matharyn).
Gerrick even began to mentor Erikan, although again, this was not so much in a fatherly way, but as a tough, uncompromising coach. The two regularly fell in and out of contact though, as Varina and Gerrick's relationship was rather cold and inconsistent (though their business partnership remained ever strong, and still does), and Erikan began to explore his music, as well as his magic.
As he entered his twenties, Erikan became a successful local performer, although his father's crimes ensured that he would never be welcome at court. In his spare time, he ran small jobs for Gerrick (often as a distraction or decoy to a crime), and searched for other worshipers of Asmodeus, an ultimately unfruitful pursuit.
Erikan finally ran into trouble when he bit of more than he could chew. Gerrick mentioned in passing an opportunity that he was going to decline, a chance to win a large sum of money from the Mitran Church through fraud. Erikan, faced with the opportunity to both make an obscene amount of gold and diddle the Church, leapt on it, persuading Gerrick to give him all the information and help plan and execute the fraud.
Unfortunately, Erikan had forgotten Farrinius.
Having found out about the plot (how is unknown - could Gerrick have betrayed Erikan?), the canny Watch Captain approached his old family friend Bishop Givernan, tipping him off. Erikan was summarily arrested, quickly tried, and is now sentenced to a life of hard labour in the salt mines.
It doesn't change anything really, just adds a lot more detail and life to the previous one. Hope you like it (and I hope I've improved my chances!).
Edit: I actually intend to expand this even further, but that's enough for now.
Edit: Damned spellcheck! Typos fixed.
With the addition of Barnabas to the main party, we're probably full up on rogues, so I'll let Sholano hit the backburner (unless you tell me otherwise, in which case I'll hop back to it). That being said, while I am woefully tired tonight, tomorrow evening, you may expect to hear more from this guy.
(Bear with me on this one, I'm loopy and a bit ill, so this isn't edited all that well yet.)
Vyshaan the Tattooed, mad Spellslinger.
Obsession is never a pleasant sight. But when it afflicts a gifted wizard, one who manipulates reality itself, the affects are far more disturbing. So it was for the Elf called Vyshaan, once a skilled disciple of the Thassilonian disciplines.
Not young, even for an Elf, he was yet possessed of a frenetic energy that rarely failed to make an impression on those who met him, although not always for the better. He rarely settled down in one place, preferring to travel the world, seeking out new curiosities and bits of magical frooferah. Always a scholar at heart, he yearned to uncover the next secret, the next great discovery. Sadly, he had yet to find the innovation with which he could make his own mark on the world, but his spirit was unbowed.
It was in the island kingdom of Talingarde that he found the discovery that he thought would surely earn him the place in history that he'd searched for. He happened to meet a tinkerer called Banley, who was attempting to find a new way to light alchemical fires. When Vyshaan inquired, offering his assistance as a mage, the young man lit up, and began excitedly speaking about his new invention: a new kind of musket, a "rifle", he called it, that could fire pellets with the accuracy and power of many spells. He was having trouble with the proper gunpowder and trigger mechanisms, though, and perhaps a wizard could help unravel the mystery...?
They talked all through the night, and Vyshaan was given his first glimpses of understanding into the burgeoning world of firearms. The more he learned, the more the wizard began to see the possibilities - if magic and gunpowder could be used together, even become one...the power unleashed would be incredible. An entirely different way of releasing the world's unbound forces. He settled down almost immediately in Banley's shop, where together they worked tirelessly to make their shared dream a reality.
As the days drifted by, and they made little progress, Vyshaan began to grow more and more frustrated. Banley and he argued frequently, about the device at first, and increasingly about more and more petty issues. One night, the argument came to a particularly heated point. Both were convinced of the next step that needed to be taken, but they differed about what was needed. Banley was sure that a new kind of clockwork spring to power the hammer was necessary, while Vyshaan maintained that a permanent locomotion enchantment would provide the needed motive power. Their points grew increasingly technical, and each of them grew more certain the other was in the wrong, until finally they threw up their hands and gave it up for the evening.
In the dark of the night, however, Vyshaan's mind could not cease working. The fool, he thought to himself. How arrogant, to think that simple ingenuity could conquer the laws of the universe - it was necessary, always necessary, to bend them to your will if you wanted to bring them to heel, even for the briefest of moments. He rose, determined to put his plans into motion, and prove his theory the correct one. But when he made it to the workshop, he found Banley already there, at work modifying the device. With a flourish of his hand, Vyshaan muttered a few arcane words and slammed Banley up against the wall of the shop with arcane force. How dare he try this, the worthless upstart?
Insults flew back and forth, fast and furious, and Vyshaan's temper grew out of control. He took up the nearest object, gesturing wildly with it, when he noticed through his haze that it was the prototype. A perfect opportunity to test it. He rose the barrel to his shoulder, sighting along it until Banley came into view. He considered, for a moment, and in the bent logic of his mind, decided that without the inventor in the picture, full credit for the discovery could go to him - and shouldn't it? Hadn't he supplied the arcane catalyst? Of course. Without him, the entire enterprise would have been nothing. Nothing!
The door flew open, then, as the city guard burst in. Apparently, the shouts and banging had roused the neighbors, and the watch had been sent for. Vyshaan spun, and attempted to cast a spell.
Then, there was fire. What happened? No one can say. Working with the primal forces of the cosmos, and unstable alchemical experiments, nearly anything could have ignited the fateful spark - but what occurred is obvious. The shop, and indeed, much of the block, was incinerated in the conflagration that followed.
Awakening in the "care" of the guard, Vyshaan shrieked out his defiance. His work, where was his work? Bereft of his spellbook and all his notes, so much of the past few years was a blur now. How dare they take from him his work, and what had happened to his partner?
According to the physicians, something had snapped in the wizard's mind. He could barely cast anything beyond a novice's magic, and certainly could not be allowed any of the notebooks he kept calling for with a desperate pleading note to his voice. They had tried to question him about the fire, and the explosions, but when they asked him anything pertaining to the workshop, he grew silent, even angry. Apparently, he felt that those were his secrets alone to know. He was still dangerous, incredibly so, they noted, and if given access to his materials, who knew what he might do?
He did, of course. In the ravages of what was left of his memory of that fateful night, Vyshaan had put together a twisted version of the truth. Banley had tried to subvert their work, and in his idiocy, was about to make a catastrophic mistake that would doom them all. Vyshaan was going to put a stop to his partner's madness when the guard barged in, upsetting the delicate balance in the workshop, and caused the explosion. Yes, of course... it was all their fault. He had nothing to do with it. And now they would dare imprison him, and befuddle his mind like this? No, he would not answer their questions. No one could know the secrets he had labored so hard to earn, and despite everything they had done, the destruction they had wrought, he still remembered the great secrets, the basics of Spellslinging.
They would pay. The guards, yes, and the kingdom that sanctioned such idiocy, it would pay the price as well! He would get loose from these simple bonds, he would rebuild his mighty works, and then, if they were still so eager to learn of his secrets? He would show them.
Close up.
Good evening villains, time for round nine.
French your right, the deformed trait was fitting. The trickery => Melee priest is also mechanically sound, since you can use it as a move action. Do me a favor though and edit your character name in profile tools so that the "dwarf" is capitalized to "Dwarf" Its minor, but it bugs me every time I look at it.
Someone somewhere is going to burn in Hell! Kurgh the Dwarf is already being used. So here is Kergh instead. I counted at least 30 times I wrote his old name in the background but who wants to bug the DM before recruitment ends? Not me.
I have been following the discussion thread and the conversation about intrigue between your three players. Its not in my nature to step aside but Kergh does seem a bit obvious compared to their subtlety. I chose the Trickery domain primarily for the disguise self/invisibility spells, so now I have added the Scribe Scroll feat to make extra ones when the urban stuff becomes important. Otherwise I see the Church inquisitors finding it a little easy to track down the party.
Its too late to make wholesale change to this guy but I'd appreciate any other suggestions on how else to help with this.
Cheers
Still rotting in this deplorable cell...
CURRENT APPLICANTS
I. MARTIAL CHARACTERS
1. Kusuma, LE Human Male Monk (Ayrphish)
2. Mikhail Halancoun, LE Dhampir Male Antipaladin (DM Barcas)*
3. Rosemary Lillith Thorn, Aasamar Female Antipaladin (Doomed Hero)
4. Darsis Valdane, Human Male Ranger (Byden)
5. Arnaud Deschaux, Human Male Gunslinger (CorvusRed)
6. Jericho Fiendaxe, Human Male Fighter (Mihajlo Velickovic)
II. SKILL CHARACTERS
1. Steinki Uðr, LE Dwarf Male Inquisitor (Michaelane)
2. Aaron Broodmark, LE Half-Elf Male Inquisitor (sunshadow21)
3. Sholano Gale, LE Human Male Rogue (Viscount K)
4. Ethaniel Tessarin, N Human Male Magus (F. Castor)*
5. Barnabas Wright, LE Human Male Rogue (Fanguar)*
6. Vexis LaVayn, LE Human Female Rogue (vonklinen)
7. Slevin Wrath, NE Human Male Inquisitor (Mark Thomas 66)
8. Kaynen Catesby, LE Human Male Bard (wakedown)
III. FULL ARCANE CHARACTERS
1. Myra the Darksting, NE Human Female Sorcerer (Kor BloodRage)
2. Ariana Ddraig, LE Human Female Sorcerer (Nidoran Duran)
3. Athena Giovanni, LE Tiefling Female Sorcerer (MPCampbell)
4. Erikan Staldidt, LE Human Male Sorcerer (littlehewy)
5. Oswald Turrill, NE Human Male Witch (Draconas)
6. Kyras Farson, LE Human Male Wizard (Stratos)
7. Vyshaan the Tattooed, LE Human Elf Wizard (Viscount K)
IV. FULL DIVINE CHARACTERS
1. Inam Darkskye, NE Sylph Female Druid (Darkfire142)
2. Bahram Akhavan, LE Human Male Oracle (Pedwiddle)
3. Kalmah, LE Human Male Cleric (LichdomCome)
4. Kurgh the Dwarf, LE Human Male Cleric (French Wolf)
5. Hardan Vorbis, LE Human Male Cleric (Byden)
*selected for campaign.
Good Morning prison scum, time for round ten!
Before I begin with the comments however, I would like to welcome Kergh the Dwarf to join the rest of the selected villains in the discussion thread. Kergh, your character's child-like persona combined with his devotion to Asmodeus should provide a lot of roleplay experiences. In addition, your brutal strength and endurance will help support Mikhail in "holding the line" against the sanctimonious forces of Mitra.
Morning Carpe. I reviewed your submission. Hardan and Darsis are both excellent characters. It seemed to me that you were going for the supporting actor role for each of them. It’s a smart move. I know this is a rough draft, but I think with Hardan your much more Lawful Evil, as opposed to Darsis who was a neutral evil. I did have a thought, and let me know what you think. What if Darsis was less of a butcher and more of a huntsmen. I grew up in Alaska, and when I studied criminal justice I learned about Robert Hansen. The scary thing is that: "He was married and had two children. He was well liked by his neighbors and was famed as a local hunting champion. He even broke several records, documented in the Pope & Young's book of world hunting records" He was generally considered a "family" man, and no one was aware of his darker side. That’s generally the look that I'm going for. It's just a thought.. and I'm not sure how you could roll that into a Lawful Evil persona (you would have to drop the hooker angle, perhaps replace it with kidnapped acolytes of Mitra he would hunt? "If your god is so powerful then he will save you" type of thing?). *shrugs* Its up to you and I couldn't promise anything.
*nod* I had hoped you would find it interesting. Mitra is going to play very a large part in the over-all feel of the campaign. It's important for everyone to have a good idea on what to expect.
Sorry to hear that man, The other characters you have turned out have been great and I would have been interested to see what your ideas were.
I understand, I think that our ideas of what a antipaladin are opposites of each other. I think of an antipaladin as a "aberrant" evil, as defined by the Rifts RPG. I think you were going for more of a Lloyd Slate from the Dresden series. I.E. Deeply and terribly corrupted from a power far beyond his control, willing to do everything and anything to make the job happen.
I read your background last night, and nocticed that you had cleaned it up. On a second pass it looks like Erikan was described more as some sort of bard rather than a sorcerer, or am I wrong?
No one is out of the running. After each party member selection I have asked the players who they would be interested in having join them. There is still a potential for three open spots.
Nope, I think your set.
Avatar, I believe I have finished getting the mechanical information in my profile. Please give it a look-over to see if you'd like the formatting different or if anything is amiss.
When I return from lunch, I'll add in Kyras's appearance & quirks; it's these little things that are always the toughest for me.
Great news and good luck to the rest of you.
Cheers
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Kaynen escaped a feedback cycle! Should I be worried? :)
He definitely needs Alchemist levels to go along with his bombs & bow theme. If I were to consider his class levels, it'd be something like Bard1/Alchemist5 at 6th level, just so he can belt out an invigorating Chelish opera or inspiring Galtan revolutionary hymn while detonating his enemies.
Not sure how to represent that at first level (Bard vs Alchemicst) - it just feels right for him to be magically talented for pyrotechnics and demolitions to orchestrate the spectacular destruction of all structures dedicated to Mitra throughout Talingarde!
Kaynen, can you create a crunchy profile so we can evaluate you properly? And maybe fill out the background a bit more? You've got a good skeleton, but I'd like to see it looks like when you put something on the bones.
Now that I'm finally able to sit down and do it, writing up the character's crunch. Would you accept the foolishness and "book smarts over practical smarts" thing explained in her 10 Minute Background to justify an 8 Wisdom?
Afternoon villains and a good St. Valentine's Day to each of you.
We are now at the final 24 hour mark. Please have any and all changes or corrections finished to your final submissions by 2:30PM PST Friday 15th. I will announce the final member, or members of the group at that time. I would also like to welcome Ariana Ddraig to the group at this time. Ariana adds a level of feminine grace previously lacking from the group. The secret of her draconic heritage as well as her quest for knowledge will be a powerful motivation towards bringing down the prattling and sanctimonious Mirta regime. Ariana please join us in the discussion thread.
We can talk about that in the discussion thread.
Kaynen, I like how you tie in Galtan references to the overall theme. I would be interested to see how far you would take that. I though your overall character was quite solid and like Mikhail I would like to see some crunch. Its upto you what route you want to go, and I look forward to seeing what you decide.
If anyone has any other questions or concerns that I have not yet addressed, let me know and I'll try to get you one last set of feedback before the night is done.
Here's some more on Vyshaan - a ten minute background layered on top of (and altering slightly) the history I already laid out. One possible issue with Vyshaan lies in his being an Elf, but that's there for a reason: Namely, I liked the idea of his being an accomplished wizard in the past, but having the power literally blasted out of his mind. It's easier to establish this sort of thing with the long-lived. His race can be fairly easily changed to human if necessary, though, with some minor tweaking. One other question - I currently have him middle-aged. Is that alright, or should I tweak him back down to simply adult?
Five background and concept elements important to Vyshaan.
1)A once powerful wizard, Vyshaan fell into obsession when introduced to the concept of firearms by the tinkerer Banley in Talingarde. He was convinced that he could combine the two into the ultimate weapon, and in his zeal, reached too far and caused the project to fail catastrophically, seemingly killing his partner in the process. In the resulting chaos, his mind fractured, causing him to lose most of his arcane might. Due mostly to fragmented memories of that night and some bad timing on the part of the guards, he now blames the kingdom of Talingarde for the disaster that night and for the loss of his power.
2)Despite his zeal to move the project forward, Vyshaan desperately keeps all aspects of his knowledge about the art of Spellslinging jealously guarded. In his distorted view of the events with Banley, he has become absolutely certain that his is the only mind that can bring the great work together, and sharing it with others will only lead to another disaster.
3)In years gone past, Vyshaan was a student of the Thassilonian ways of magic, and a devout believer in the power of runes. He combined a Varisian discipline, that of the magic tattoo, with his own knowledge of runecraft, and decorated his skin with all manner of designs. While inert after the explosion, they remain disturbing to they eye, seeming to move at the corner of your vision.
4)Formerly a devout worshiper of Nethys, God of Magic and Knowledge, Vyshaan was thrown into disfavor within the faith for his questionable experiments. Very little is taboo within the church of the All-Seeing Eye, but Vyshaan had sought to instill greater magical ability within one of his fellow apprentices. The experiment, to grant the woman a measure of dragon blood, had disfiguring side effects and almost no gain, and was deemed to be a cruel and frivolous attempt. Vyshaan protested, claiming that one could not make progress without risks, but his protests were ignored. Since then, Vyshaan has been distrustful of religion in general, since they clearly cannot follow their own precepts.
5)Over Vyshaan's long life, his interest in acquiring knowledge of all kinds has led him to expand his studies away from only the arcane. One never knows what might come in handy in the next project.
Two goals important to Vyshaan.
1)Vyshaan seeks, above anything else, to perfect the arcane science of the Spellslinger. Correct or not, he's convinced it is the ultimate expression of power and a symbol of all progress. He isn't willing to let anyone or anything interfere with the work and will gladly put an end to whatever he sees as an obstacle.
2)At this point, seen through the lens of his madness, he believes Talingarde as a whole to be a backwards country that will obstruct his continued progress, and therefore, he will gladly work with anyone willing to help him bring them down.
Two secrets about Vyshaan, one that he knows, and one that he is not yet aware of.
1)He would never admit it, but this most recent disaster is not Vyshaan's first. In his travels, there have been several incidents where someone would not part with a trinket or element that Vyshaan thought necessary for his current project, and if they would not negotiate, the wizard brought his power to bear. In the few years he has spent in Talingarde working on the arcane guns, there has been more than one alchemist or merchant that needed to disappear, or have their mind altered, all unknown to his tinkerer partner. With his power faded, it is more than possible that the enchantments laid on one of these individuals has also begun to waver.
2)Banley, the tinkerer and alchemist that worked on the concept of the arcane guns with Vyshaan, also survived the explosion that night. Horribly scarred, he would plot revenge if not for Vyshaan already being thrown into Branderscar. If he heard of the tattooed wizard going free, he would surely seek his revenge with all the tools at his disposal.
Three people that are tied to Vyshaan, two that are friends and one that is an enemy.
1)Vyshaan was incensed to hear of the destruction of the former library of Asmodeus. The casual waste of such knowledge was a travesty to the wizard, who had dedicated himself to the pursuit of it. He shared this disgust with a nearby bookshop owner by the name of Tarnyr, who had been in Talingarde at the time. Forced to throw much of his own collection on the pyre, Tarnyr would often commiserate with Vyshaan about scholarly pursuits, and Vyshaan could often find the obscure texts he required in the man's shop. Somewhat removed from the workshop's location, Tarnyr knows nothing of the wizard's incarceration, and would be more than pleased to hear from his odd friend.
2)The tinkerer Banley would gladly take his revenge on Vyshaan, given the chance. A seemingly simple townsperson with a calm disposition, he could easily be underestimated as a threat, particularly as he now lives in seclusion to hide his terrible scars. He has many friends in his community, and considerable alchemical knowledge at his disposal, and could only be dismissed at great peril to oneself.
3)Away from the workshop on that fateful night, Banley and Vyshaan had an assistant, a waifish girl by the name of Larana. She was not especially skilled in alchemy or magic (though had a small talent in both), but did the necessary cleanup and fetching that the two focused creators could rarely be bothered to do themselves. She was devastated to hear of her eccentric employer's deaths, and would be thrilled to hear that either one of them lives. The question is which of them she hears from first, for either would be glad to turn her against the other (if Vyshaan should learn of his partner's survival, that is).
Three memories, mannerisms or quirks Vyshaan possesses.
1)Much of the time, Vyshaan can be friendly - bubbly, even. Glad to discuss minutiae of almost any topic, he possesses a wealth of knowledge that he is more than glad to show off. He is also easily distracted by insignificant details, which can often make him seem absent-minded. This would be an endearing trait, except that, seemingly at random, he can grow snappish and withdrawn, even paranoid, as if you were attempting to pry out his deepest secrets.
2)Vyshaan is nearly always fiddling with some tiny device or other. He is not quite the craftsman that his former partner was, and he is continually concerned that his clockwork creations will be insufficient to keep his devices running smoothly. Even when not actively working on his research, he usually has some little trinket with him that he can examine the workings of, or disassemble.
3)As part of keeping his crafting secrets safe, Vyshaan has a tendency to set traps on nearly all his belongings, at great risk to life and limb of those who might investigate. Given his choice, nearly everything he owns would be under triple lock and key with nasty traps, magical and otherwise, all along the way.
More skin on Kay's bones...
See his profile for HeroLab crunch & background vignette spoilers to gain a deeper peek into his fractured, narcissistic mind.
As part of this embellishment, I've discovered that Kaynen quite enjoys conversing with himself, as my wavering between Bard and Alchemist led to an epiphany where he has two distinct personalities and skill sets - which I'm affectionately calling "The Doctor" and "The Conductor".
Thanks for consideration. Five spots already sealed!
Erikan: I read your background last night, and nocticed that you had cleaned it up. On a second pass it looks like Erikan was described more as some sort of bard rather than a sorcerer, or am I wrong?
Erikan is a musician and a sorcerer. His father was a bard, and Erikan's natural musical ability and interest in it come from him. His arcane potential is much greater than Ferdan's, though.
Hmm a sorcerer in the party already, huh? Doesn't bode well for Erikan....
Yeah, you pretty much nailed my concept. It's fine if that isn't what you're looking for. I've never made a character like Rose before. She definitely pushes my boundaries and I'm not sure if I'd enjoy playing her for very long. She's an interesting thought exercise, but I think I want to leave her that way. I'm going to withdraw my submission. Have a fun game!
Well crap, just realized I had somehow hit the focus button in the recruitment thread and was missing out on new stuff over the past few weeks. I have a concept for an Undead Lord cleric, maybe I can get it fleshed out in time... Guess I have work to do.
If anyone has any other questions or concerns that I have not yet addressed, let me know and I'll try to get you one last set of feedback before the night is done.
I believe Kyras is set now - his particulars are at the bottom of his profile. Perhaps you didn't see my request above, but I was curious if you saw anything incomplete from your expectations. I think I have the right of it in a box-checking fashion, though sometimes there are desires not so easily bent into a box.
Let me know if you need anything clarified, and I'll check back tonight or before noon tomorrow.
Good luck the applicants - excellent storywriting all around.