This is a Closed Recruitment thread for a group of friends.
We'll handle character builds here in the Recruitment section to avoid cluttering up the Discussion too much. More will follow on character creation guidelines, but we'll just square away semantics in Discussion before I get too worried about all of that mess. Feel free to brainstorm or talk about potential characters in the meantime.
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Okay, so I've pretty much decided that I will be playing an old crone character I discussed on Facebook.
Her name is Bo'asha, the locals may call her Baba Bo'asha which theoretically just means Grandma Bo'asha but often is a pejorative for an old woman. She is irascible, eccentric, curmudgeonly, and untamed. Rumors fly about the town that the crazy old crone who lives in her cottage in the woods is a winter witch who consorts with beasts and practices cannibalism on bad children.
Here's my initial character idea, assuming we are starting at baseline:
Baba Bo'asha (family name unknown)
Race: Human Sex: Female Age: Elderly Eyes: Green Hair: Grey, White streaks
A:d4 V:d6 (can't raise) Sm:d8 St:d4 (can't raise) Sp:d8
Pace: 5 Parry: 4 Toughness: 5 Charisma: -4
Hindrances:
Elderly: -1 Pace, -1dType for V & St, +5 Skill points (MAJOR)
Mean: -2 Charisma (minor)
Vengeful: Will right any wrong done to her. (I'm taking it as a minor but she would have no qualms killing someone. Perhaps this is major, or she is more bloodthirsty than Vengeful?)
Hindrances I am considering RP'ing even if I don't get points for them: Quirk (makes wild claims), Quirk (often sings/talks to herself), Aloof (a hindrance from other settings, it works like Clueless only your character is specifically clueless about recent goings on, but does know about regional history, long-standing households, and the like.)
Edges:
Hard to Kill (Free)
Arcane Background: Hrimwisard (2 spells, Environmental Protection: Cold, -2 Charisma
Spells:
Frigid Skin (Armor)
Ice Sliver (Bolt)
Skills (+5 from Elderly):
Hrimwisardry (Sm): d8
Fighting (A): d4
Healing (Sm): d6
Intimidation (Sp): d6
Investigation (Sm): d4
Knowledge: Arcana (Sm): d6
Knowledge: Alchemy (Sm): d6
Notice (Sm): d6
Stealth (A): d4
Survival (Sm): d6
Taunt (Sm): d6
Will edit more as I flesh her out. My idea is since she was a hermit prior to the events of this campaign that drew her out into the world, she was very self-reliant and was teaching herself Hedge magic. Most would likely consider her a hedgewitch already, I just need to advance her a bit to buy the edge. I'll likely push her toward alchemy too so she can be the "bubble, bubble, toil and trouble" brewing witch.
I would recommend making a separate alias for Bo'asha, Marshall, like Brandon did above with his taiga elf (Stormreaver). I have some thoughts about getting her out into the world. I'll message you when I have it in a more presentable form and see if we can make something fit.
What sort of Human is she, btw? Anari, Finnar, Saxa, Tuomi?
Note on hrimwisardry: it becomes more potent/less potent dependent upon what the temperature is. Not trying to make you reconsider, just want you to be aware where various casting modifiers are coming from down the road.
Here we go!
Bo'asha (Marshall) —
Spake with spear-din │ spoon and spite
With war Tiw shines │ through woman white
Boon: Increase Vigor by one die type.
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Stormreaver (Brandon) —
"In the shadow of Thrym, where Sigel dares tread no longer, much worth remembering lies forgotten."
Boon: Triple your starting wealth, as per the Rich Edge. Your income is not guaranteed without a bit of risk, however. You have a knack for finding things of value in places abandoned or forgotten: this amounts to a +2 bonus to Notice checks to search for valuables in such locales.
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??? (Chip) —
"To fight or to flee? Only those who stand firm against their foes are immortalized in song. Only those who know home understand what their valor buys. Be as the tree: strong and proud with roots digging deep. Concern yourself not with the wind. Let it carry songs of your name afar as it confuses movement with freedom."
Boon: Fear has no place in your heart (Gain the Courageous Edge). Let death come. Let them sing of how you spat in its face before burying your blade in its innards. However you come to be delivered to Scaetha's judgment, she will know that you met your end on your own feet and on your own terms.
Bane: Your obstinate and implacable nature are an affront to Freo and those who serve him (Gain the God Cursed Hindrance: Freo). Also, holding your ground comes far more easily to you than others (Any effect that would force your character to move subtracts 1" from its total).
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??? (Jon) —
"The Hearth dims with the hopes of the faithful. The chill winds of the north rise to blot out Sigel's caress. But hope remains. Within The Hearth yet smolders embers beyond counting. Let our faith rekindle the fires grown dormant, that our prayers for release from the pall of winter be answered."
Boon: On the day of your birth, Sigel's Hearth flared more brightly than it had in a generation. Ever since then, you have proven remarkably resilient to the efforts of things both fell and frigid (Gain the Arcane Resistance Edge against Cold, Darkness, and Necromancy effects).
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Still need to do some draws for Mick and Neal. Soon (tomorrow). Soon (still tomorrow).
Brandon here. My character is a Reaper of Eostre Animalmother. Gonna play him sort of like a Ranger in DnD...archer, pet, can enter melee if necessary, cast buff spells to enhance his own abilities, or aid his allies with them.
I might rearrange some of my stuff to get the Beast Master Edge. Or at the very least I will go for it soon after game commences. She'll likely have a raven or owl familiar.
Alright, going to finish up the random draws here. Been pretty lucky so far, not seen much in the way of a mixed bag or bad draws. Just to clarify once more, these little "Random Draws" are an expression of your character's fate—what little glimpse of your hero's destiny servants of the Norns were able to portend (for better or worse). Your character doesn't have to know anything about this, but it is nevertheless destined to be a thread that exists throughout your character's life. Please do not feel obligated to worship the God to whom your Rune represents. Gods are beyond the ken of mortals; what pleases and displeases them is not always so readily apparent.
Moving on...
??? (Mick) —
"Restbringer.
Gatekeeper.
Draugr-bane.
Doubly blessed by the Judge of Souls,
This harbinger of Second-Death.
Boon: Each time the hero reaches a multiple of 10 Glory, the hero gains one extra point of Glory. Each time the hero lays to rest a noteworthy undead or servant of Hela (Wildcard undead & clergymen) the hero gains one extra point of Glory.
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??? (Neal) —
"A gleaming mountain rises tall.
This mountain is bastion against the myriad foes of humanity.
But darkness claws and clamors unabated, ever seeking further purchase.
Dimmed and dying, the bastion collapses upon itself.
A dark, festering pit lies beneath: death and loss. Rot and vengeance.
A carrion mountain rises tall.
Grim mockery, great and terrible."
(Feel like this one might need some elaborating: Your hero is destined for great things and monumental feats and an equally great fall from grace. By means unknown, your hero will return to the land of the living after his/her time, a peerless champion of Hela's unliving hordes)
Boon: (I didn't like the Vengeful option, so I got creative; sue me!) Your hero will inspire stories and turn the tides of battles innumerable (Gain the Command Edge). Your thread is also tainted black by unholy rebirth. As a result of your inevitable fate to champion Hela's minions, you are able to sway undead creatures through word and deed (Undead are susceptible to Intimidation and Persuasion rolls made by your hero).
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Goddammit, Mark, way to give me a boner.
HAha love it.
As far as a background, I picture having served one side or another in the mentioned civil war, but then have been betrayed and cast out. He is plotting revenge against the people he once served. Details, I need your aid on. And I'd prefer to be aligned with the parties allegiances, should they be strongly sided to one or the other.
Hindrances: Vengeful (Major), Loyal, Cautious.
In light of what fate has dealt me, I've changed my original character idea to something more . . . grim.
I'm planning on taking the Noble Edge and being originally from Royalmark. The character's entire family and most of his holdings were destroyed during an incursion of undead from the Withered Lands. He has left his single remaining town in the hands of a trusted steward and has ventured out into the world on a single-minded quest to accrue glory, skills, connections, and wealth, with the long-term goal of marching into the Withered Lands and putting everything there back in the ground.
Once this gets a thumbs up, I will finalize his stats.
Tiw has blessed this curmudgeonly biddy with increased stamina which has kept her hale and hardy long into her twilight years. This, combined with her strange visions and eccentricities have resulted in her delusional belief that she is immortal, cursed to live forever as a decrepit old woman.
Altered stat line:
A:d4 Sm:d8 Sp:d8 St:d4 (can't raise) V:d8 (can't raise)
Totally onboard with that Neal. Opens the door for some touchy nobles and their tomfoolery in Nordmark down the road as an added bonus.
Alright, here are his stats. I'll have some more detailed background information when I get home from work.
Skoldir Amlethsunu
Agility d6
Smarts d8
Spirit d8
Strength d6
Vigor d6
Pace 6
Parry 5 (6 with shield)
Toughness 5 (8 with armor, 10 with armor vs ranged attacks)
Charisma +2
Hindrances
God Cursed - Scaetha (Major)
Enemy - Priestess of Hela (Minor)
Death Wish (Minor)
Edges
Command
Noble
Skills
Fighting d6
Intimidation d6
Knowledge (Battle) d6
Knowledge (History) d6
Riding d4
Throwing d6
Climbing d4
Notice d4
Persuasion d6
Gear
Plate corselet (+3 armor)
Medium shield (+1 Parry, +2 Armor vs ranged attacks)
Dagger (Str+d4)
Short sword (Str+d6)
Axe (Str+d6)
Throwing axes x2 (Str+dd6, Range 3/6/12)
Normal clothing
Formal clothing
Furs
Backpack
Bedroll
Insect net
Lantern
Oil (1 Pint)
Rope
Soap
Waterskin
Rations - 2 weeks
The town of Hunanglir
273gs
Ülrytr!
And then there were two. Or one. Not certain if Mick is onboard or still on the fence.
Skoldir's Background
Skoldir, son of Amleth, seemed fated for a quiet life in his father's sleepy holdings in the tradition-bound nation of Royalmark. Unfortunately, shortly after he reached adulthood, a great army marched forth from the Withered Lands. Skoldir never learned what the army's goal was, but apparently his father's lands lay in their path. The undead descended without warning and slaughtered without mercy.
Skoldir was charged by his father with seeing to it that his mother and younger siblings were taken to safety, with the understanding that Skoldir would return to fight once his task was accomplished. By the time Skoldir made it back, however, the fighting was over. His father's lands were almost entirely scoured and there were almost no survivors. Tragically, his father was amongst those slain.
Only one village remained, that of Hunanglir. Skoldir attempted to rally support, particularly focusing on a band of paladins of Scaetha he encountered in a nearby town. But the paladins, with regret, told him that his father's lands had been written off as lost and they had been ordered to make a stand elsewhere.
With the few men he had under his command, Skoldir journeyed to Hunanglir and prepared to make a stand of his own. Fortunately, the undead forces, facing stiff resistance elsewhere, spared only a relatively small group to attack Hunanglir. Skoldir and his men prevailed and he returned to the town where he had hidden his family, only to find that, in his absence, the undead had attacked there as well. There were no survivors.
Enraged, Skoldir went looking for more undead to slay, only to learn that the army had been defeated and the deathless ones had withdrawn back to the Withered Lands. (Whether they had accomplished whatever they had set out to do by attacking Royalmark remains unknown.) Skoldir then encountered the same paladins of Scaetha he had met earlier and confronted them, blaming them for his family's death. They were sorrowful, but stood by their decision. Skoldir tried to provoke them into fighting and, when that failed, he desecrated a shrine to Scaetha and publicly cursed the goddess and all her clergy, vowing never to accept help from one of their kind again (this is the source of his God Cursed Hindrance).
Never the family's seat of power, Hunanglir was at least a stable and self-sufficient settlement, having small but fertile wheat fields, an apiary, meadery, and paper mill. Its hasty defenses (built just before the undead attacked) were bolstered beyond what the town's strategic importance called for, the construction being funded by selling off the barren and blood-soaked lands surrounding Hunanglir, where the undead had run rampant. Now, well-defended in his small but stable holdings, Skoldir spent some time brooding.
It was only another year or so before Skoldir happened to learn from a traveling skald that more information about the undead force that had killed his family and destroyed his lands had been learned. According to the skald, the leader of the undead force was known to be a priestess of Hela called Nagoll the Deathless who was rumored to reside within the Withered Lands.
Gathering his few huscarls and militiamen, Skoldir, against absolutely everyone's advice, set off into the Withered Lands, seeking Nagoll's tower, an ivory edifice called Snaehvitr, where she was said to reside with her three lieutenants and - presumably - an army of zombies, skeletons, and other horrible undead creatures.
With those few of his men who survived the journey, Skoldir succeeded in finding Snaehvitr. Heedless of the danger, he stood before the tower and called Nagoll out. The priestess, being both practical and unimpressed by his bravery, declined his challenge and instead met his forces with her own.
Even so, Skoldir managed to find her on the battlefield and lopped off her hand before he was dragged away by his own men, who, recognizing their impending utter defeat, chose to get their lord to safety rather than fight and die to no purpose. Nagoll's forces pursued them all the way back to the border of Royalmark. (And, unsurprisingly, she remains a little irritated about the whole "knocking on my door and cutting off my hand" thing, which is why she is his Enemy. She is only Minor because she lacks the resources to constantly send people after him, particularly since her ability to keep tabs on the goings-on outside the Withered Lands is limited.)
Returning home, Skoldir understood that, in order to exact his revenge, he would need more than just a dozen huscarls and a few dozen peasants. He left Hunanglir in the hands of his trusted steward, Alfdan, a longtime family servant (who, for his part, hopes that Skoldir comes to his senses before throwing his life away in the Withered Lands).
Skoldir then set out into the world, seeking wealth and glory in the hopes of attracting to his side valorous and stout-hearted men in numbers sufficient to march back into the Withered Lands and put to rest every creature within its borders.
TL;DR: Undead killed everybody, Skoldir blamed Scaetha, went for revenge, cut off a b@+%+'s hand, got beat anyway, goes out to attract followers.
I still need some input from the all-mighty Crabinok regarding which faction best fits my concept. At which point, I shall scribe the a tale the likes of which has never been seen. Because I have not scribbled it yet. How could you guys see it when I haven't even scribbled it?
Not sure what you mean by faction. Most organizations have specific edges to work towards as outlined in the player's guide, and faiths are typically entities unto themselves (thus the Orders Hindrance).
Taiga elves aren't going to have any official holdings this far south (The Hearthlands) to be based out of; this is Hearth elf territory (although those aren't exactly abundant either). That doesn't mean a taiga elf will never be encountered or anything, but given their heat lethargy they tend towards the Low and High Winterlands.
Knowledge of region limited, I'm gonna go with a Reaper tasked by the church to replenish the war torn region's natural habitat.
I had come up with another hook for you, but I decided I'd rather watch it play out in-game as opposed to having it looming in the backstory. Nordmark (especially the mid to northern reaches) has been devastated by the civil war. Many settlements, both noteworthy and otherwise, no longer exist, excepting the charred and broken remnants that dot the country. The wilderness itself has fared little better. Already scarce sources of timber were further ravaged for the sake of bolstering defenses and supplementing armies.
Followers of Eostre would like nothing better than to stabilize the area and see life thrive once again. The ruling Jarls and King make things difficult, however, and Thunor's faithful are unrivaled in their influence over Nordmark. And in that word, influence lies the major snag. Those in power are always wary of those who seek to gain or exert influence.
I suck for being so late, but here I am. Anybody have a link to the SW's main book and/or Hellfrost? I can probably get by making a character without the SW book, but I know very little about Hellfrost (mostly just from hearing Jess and Neal talk).
No worries. Just shoot Chip your gmail/google account name and he can share the books with you.
Sorry for my delay. Was sick as a dog all weekend.
Hey, if we ever need another character, I have been crafting a couple different ones that I love. Like this guy, a fallen paladin beginning the long walk to redemption.
If your witch ever bites it, or you elect to bow her out for whatever reason, you can shuffle in your paladin of Tiw. I know several people I can recruit from on these boards if our group total is sagging.
Eyes: Black Hair: White
Languages: Frost Dwarf, Saxa, Trade
Sp:d8 Sm:d6 V:d6 St:d6 A:d8
Pace: 5 Parry: 6 (7 w/Shield) Toughness: 5 (7) Charisma: -2
Hindrances:
Racial: Heat Leathargy, Insular, Slow - -1 Pace, -2 Charisma w non-Dwarfs, -1 to Rolls while heat is >53.
Orders - Sword (paladin) of Tiw
Bloodthirsty (major) - Being [resent at the massacre or Kadar Kahn really traumatized him. He is has no qualms about slaughter now.
Vengeful: Will right any wrong done to him. (I'm taking it as a major even though I won't get extra points.
Habit - Drinking/smoking/whoring to excess to attempt to numb the pains.
Edges:
Arcane Background: Miracles (2 spells, disciple of Tiw)
Spells:
Forge the Weapon (Smite) Trapping: Coldfire - The weapon glows with the cold heat of a coldfire forge as if it has just been drawn out. +2/+4 weapon damage, anything damaged may catch fire.
Forge the Hand (Warrior's Gift) Trapping: Light shines out of the recipient's eyes, mouth, nostrils, and ears as Tiw's blessing takes hold.
Skills:
Faith (Sp): d8
Fighting (A): d8
Throwing (A): d4
Intimidation (Sp): d4
Knowledge: Battle (Sm): d6
Notice (Sm): d6
Survival (Sm): d4
Persuasion (Sm): d4
Riding (A): d4
The sacking Karad Nam was a swift, brutal, and bloody. The small dwarven holdfast was relatively new, founded less than fifty years ago; now it lay in ruins. The orcs swept through and butchered. The Swords of Tiw rose up to defend but mostly only succeeded in sheltering what dwarves they could within their temple. The sack was quick because the orcs were on their way to Ostvik to begin what has now become a 2 year siege. The defeat of the paladins by the orcish hordes incurred the wrath of Tiw, who renounced their blessings once the fighting had ceased. No dwarf was unaffected, certainly not the young acolyte Wulfgar Hammerfall.
The dwarves went their separate ways, many of the depowered paladins became mercenaries, so too did Wulfgar. The horrors of slaughter he witnesses during the sack left him angry drunk, quick to pick fights, quick to tell tales of the violence. He spiraled out of control and found himself at rockbottom one night after a particularly humiliating job followed by a defeat in tavern brawl to a soberer opponent. In the rain and filth and vomit of the alleyway, Wulfgar broke down. He raged at the heavens, then sobbed. Finally he dragged himself to a particularly deep puddle of rain water and plunger his face in, hoping to drown. But the fight was still in him so prayed to Tiw to give him the strength, to shape him to his will. And all at once he felt the holy fervor well in his chest once more as a vision of Tiw's herald dragged him from the puddle and set him on his feet. "There is work to be done."
Gear: Short Sword (Str +d6), Small Shield with Tiw's symbol emblazed (+1 Parry)
Chain Shirt (+2 Toughess on chest and arms), robes of the order, boots, and gloves.
Backpack, water skin, bedroll, large tanned hide for tent/lean-to, 60' rope, flint.
Assuming we begin with 500g, I have not a penny remaining.
Cool. I like the old witch but I fear that a pbp is more favorable to a proactive character, one who does rash things and charges onward, something a cold calculating old lady would not do. Maybe I need to play her as more crazy than I have so far, haha.
Honestly, it's kinda the opposite in my experience. Characters of few words/expressions but oriented towards physical behavior and action tend to have extremely terse posts, and combat isn't as common as it is around a table (because when you enter into round-by-round scenarios, gameplay begins to really bog down typically, as opposed to the much more freeform of social interactions). The inner monologue and opportunity to really describe your character's expressions/emotes is an area where playing on forums leaves tabletop gaming in the dust.
That's not to say barbarian types are hopelessly boring or anything. Stoic men focused solely on bravery and duty tend to have less expressive mannerisms and... focused thought patterns.
Hmm, fair enough. I love the Disciple of Tiw advantage, and I love the Gift of Battle and Warrior's gift spells. I just imagine it'd be fun in a tabletop game to play a swiss army style fighter who can cast one of those spells (or Smite) and then Attack in the same turn, gaining the benefit from the Edge. That's why I was building his story as a "fallen soldier on his way to redemption, his skills being shaped actively by Tiw himself."
I'd love to play a disciple of the Nameless One. Getting shapechange at novice has to be a lot of fun.
Totally unrelated to anything here:
Dump that 6 into Charisma.
17 strength? F!#& yeah!