Codename: "Falcon" Male 'Human' Divine Marksman Urban Ranger 5/Bard 2 (AC: 19 [T: 13 /FF: 16] -1 if using Buckler hand; CMD 20; HP: 58/58; F+5, R+10, W+4 [+1 vs. Mind-affecting]; Init: +4 (+6 in Kintargo); Perc: +14 (+16 in Kintargo) [Low-light vision])
I guess Gregor could be a strategist, I did suggest it after all. :)
For us, there are only a few actions we can do without the team to do so.
Guarantee Event (No Team Required): By deliberately lowering the organization’s guard and increasing your Notoriety score by 1d6, you can guarantee an event occurs during the Event phase. If you perform this action, the GM rolls twice and takes the lower roll as the actual result for the event.
Lie Low (No Team Required): If you choose to take no rebellion actions at all during the phase, you can reduce your Notoriety score by an amount equal to the rebellion’s total number of teams.
Recruit Supporters (No Team Required): This check can only be made once per Activity phase. By spending an amount of gold equal to the rebellion’s minimum treasury value, you can attempt to recruit additional supporters. To do so, attempt a Loyalty check. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the rebellion’s rank. On a successful check, increase the rebellion’s supporters by 2d6 + any bonuses granted by Recruiter officers. If you roll a natural 1 on the Loyalty check, you don’t automatically fail, but your Notoriety score increases by 1d6. You can’t take this action if the rebellion is at its current maximum rank.
Recruit Team (No Team Required): You can attempt to recruit a new team as long as you are not already at the maximum number of teams allowed (discounting bonus teams). The DC and specific Organization check required to recruit the team depend on the type of team being recruited. If you roll a natural 1 on the Organization check, you don’t automatically fail, but your Notoriety score increases by 1d6.
Being early, I don't think we need to Lie Low or Guarantee an Event. Knowing the way this thing goes, we can hemorrage supporters pretty easily, but doing so doesn't lower our ranks when gained. The teams are where we get all the other actions we can take.
So since we get two actions, I would say we use the Fushi sisters for one action to Gather Information (as we have set gold aside already and need it more when upgrading teams), and then use our other action to Recruit a team.
As for which team to Recruit, since the Sisters can both Earn Gold and Gather Info, we currently don't need Peddlers (who can Earn Gold) or Street Performers (who Gather Info). So we need either Thieves (to Secure Cache, of which we don't have enough to secure), or Freedom Fighters (to Reduce Danger, which lowers our chance of an Event, which we could use).
All that said, the Strategist suggests we have the Fushi Sisters Gather Information and Recruit a team of Freedom Fighters so they can help us reduce danger while we do other tasks in the future.
... Didiana as the Demagogue (despite protest, also, it has a nice ring to it). For what it's worth, you are quite charismatic, so you do have some degree of social eloquence, whether directly or indirectly. Now is your chance to put those unused talents to good use. : )
Oh definitely. Di generally carries herself well; that was always the intent and I hope I haven't failed the character in that regard. When I wrote that she would feel uncomfortable as an orator, I meant that she just plain doesn't want to use those talents. She despises social politics. She associates it with her infernal heritage and so prefers direct methods of dealing with people. This is why her one social skill is Intimidate and her vocation is busting heads. They say violence isn't the answer, but for Di it really is.
Now, the rebellion rules are a mouthful to swallow, so forgive me if I've misunderstood something but, Zek, can you confirm that the tengu sisters can take the actions Earn Gold and Gather Info, like Gregor writes above? I can't find it written anywhere. And can the unique teams take actions in addition to the allotted Rebellion Actions determined by our rank (in this case 1)? Again, that seems to be Gregor's understanding but I'm not finding it.
Assuming Gregor has it right, I'm gonna throw my support behind his suggestion: have the Fushi sisters Gather Info while we Recruit Team. Recruiting Freedom Fighters seems the best option: the sister can already act as both teams of Street Performers and Peddlers, and the Sneaks (assuming you meant them over Thieves, Gregor, as Thieves are a tier 2 team) and their caches don't seem hugely useful at this stage. The chance events seem fairly dangerous on the other hand, so having FF reducing the danger rating would be of use.
That said, very tempted to just go for more supporters. Those PC boons are tasty.
Well, Di could always play us a sad song on her violin, I'm sure that would persuade people to join the Silver Ravens.
I mentioned the tengus' available actions in the gameplay thread, but you won't find them in the player's guide as they're a unique team. They can indeed take the Earn Gold and Gather Information rebellion actions. Bonus teams don't count toward your maximum number of teams. The unique teams can't take actions in addition to the allotted rebellion actions, but Gregor the Strategist grants a bonus rebellion action (for a total of 2 actions per week, at the moment).
The rebellion rules are a bit much to swallow at first, but from what I've read, the rebellion system is one of the best subsystems Paizo has come up with. So that being said, I think we'll get into a groove on using it within a few weeks (in-game weeks).
This is your (the party's) rebellion, so I don't really plan to offer suggestions (just clarifications, as needed) on what rebellion actions to take. Make the rebellion what you want it to be.
I'll wait till around this time tomorrow to run the first week's actions (the activity and event phases). If you want to hash anything else out, do so in the meantime. If nothing changes, I'll assume we're going forward with Gregor's suggestions for officer roles and rebellion actions for the first week.
One thing I did want to mention is that you don't have to do something everyday (everyday of in-game time) if you don't want to. It's perfectly fine if – in-game events permitting – you want to take a week or two just to let the rebellion run in the background while your characters get some r&r. You'll just need to coordinate with each other and let me know.
Male Tiefling (Pass for Human) Investigator (Conspirator, Empiricist) 6/Swashbuckler (Inpsired Blade) 1 | AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 18 | HP 53/53 | Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +6 (+2 vs illusions); resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5 | Init +3 | Perception +13 (+15 to notice scrying); low-light vision, darkvision 120 ft | Inspiration 6/6 | Panache 4/4 | SLAs: Deathwatch At-Will |
Extracts:
Level 1: 6/6; Level 2: 4/4
| Active effects:
Information is valuable - thus, let's have the Sisters gather information.
I'm fine with recruiting a Freedom Fighter Team - although I wouldn't say no to getting some Peddlers so we can increase our cash flow independent of the Sisters.
Sorry, I finally caught up. Had some truly awful days behind me, but they're over now.
@Gregor: Sentinel seems fine.
I'm not entirely sure how the Historian of the Rebellion trait works though:
Your familiarity with rebel groups allows you to grant
a +2 bonus on an Organization check of your choice
once the party reestablishes the Silver Ravens during the
first adventure. You can change which check you assign
this bonus to once at the start of the rebellion’s Upkeep
phase.
Does this mean I could grand the recruiter a +2 if we opt to recruit a team during the next phase?
I'll read through the Player's Guide again tomorrow just to cram the rules into my head :)
I think I can speak for everyone when I say we've missed seeing your posts, Matiscio. Hope better days are ahead.
And yes, you can use that +2 on any single organization check (loyalty, secrecy, or security) each week. You can use it for the recruit team action during the first activity phase, if you'd like. Glad you mentioned that as it's a neat benefit of that campaign trait.
Alrighty, here come the first week’s activity and event phases. After the first week, we’ll have the upkeep, activity, and event phases all at the same time. Since there’s nothing to upkeep yet, that won’t apply for week one. I’ve also updated the rebellion sheet, so everything should be current on it. Let me know if you see anything amiss.
Rebellion Week One
Activity Phase
Action 1: Gather Information
DC 15 Secrecy Check:1d20 + 4 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 7 = 15
For this, I’m counting the Fushis as a tier 2 team since they have 2 actions that they can take.
Since you succeeded, I'll post what the Fushi sisters gathered in the gameplay thread.
Action 2: Recruit Team
DC 15 Security Check:1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22
I added the +2 from Matiscio’s trait bonus.
You successfully recruited a team of Freedom Fighters! You can use them for rebellion actions for week two and onward (assuming nothing happens to them). *Evil laugh*
Event Phase
Event? (High triggers an event):1d100 + 20 ⇒ (68) + 20 = 88
Since the rebellion’s notoriety score is currently 0, only Kintargo’s danger rating (+20) is added to the event chance roll.
Event:1d100 + 20 ⇒ (79) + 20 = 99
Invasion!
Random Encounter:1d100 + 20 ⇒ (80) + 20 = 100 Random Encounter Roll 2:1d100 + 20 ⇒ (9) + 20 = 29
If the CR of the encounter is below the group's party level, I'm not going to bother with actually doing the encounter as you would easily be able to deal with the threat. In this case, the party slew a few dire rats that made their way into The Wasp Nest from Kintargo's sewers.
Edit: Each team (other than unique/bonus teams like the Fushis) require a manager. That manager adds his or her charisma bonus to organization checks made by that team. I'm assuming Didiana would manage the first team since she has the highest charisma modifier.
If you take comprehend languages on the next day, I'm okay with you still trying to aid Rexus for this week. Ears of the city would definitely be more useful if you all decide to take some downtime.
I’m going to hold off on updating the gameplay thread till tomorrow so everyone has a chance to post in the gameplay and/or discussion threads. I only plan to (possibly) do this on weekends as I still want us to keep a steady pace.
As a corollary to that, keeping a steady pace means that those who post more often will just naturally have a more prominent place in the story. I firmly believe the more everyone posts the better the story will be, so I love it when everyone posts before I update. Doing so also gives everyone more to work with in their posts.
Also, I'll be out of town Sunday and Monday for the eclipse happening here in the US. I'm going to try to update us while I'm away, but it'll depend on whether or not the campground I'm staying at has internet. Worst case, I'll update things tomorrow night, then the next update will be on Tuesday. I'll try to leave tomorrow's post open-ended so everyone can do some roleplay and in-character discussion in the meantime.
Apologies for failing to post yesterday. Found myself busy.
On a completely unrelated note, if any of you boys and girls in the US have the option to see that eclipse, like our gracious GM, I highly, highly recommend you do so. You may not think it a big deal now, as I did, but seeing a total eclipse really is a stunning experience. Would recommend.
Yep, from what I hear, it should be quite stunning, as you said. And I do have some special glasses for watching it. Good luck finding some if you're still looking. They're rarer than unicorns at this point.
Yay for having internet. Also, the eclipse was spectacular. If you get a chance to be in the line of totality for one of them, I highly recommend you take it.
Who Gets the Scrolls, part III: the Writing's on the Scrawl
Hi, I'm Didiana Drost. You may remember me from posts such as Who Gets the Scrolls and Who Gets the Scrolls II: Papyrus Panic. Today we're discussing scrolls and who gets them.
So yeah. Remove Disease and Cure Blindness/Deafness are easy enough to distribute as Gilda is the only one able to use them. Daylight could go to either Gilda or Di; I'm gonna say Gilda as Di has more spells per day and Gilda has the higher concentration check.
I'm gonna let Evander and Gilda hash it out over the Cure Moderate Wounds scroll. Gilda can use it, but Evander can add it to his not-a-spellbook. No particular opinion on the potions of Restoration, but if the four potions of CLW go to Di, Evander, Gilda and Gregor that would leave every member of the party with one such potion.
Codename: "Falcon" Male 'Human' Divine Marksman Urban Ranger 5/Bard 2 (AC: 19 [T: 13 /FF: 16] -1 if using Buckler hand; CMD 20; HP: 58/58; F+5, R+10, W+4 [+1 vs. Mind-affecting]; Init: +4 (+6 in Kintargo); Perc: +14 (+16 in Kintargo) [Low-light vision])
As Gregor has little use for any of the scrolls (until he goes Bard), he's okay getting a CLW.
As for the potions of Restoration, I think those would be best held by whoever fills the support roles. The people that will have more available actions to retrieve and distribute such a potion during combat if necessary. Or, to the people whose effectiveness would be most hindered by ability damage. So, it's a tough call, as Gregor as a Bard will be mostly support, but he suffers the least from ability damage with his scores so close across the middle (and not really relying on any one stat as a primary).
Male Tiefling (Pass for Human) Investigator (Conspirator, Empiricist) 6/Swashbuckler (Inpsired Blade) 1 | AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 18 | HP 53/53 | Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +6 (+2 vs illusions); resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5 | Init +3 | Perception +13 (+15 to notice scrying); low-light vision, darkvision 120 ft | Inspiration 6/6 | Panache 4/4 | SLAs: Deathwatch At-Will |
Extracts:
Level 1: 6/6; Level 2: 4/4
| Active effects:
Gilda would be a good choice to hang on to one of the potions of lesser restoration, as would be Di. For the other, either myself or Gregor. I'm rather reliant on Dex for fighting, but Gregor being a back-liner as an archer would allow for ease of distribution of the potion if needed.
Evander is currently unable to copy spells into his formulae book, as he finds himself lacking Spellcraft. I suspect that, next level, I'll be pouring some ranks into both that and Craft (alchemy). I also won't be able to make an extract of cure moderate wounds for another 2 levels at the earliest, so Gilda having the scroll for now is more valuable for immediate use.
Sure, Gilda can hold onto the divine scrolls for now. I suspect a Cure Moderate is only being used prior to Evander's scribing in the most dire of circumstances.
I went ahead and distributed the scrolls and cure light wounds potions (Gilda gets a pile of scrolls and one potion to each person that didn't have one already). It wasn't clear who you all wanted to have the potions of lesser restoration, so those are still in the shared tab.
I'm going to hold off on updating us today. I would really like everyone to weigh in on what to do about Vendalfek, so I'll plan to update us tomorrow night. I realize it's labor day weekend here in the U.S., so that's probably why posting has been a bit slower than usual.
Everyone okay out there? I know the weekend was slow, but I would like to get back to a consistent pace again. That said, I'm not going to update us with just one reply, so everyone chime in as soon as you can.
Apologies. Going back to a regular work schedule after summer has just hit me hard. Always takes a little while to reacclimate. Will still be aiming for daily posts, of course.
No worries, folks. Just don't want us to slow down too much. I agree with Painlord that there's more risk in going too slow than too fast. And fair point, Gilda. Thanksgiving and Christmas will likely be slow. Haha.
Everything is fine. Sometimes I have little to hook onto (or, well, that's how I feel) so I'll simply wait for a more opportune moment to step on in :)
Hopefully none of you are hit by Irma. I know a player in one of my other games is .. and I saw the footage of what it did to one of the Dutch islands in the Caribbean. Brrr :(
In the interest of giving everyone a chance to respond, I'll hold off on updating us till tomorrow night. Mondays seem to be particularly hectic. For the group leaving the Salt Works, note that I plan to push you all back to base, so go ahead and post anything you want to do before going there (in addition to responding to Vendalfek's inquiry).
Codename: "Falcon" Male 'Human' Divine Marksman Urban Ranger 5/Bard 2 (AC: 19 [T: 13 /FF: 16] -1 if using Buckler hand; CMD 20; HP: 58/58; F+5, R+10, W+4 [+1 vs. Mind-affecting]; Init: +4 (+6 in Kintargo); Perc: +14 (+16 in Kintargo) [Low-light vision])
No offense, but I really don't get the seagull.
Personally, I can't stand them. I come from the west coast, and they are just annoying rat birds. Finding Nemo had them spot on.
I've seen a group of 3-4 chase off a majestic bald eagle perched nearby because he was too close to the great big cafeteria garbage cans that they picked out of nearby.
Times like these are a good point to discuss the game plan ooc here in the discussion thread. It’s not really that different from if this was a face-to-face game - there would inevitably be a discussion among the players as to the best option. You can, of course, proceed with rp in-character, but at this point, it’ll probably be easiest to decide on a solution here in the discussion thread then proceed with the in-character dialogue accordingly.
As far as the decision goes, I want to mention that I would strongly advise against a plan that only involves a couple people. This would potentially keep the majority of the party from posting for a number of days. If everyone agrees on this option, though, I would advise that the section involving only a couple people take up two or three days (in real life) at most to avoid keeping everyone else out of the story. That might mean the couple characters involved need to post more than once on those days, so that would be another consideration if we did a segment like that.
Normally, we could probably do something like where we had the party split in two, but everyone had something interesting to do in that case. In this case, I don’t think that’s really an option. However, if everyone wants to do the infiltration option, you could incorporate the other characters by having them be prisoners or something along those lines. Basically I’m just saying that I want everyone to be actively involved in the story as much as possible. As a general rule, any plan should involve all six of you in some capacity.
Codename: "Falcon" Male 'Human' Divine Marksman Urban Ranger 5/Bard 2 (AC: 19 [T: 13 /FF: 16] -1 if using Buckler hand; CMD 20; HP: 58/58; F+5, R+10, W+4 [+1 vs. Mind-affecting]; Init: +4 (+6 in Kintargo); Perc: +14 (+16 in Kintargo) [Low-light vision])
Gregor Ward wrote:
"Couldn't we just defeat all of them, and then stage it to look like there was a falling out? Maybe, we could even find or fabricate evidence that would do just that."
I revert to my original suggestion. We go in, kick butt, take names. We find or fabricate evidence. Then stage the bodies to look like a falling out between the Church of Asmodeus and the CCG thugs. Use that as our story, that the mayor's allies can't get along or work together (or be trusted). Try to cause a 3-way falling out between the groups.
Male Tiefling (Pass for Human) Investigator (Conspirator, Empiricist) 6/Swashbuckler (Inpsired Blade) 1 | AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 18 | HP 53/53 | Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +6 (+2 vs illusions); resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5 | Init +3 | Perception +13 (+15 to notice scrying); low-light vision, darkvision 120 ft | Inspiration 6/6 | Panache 4/4 | SLAs: Deathwatch At-Will |
Extracts:
Level 1: 6/6; Level 2: 4/4
| Active effects:
I agree. Evander's plan was similar, just with the extra complication.
I do think we should try to at least semi-stealth the mission, though. If we can take out the two guards keeping watch without them raising the alarm, that might make the rest of the mission go a lot easier.
Seriously, at the risk of killing the joke, feel free to explain that one, anyone. Non-native speaker here, so it may have just flown over my head. And I'm sure there's another bird joke to be made right there, but I can't be bothered.
+1 for jumping ahead to the rescue mission. We try to take out the two guards out front as quietly as possible (via Sleep or, if that's not enough for both, Charm Person + Sleep), and see where we go from there. Most likely to bustin' heads.
Assuming everyone wants to jump ahead to the rescue mission, we'll go ahead and do that. While we're discussing it, everyone does need to decide what time during the day or night they want to go. (It makes a difference).
Codename: "Falcon" Male 'Human' Divine Marksman Urban Ranger 5/Bard 2 (AC: 19 [T: 13 /FF: 16] -1 if using Buckler hand; CMD 20; HP: 58/58; F+5, R+10, W+4 [+1 vs. Mind-affecting]; Init: +4 (+6 in Kintargo); Perc: +14 (+16 in Kintargo) [Low-light vision])
I disagree, I think night would be better. Not only does it cover us, but if we can catch more of them without time to gear up, the better.
Also, the strategy of putting as many to sleep before being seen is the best one. If we can knock out at least a few before they know what's happening, then we have people on the inside backing up our story that there was a falling out.
For example, we catch 2-4 CCG unawares, then we deal with the rest of the place, and stage it to look like a falling out between both factions. Those CCG back up whatever evidence pointing to the Asmodean skimming, and they are personally at odds with the church. Increasing tensions between the two groups.
I'm fine with night, but Matiscio will be blind as a bat without a light source. On the flip side, this might also apply for the people we're visiting.
It is here that a few potential heroes find themselves when evil descends. With the Glorious Reclamation beginning far to the south, the Silver City is forced to receive Barzillai Thrune as its new lord-mayor. The inquisitor tyrant Barzillai has the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune and the Church of Asmodeus as his allies. How could a few adventurers and would-be rebels hope to stand against such a person? The city’s fate will hinge on the actions of only a few brave heroes and victory is anything but assured. Who will answer the call to free Kintargo from tyranny?
About me: I have a fair bit of experience with Pathfinder in face-to-face settings through Pathfinder Society, an on-going Adventure Path, and a few different homebrew games. I’ve also had the opportunity to play in a few play-by-post games. This will be my first time GM’ing a play-by-post game, so I’m very open to correction and suggestions. On that same note, I plan to select at least one player who is new (or at least newer) to the play-by-post genre, so if you’re new to play-by-post games, please don’t let that prevent you from submitting a character for consideration.
I plan to keep the campaign at a PG-13 rating or less in terms of its content. Consequently, I may have to make some adjustments to specific parts of the adventure. Keep this in mind when creating your character and for what to expect during gameplay.
Expectations:
This section is entitled expectations because it applies to me as the GM just as much as it applies to you as the players. I think a few basic expectations are important to the success of any role-playing game regardless of whether it is face-to-face or play-by-post.
GM Expectations: I expect myself to be attentive to players’ needs and to make changes when necessary. I don’t claim to be perfect. I’m far from it. That being said, I always want to improve and will at least partially rely on feedback to do so. My goal is to provide an enjoyable experience for everyone involved and to facilitate a story that everyone will remember fondly in the years to come.
Speaking of years, I fully expect this Adventure Path to take several years to complete if we hope to do even a little bit of justice to the story. I’m in this for the long haul, so if I can do anything to make the experience more enjoyable, please let me know.
I have read through the Adventure Path, so I’m aware of where things are headed and may make changes here and there to hopefully make things more unique. The great thing about this Adventure Path is that its structure is very flexible and is essentially an urban sandbox during many parts. Paizo has done a great job with this Adventure Path, so I don’t want to change it in any fundamental way. I’m thinking more along the lines of occasionally making slight changes if I feel a situation warrants it.
Player Expectations: If selected, players should be able to post at least once a day during the week and at least once on the weekends. I understand real life can get in the way sometimes and is definitely first priority, but if you don’t think you can consistently post once a day during the week and once on the weekends, then please do not apply.
I also want players to actively engage in the story. I, as the GM, should not be the only one pushing the story along. I’m sure there will be times when I have to push everyone along, but I would much prefer for players to take the initiative in moving the story forward.
Please read and reread the player’s guide found here. We’ll be using the rebellion system listed there, so it’s very important that players understand how it works and be onboard with using it prior to applying.
I want everyone to assist with keeping track of the loot. There are several different systems to keep track of throughout the Adventure Path and loot seems like the kind of thing players should be taking a personal interest in anyway. We’ll be using Google slides for this, as well as for maps, and general game information.
On the topic of loot: When gold is assigned it will be done so equally unless all the players agree otherwise. Each player who wants an item and can especially benefit from it (e.g. a sorcerer wanting an item that boosts charisma) will roll to determine who receives it unless everyone in the group agrees who should receive the item. Of course, if no one wants an item, it can just be sold for gold.
Consistency: I mentioned this once or twice above, but it needs to be repeated. If we want to finish this Adventure Path, and do so in a reasonable amount of time (2-5 years), consistency will be our best ally. If you’re unable to post for more than 48 hours, drop a line in the discussion thread so we know to move forward with the story in the meantime. The same thing applies during combat. Real life is first priority, but your fellow players and GM would greatly appreciate the courtesy of being notified if you’ll be absent for an extended period of time. I plan to be available as often as possible, but I’m sure the occasion will arise when I’m forced to be away for a bit. Communication is key regardless of whether it’s myself or a player who must be away.
Combat:
In my opinion, combat is the most complicated part of play-by-post games and can get convoluted very quickly if everyone isn’t careful. With that in mind, I want to detail upfront what system I will use for combat.
I’ll roll initiative for everyone. I’ll also roll perception for everyone if there’s a chance to participate in a surprise round. Everyone will be able to see their initiative rolls, but should feel free to post in any order for any given round. If a player has a companion, eidolon, etc., the player and companion share the same initiative. Once everyone has posted for one round of combat, I’ll post the results of the round. Each character’s action(s) will be resolved in initiative order at that point. In the event an enemy has already died, I’ll try to redirect a player’s attack to the most logical nearby enemy when applicable. If there’s not a straightforward action for a player to take (such as an alternate move action to get in range for a corresponding melee or ranged attack), I’ll ask the player(s) in question to post an alternate action.
While every play-by-post combat system has its advantages and disadvantages, I want everyone to feel the flexibility to post when they are available, so I hope this method will allow combat to move along as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We’ll be using google slides for maps during combat. At the start of combat, I’ll try to allow everyone to place their player tokens on the map as they see fit. At that point, I’ll move players as appropriate to correspond with their actions in any given round. Most maps will have a compass indicating cardinal directions, so make sure you use that to designate where you want your character to move. Indicating where you want your character to be based on their proximity to individual enemies and allies will also make things clearer. When moving near an enemy, I’ll always try to place you next to an enemy in a way that doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity if it’s at all possible. Plan your moves ahead of time with this in mind.
For each post during combat, plan to use Move Action, Standard Action, Swift Action, Immediate Action, and Free Action to designate what you’re doing for any given round. Be sure to be as specific as possible for readied actions so I’ll know when they’ll be triggered. If you think you’ll want to use an immediate action, specify under what circumstances you would activate the action. In extreme situations (such as when it would prevent a character’s death), I might activate an immediate action for you.
Combat can be one of the most fun parts of any Pathfinder game, so I hope the above guidelines can help streamline the process.
Character Creation:
Starting Level: 1
Starting Wealth: 200g
Alignment: Any non-evil
Races: Core races, Aasimar, Tiefling, and Tengu. I’m willing to consider other races, but you’ll need a very compelling backstory to explain why you would stay to fight for Kintargo.
Classes: Anything Paizo. Summoners must be unchained, but you may use the evolution points progression for eidolons from the base summoner. No templates, no VMC, no Gestalt, no leadership feat.
Archetypes: I won’t be banning any specific archetypes as I think bans are often arbitrary and unwarranted. Use your best judgment and don’t try to submit things that are commonly considered overpowered (e.g. Synthesist Summoner) as that will significantly reduce your chance of being selected.
Ability Scores: 20 point buy. No individual score should be lower than 7 after all modifiers have been applied. No adjustments due to age.
Hit Points: Max at first level, half+1 for subsequent levels.
Traits: Two, one of which must be a campaign trait. You may take a third if you also take a drawback. Be sure to incorporate your traits and flaw (if applicable) into your character’s backstory.
Reason to Protest: Pick a reason to be at the protest from the Hell’s Rebels Player Guide.
Rules (RAW/RAI): I tend to think the spirit of the law matters more than the letter of the law, but reserve the right to adjudicate disputes on a case-by-case basis.
Background Skills: 2 per level.
Experience: We won’t be using the standard Pathfinder experience system. Instead, I’ll be leveling everyone when it seems most appropriate.
House Rules: I would hope this goes without saying, but just to be sure everyone is on the same page: no player-versus-player combat will be allowed at all. Arguments and disagreements will of course occur, but they should be resolved with words not swords. This is a rebellion, but not against each other. The players are on the same side.
Backstory:
I’m not a fan of lists. I want an actual story. Tell me about an episode from your character’s past – in story form. Give me a sample of what your character sounds like when interacting with others in narrative as well as in dialogue. I don’t want to put too many specific requirements on a character’s backstories as I’m afraid it’ll stifle creativity.
Besides what was just mentioned, I only want to offer a few general guidelines.
Grammar matters. While everyone will inevitably make the occasional mistake, the players and myself alike should be actively striving to write in good English. Just previewing your post before officially posting it can make a world of difference. Grammar won’t be my only factor in player selection, but if you misspell multiple words in a sentence, write in sentence fragments and run-on sentences constantly, or exhibit similar grammatical faux pas, I’ll be forced to think you didn’t care much when you were putting together your character.
Speaking of character, I value your character’s story, personality, and uniqueness more than his or her stat block. Play-by-posts succeed when they have good stories. Write a character that you’ll care about and that will care about Kintargo’s well-being. I plan to incorporate the selected characters’ backstories into the greater plot of the adventure path, so making a unique character will enhance the experience of the adventure for everyone.
With that said, party composition will be a factor in my decision. I think GMs are being dishonest if they say this isn’t at least a small factor in selecting characters. I’m open to the possibility of having multiples of one class, but I won’t be selecting four fighters just because they have the best stories of all the submissions. Having a unique character, class, and/or role will all increase your chance of being selected.
If you read everything up to this point, thank you! I look forward to seeing everyone’s submissions. I plan to take 4-6 players for this adventure. Recruitment will be open until 6/22/17 at 1 pm eastern. Once recruitment closes, I’ll message the accepted applicants and verify their acceptance before posting a formal list in this thread. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
I plan to keep the campaign at a PG-13 rating or less in terms of its content. Consequently, I may have to make some adjustments to specific parts of the adventure. Keep this in mind when creating your character and for what to expect during gameplay.
can you explain a bit more, in spoiler if necessary, what this would entail?
Height of 3’6”, weight of 38 pounds (went with something a little more realistic as the regular halfling size and weight charts put them at the size of toddlers).
Leza, a young halfling woman with slightly curly chestnut hair, their skin a warm cinnamon color. Always walking around with her doll “Nessa”, the woman looks like any of the other kids in Kintargo. She dresses and talks like them, acts like them and passes about with nary a second look.
All the better for her as far as she cares since she is a former slave from one of the petty noble homes in far off Westcrown. Having managed to escape in her distant youth, Leza found the way to Andoran blocked by too many obstacles both natural and otherwise. And so, keeping herself to the shadows and her ears opened, she made her way to Kintargo where she now makes a little money picking pockets and steals away food from the odd shop or cart to make do. She’s not too sure how much more she can hold off before she tries another break for Andoran and true freedom, but she bides her time, juggling her little sticks and playing with the children, keeping her ears to the ground for every little scrap of information she can.
And things are changing in Kintargo. Few speak of it but all feel it. On this fateful day at Aria Park, a protest is gathering. Not sure what to make of such a blatant outcry against authority, Leza tagged along with some ‘friends’ (some of the kids wondering what was going on) to the park where she is hearing first hand that some humans also are disliking some of the rules of House Thrune. Maybe, just maybe, this will lead to something far, far greater!
Hryvnas looked at the stranger and scowled. "You think you can just walk in here and say 'Down With House Thrune' and we'll embrace you with open arms? How stupid do we look?"
Hryvnas put his feet up on the table. Then he drew a dagger and began cleaning his fingernails with it. "Maybe you want to Fight House Thrune. Or maybe you're a Thrune spy. You'd say the same thing either way."
Hryvnas eyes the stranger again. He points at a chair with his dagger. "So. You're going to sit there, and you're going to tell us who sent you and how you knew we were down here. You're going to answer all of our questions truthfully. Whether things have to get ugly for that to happen is entirely up to you."
Hryvnas tests the sharpness of his blade with his thumb, then licks it to make sure it is properly honed.
"But one way or another, you're not leaving here until we're satisfied. So you might as well get comfortable; we could be here all night."
"There's no sense taking any of this personally. Try to think of it as an initiation," Hryvnas smiles. "If you pass, you get to join the cause, and become a hero of the people. If not, well... then we need to make sure your mouth stays shut. Permanently. I'm sure you understand."
================================
Allow me to submit Hryvnas Raszamy. He was created for another Hell's Rebels game but didn't quite make the cut.
Hryvnas is a Warpriest of Desna with the Cult Leader archetype. The archetype makes him more of a rogue-y kind of warpriest. He was deliberately sent into the city by the church of Desna (which is one of the persecuted religions in Cheliax) as an agent provocateur.
The background was formatted for another GM's preference but I can re-do it. There is lots of time between now and the deadline. For now what is there should give you the idea.
I plan to keep the campaign at a PG-13 rating or less in terms of its content. Consequently, I may have to make some adjustments to specific parts of the adventure. Keep this in mind when creating your character and for what to expect during gameplay.
can you explain a bit more, in spoiler if necessary, what this would entail?
^^ What Rysky said. Curious to what you mean by that is all, i have a gunslinger that was made for this and she is awesome. She was in a game that died out.
can you explain a bit more, in spoiler if necessary, what this would entail?
Sure, happy to explain. No need for a spoiler, either, as I want to make sure everyone understands what I mean. I'm mainly thinking, If Paizo were to turn this adventure into a movie, what would it be rated? There are at least a few scenes that - if filmed exactly as written - could warrant a R rating. It shouldn't make a major difference in the actual plot at all, just want to alienate as few people as possible. I'm basically trying to straddle the line between too tame and overly graphic. The rating also applies to character interactions. If a player decides to romantically pursue a NPC or perhaps even another player (both are perfectly legitimate options), I would want them to keep their interactions on a PG-13 level or lower. Hope that helps. Happy to clarify further if needed.
Lady Vibia Aulorian wrote:
just checking, my GM irl keeps using the term 'template' for 'archetype' so I'm just making sure.
No worries, Lady, it happens from time to time. Let me know if you have any other questions.
”Leza the Little” wrote:
Submitting Leza the Little!
Your character looks good. Make sure you’re using both of your background skill points.
”Malavik Forzeyr” wrote:
I would like to submit Malavik, a Warpriest of Cayden Cailean. I just need to update him slightly for your creation rules.
Your character looks good, just needs the few updates you mentioned yourself. Is there any significance to Malavik’s current last name or is it just the alias he picked?
”Phntm888” wrote:
Dotting for interest. Are variant Aasimar/Tiefling heritages allowed?
Yes, just be sure to incorporate it into your backstory. You don’t need the feat to select the variant heritages either. I’m going to say no to the d100 charts, though.
”Hryvnas Raszamy” wrote:
The background was formatted for another GM's preference but I can re-do it. There is lots of time between now and the deadline. For now what is there should give you the idea.
What you have now looks good, but definitely update it between now and the deadline. I’ll of course be reviewing everyone’s profiles as we get closer to the deadline. Feel free to make changes prior to the deadline, if necessary. Stick with your basic character concept, though.
”TheNine” wrote:
What Rysky said. Curious to what you mean by that is all, i have a gunslinger that was made for this and she is awesome. She was in a game that died out.
See my response to that post above. Gunslinger would be perfectly fine, just post again when you want to officially submit it.
Thank you everyone for your interest. Keep the questions coming. I would rather clarify now so we can get started right away after selections.
I would like to submit Malavik, a Warpriest of Cayden Cailean. I just need to update him slightly for your creation rules.
Your character looks good, just needs the few updates you mentioned yourself. Is there any significance to Malavik’s current last name or is it just the alias he picked?
I believe he is updated now.
For the last name, heh, he picked the last name from a former priest of Cayden Cailean in the city that died many years ago. (Yes, I'm making that up totally but I thought it added a cool element to him). I apparently forgot to include that in the background so I will see about updating that soon.
Dotted. Seeing as the character is still a work in progress I'll post an update when the background, personality and appearance have been all worked out! But the crunch seems to be done, so here is Matiscio Tartaluna, a Chelish brawler who has adopted the weaponry and fighting style of his old master Jalpur.
Oh, and I got to find a better avatar to reflect Matiscio ._.
Okay, I added to the background about the hero - she died during the Civil War defending the Church when it was burned to the ground (and threw a description and personality up there as well).
Feats:Arcane strike (Swift action +1 damage and treated as magic)
Traits:Diva in Training(+1 sing,+1 DC of language dependent spells by 1),Looking for Idol(+2 Perception/Sense Motive at protest)
Beast Bond(You gain a +1 bonus on Handle Animal checks and Ride checks. One of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.)
Special Abilities:+2 to intimidate,Orc Ferocity: Once per day, when a half-orc is brought below 0 hit points but not killed, he can fight on for 1 more round as if disabled. At the end of his next turn, unless brought to above 0 hit points, he immediately falls unconscious and begins dying.
Weapon Familiarity: Half-orcs are proficient with greataxes and falchions and treat any weapon with the word “orc” in its name as a martial weapon.
Famous +1 Bluff/Intimidate in stellements/areas of less than 1000 people.Replaces Bardic Knowledge
Bardic Performance 6 Rounds Standard action
Countersong
Distraction DC 13
Inspire Courage +1 Hit/Damage/Saves vs. fear and charm
spells per day Unlimited/2////
Known
(12)0.Daze,Dancing Lights,Prestidigitation,Message
(13)1. Saving Finale,Hideous Laughter
2
3
4
Equipment
Longsword (15 gp)
Studded Leather (25)
Sling
20 Sling stones (2)
Bard's Kit (41)
backpack,
bedroll
belt pouch
flint and steel
ink
inkpen
iron pot
journal
mess kit
mirror
rope
soap
torches (10)
trail rations (5 days)
waterskin.
22 gp
Description: Beorn is a strapping young man with a thick head of black hair and,(to his dismay) a still sparse mustache and beard. His
orc heritage is displayed by somewhat pointed ears and teeth and ruddy complexion. He attempts to dress well but quite often has to
be satisfied with common clothing.
Background:Beorn(he insists on adding THE DIVINE as his stage name.) was an abandoned child who was fathered by an orcish mercenary on a prostitute while on leave. Cared for until he was old enough for the orphanage, he was selected as part of a 'New futures for disadvantaged
children' project by a noblewoman's group and given an education. Taking a liking to the arts, Beorn took every chance he could to learn singing and became a talented amateur who longed for the chance to stand on a grand stage. However, with the occupation by Thrune forces and the closing of the opera, Beorn found his hopes dashed and his resentment at the ridiculous laws by the new order grew until he found himself actually thinking of committing treasonous acts.
1.Beorn loves to sing and shout, he often practices for relaxation and wants to start a school for youngsters. Beorn focuses on the little things, the laws against tea and dogs need to be targeted because every little thing counts. Beorn is not humble and will loudly proclaim his goals unless someone interrupts. Beorn will not engage in any mass destruction of property, broken doors and windows are no doubt expected but burning a place down will have him arguing against it.
2. Beorn will strive to get around the laws restricting tea and dogs by starting 'underground tea railroads' and homes for dogs. He is considering trying to train pigs to carry tea.
3. Lady Elizabeth Du'Arequette(mentor) a grand dame of Kintargo's social scene who sponsored Beorn's education by being the head of her social group. Has a liking for mini-pigs that she dresses in fancy frocks. Cullen D'Amberville(Mentor) Beorn's teacher in singing and acting, a rather stuffy and nervous man
who seems to be ashamed of his far off family and really doesn't want to be involved with them anymore. Gil Wulfenbach(rival) part class member of Beorn's a less talented but wealthier student who resents Beorn advancing past him and has sworn revenge!(They will all pay!)
4. OPERA! Beorn's first time standing on the stage of the grand opera reinforced his love of the art and he has pledged to restore it.SADNESS!
Beorn wept when Thrune's lack took over the opera and enacted his ridiculous laws, he fears for Kintargo's future. JUSTICE! Beorn will restore Kintargo to greatness and trample his foes under a stampede of pigs!
5. Beorn fears failing during his first live performance and keeps a bag of lemon drops with him at all times to make sure his throat stays primed. To fail and be forced to flee during his debut? MADNESS!!!
For the last name, heh, he picked the last name from a former priest of Cayden Cailean in the city that died many years ago. (Yes, I'm making that up totally but I thought it added a cool element to him). I apparently forgot to include that in the background so I will see about updating that soon.
Thank you for the update. It looks good.
Osveta Daud wrote:
Osveta was also submitted to another Hell's Rebel game but didn't make it, would just need to alter some stuff.
I like the concept. If it's not too much trouble, try combining a few of the lists in your profile into a cohesive story. It doesn't need to be everything or very long, just long enough so I can see how some of the more prominent parts would fit together in a narrative.
Matiscio Tartaluna wrote:
Dotted. Seeing as the character is still a work in progress I'll post an update when the background, personality and appearance have been all worked out! But the crunch seems to be done, so here is Matiscio Tartaluna, a Chelish brawler who has adopted the weaponry and fighting style of his old master Jalpur.
Oh, and I got to find a better avatar to reflect Matiscio ._.
What you have so far looks good. Look forward to seeing the rest.
Chubbs wrote:
do you have any problems with people that have played or DM Hells rebels?
I'm open to the possibility, but you would need to be very good at distinguishing between in-character and out-of-character knowledge as there are some major plot spoilers starting on very first page of the AP.
Beorn the Divine wrote:
I submit Beorn the Divine. The stats and crunch are under the spoiler here, if accepted I will adjust the alias.
I like the character. Are you going for more of a melee focus?
Doreen Makgree wrote:
Applying with Doreen Makgree, human vigilante.
I'll take a look later today and provide you some feedback.
@Doreen Makgree
Just reviewed your character. I like your background. Plenty of things to work with there. Remember that you only have 200g to work with at the start of the adventure.
Osveta Daud wrote:
Thankies!
That was how the GM that was running the other recruitment requested it so I just left it as is, will get right on it turning it into a backstory :3
Just reviewed your character. I like your background. Plenty of things to work with there. Remember that you only have 200g to work with at the start of the adventure.
I doubled checked and I think it's right... she gets the chain shirt, noble outfit and signet ring for free from the trait child of Kintargo, and the rest of the gear amounts to 185 gp.
I also just proofread the background and cleaned up a couple of typos and stuff.
Just reviewed your character. I like your background. Plenty of things to work with there. Remember that you only have 200g to work with at the start of the adventure.
I doubled checked and I think it's right... she gets the chain shirt, noble outfit and signet ring for free from the trait child of Kintargo, and the rest of the gear amounts to 185 gp.
I also just proofread the background and cleaned up a couple of typos and stuff.
Ah, my mistake. In that case, everything should be in order. Always appreciate proofreading.
Hmm. I wonder if Doreen and Malavik know one another from before, seeing as they are both from wealthy merchant families. Or at least know of each other/each other's families.
I like Malavik's background but I almost feel like it needs...something.
Hmm. I wonder if Doreen and Malavik know one another from before, seeing as they are both from wealthy merchant families. Or at least know of each other/each other's families.
I like Malavik's background but I almost feel like it needs...something.
It's certainly possible. Kintargo is a relatively small city by Earth standards. I plan to give those selected at least a day or two to work out connections before formally beginning the adventure. Feel free to adjust your background or add to it as you see fit, but stick with the core class and idea of your character.
What?!? Of course everybody knows about Malavik Tanessen and that poor Wexilor girl. It's just that we don't discuss it over dinner with the Tanessen, now that would just be bad manners.
Greetings. I have read your expectations and character creation rules and would like to apply with this character. I should have no problems with daily posting. I believe my character is mostly complete but ask for feedback on his background. I think its pretty good but might be too brief for what you are looking for.
I have included his reason for being at the protest in a spoiler in his alias as well. I look forward to your feedback.
One note - I leave for a week of wilderness canoeing on June 17 and will be back home on June 25 so I will likely be gone when you announce your choice of players. This is real wilderness and there will be no internet or even cell service. But I will be back to the canoe base on the night of the 23rd and in airports on the 24th so should be able to check in then.
I would like to submit myself for this. I've played Pathfinder at home for several years but never PbP (I have lurked and read a few though). Hell's Rebels is an AP I've been dying to try.
I put the reason for the protest in the background. If you need a separate line let me know. Everything else you need should be in the profile as well.
Finally, let me know if the background is in the style you are looking for, its more narrative and lacking dialogue. I can probably add a small vignette if you want.
What?!? Of course everybody knows about Malavik Tanessen and that poor Wexilor girl. It's just that we don't discuss it over dinner with the Tanessen, now that would just be bad manners.
Oooh! What if they were invited to each other's weddings? Obviously his has been cancelled, and he's been uninvited from hers but still... =)
One note - I leave for a week of wilderness canoeing on June 17 and will be back home on June 25 so I will likely be gone when you announce your choice of players. This is real wilderness and there will be no internet or even cell service. But I will be back to the canoe base on the night of the 23rd and in airports on the 24th so should be able to check in then.
Thanks for your consideration!
Thank you for the heads up. If selected, I might delay announcing the accepted characters by a couple days till you get back. As for your character, it looks pretty solid. You may want to proofread a bit. Is there a particular reason why Dono ended up in the Kintargo branch of the Bellflower Network?
Rutilus Rathgan wrote:
I would like to submit myself for this. I've played Pathfinder at home for several years but never PbP (I have lurked and read a few though). Hell's Rebels is an AP I've been dying to try.
I put the reason for the protest in the background. If you need a separate line let me know. Everything else you need should be in the profile as well.
Finally, let me know if the background is in the style you are looking for, its more narrative and lacking dialogue. I can probably add a small vignette if you want.
Glad you decided to apply! Play-by-posts need new people to keep things fresh and interesting. Your reason for being at the protest was clear, so no need to alter that. Your profile looked good. Would you say Rutilus is hostile to all organized religion or primarily Asmodeans?
Glad you decided to apply! Play-by-posts need new people to keep things fresh and interesting. Your reason for being at the protest was clear, so no need to alter that. Your profile looked good. Would you say Rutilus is hostile to all organized religion or primarily Asmodeans?
Hostile might be too strong of a word. He's definitely opposed to Asmodeans based on his experiences in the orphanage. He's also smart enough to know that not all religions aren't like that. He's just decided that organized religion isn't for him and will let others choose to follow whatever religion they choose.
Here is my submission - Evander Forrell, former gang member turned scribe and author, and budding political revolutionary. Let me know if everything looks good.
Crunch:
Evander Forrell
Male Tiefling investigator (conspirator/empiricist) 1
CG Outsider (native)/humanoid (human)
Init +3; Perception +4; darkvision 60 ft
Favored Class: Investigator
FCB: +1 skill point
--------------------------------------------------------------
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor+3 Dex)
HP 9 (1d8+1 Con)
Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +2
Special Defenses resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5
--------------------------------------------------------------
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee rapier +3 (1d6, 18-20/x2)
Melee light mace +3 (1d6, x2)
Melee dagger +3 (1d4, 19-20/x2)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8, 19-20/x2, 80 ft)
Ranged dagger +3 (1d4, 19-20/x2, 10 ft)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st)
At-will - deathwatch
Formulae (CL 1st, Concentration +4)
1st (2/day) – disguise self, expeditious retreat
-------------------------------------------------------------
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 13
Base Atk +0, CMB +0, CMD 13
Traits Gifted Satirist, Shift the Blame; Reason to Protest: To Protest the Government
Feats AP (light), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Proficiency (simple weapons)
Skills (ACP -1) Bluff +7 (+8 to convince someone another person is responsible for my actions or to act innocent), Disable Device +6, Disguise +6, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (local) +7, Linguistics* +8, Perception +4, Profession (scribe)* +4, Sense Motive +4, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +8, Use Magic Device +5
*-denotes background skill
Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Halfling, Infernal
SQ Alchemy, Inspiration (3), Pass for Human, Soul Seer, underhanded
Other Gear rapier, dagger, light mace, light crossbow with 20 bolts, studded leather armor, Investigator's Kit (alchemy crafting kit, a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, ink, an inkpen, an iron pot, a mess kit, soap, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin), explorer's outfit, disguise kit, traveler's oufit (2), journal, 9 gp
Evander was not born in Kintargo. In fact, he doesn’t actually know where he was born. When he asked his mother, the answer was always, ”Somewhere else.” He didn’t know who his father was, either, to which his mother would reply, ”He isn’t with us anymore.”
Evander and his mother, Lillian, lived in a tenement in Old Kintargo. His mother was a barmaid at a tavern, and so many of his nights were spent with a neighbor, a kindly older gentleman named Wilhelm. Wilhelm had once been a composer for the Kintargo Opera House, and he would tell Evander stories from his time there, about some of the great divas and baritones who had performed – as well as some of the hijinks the cast would get up to once the curtain was down.. He’d been retired for several years, but he recognized in Evander a keen mind, and so once Evander was old enough, Wilhelm began teaching him to read and write. He also taught him arithmetic. His mother, who was also capable of reading and writing, was pleased to see he was learning, and she supplemented his education when she could.
One day, when Evander was 12, his mother became ill. She said it was nothing, just a small cough, but Evander was worried. She went to work that night, as she always did, and the next night. Each day, she seemed to be getting a little worse. After a week, she couldn’t go to work. Wilhelm hired an herbalist who came to care for her. The healer gave her a remedy, and said she would come in to give her the same each day. She insisted that his mother would be fine, confident in her work and her craft. Wilhelm came to check in on them later that night, and he found Evander crying. When he asked what was wrong, the boy said, ”Mother’s going to die! I know she is! I saw it!” Wilhelm reassured the boy that the herbalist would get his mother better, and everything would be fine. Evander couldn’t explain to the old man just what he had seen – his mother had seemed to have a light about her that was slowly dimming, fading away.
The next morning, his mother was dead. She was buried in a pauper’s grave, and the next day Evander ran into the streets. He could not work, he had no job or money. He was alone and helpless, and so was easily recruited into a street gang. For the next two years, he acted as a lookout, pickpocket, and lure for the gang so they could steal from unsuspecting victims. The life felt…natural…to him, as though this is what he should be doing. Because of his quickness, the gang began teaching him how to fight, and he began helping with some of the more violent activities the gang engaged in. He found the violence oddly enjoyable, and was both repulsed and enthralled by it.
Any criminal element in Cheliax, however, had to beware of the law. The dottari found the gang’s headquarters and came down upon their hideout, seeking to capture or kill all the members of the gang. Everyone panicked and scattered, running about and trying to get away. Evander was lucky to escape out a window and run through the streets. Finally, he stopped, out of breath, hoping he’d run far enough to escape the reach of the dottari. Suddenly, a voice behind him said his name. Turning, he was shocked to find himself face to face with Wilhelm. Not only that, but he was on the street outside the tenement he and his mother had lived in. The two looked at each other for a few minutes, and then Wilhelm invited him in for dinner, and a place to rest if he wanted it.
Over dinner, Evander told Wilhelm everything that had happened since his mother died and he had run away. He knew he shouldn’t, since he was confessing to several crimes, some of them dangerous, but once he started he couldn’t hold back. He felt he had to get it off his chest, even as a part of him told him not to. Once he was finished, Wilhelm merely told him that he was glad Evander was okay, and that he should get some rest. Evander laid down, and for the first time since his mother died, fell asleep right away and did not wake with nightmares.
Over the next couple of weeks, Wilhelm reviewed the education he had given Evander, and then arranged for the teen to get a position as a gopher for the Kintargo Opera House. Having never had a steady job, Evander was at first timid, but quickly acclimated to the environment. Though he had no knack for performing, his steady penmanship earned him a position making copies of the music for the operas, to be distributed to the performers and orchestra. He also learned how to make several concoctions that some of the non-performers used – especially the writers, who would make one that allowed them to understand operas written in unfamiliar languages to translate. He also learned a few other extracts as well, of the sort that might help him should he ever find himself needing to flee or fight for his life.
During his time at the opera house, he also learned a great deal about politics in Cheliax. When he learned about how the government was set up, and the strength of the church of Asmodeus, he was surprised to find his instincts saying to agree with the government, that this was the natural order of things. Unsure of where the feeling came from, he buried it deep, and focused on his work. The cat was out of the bag, though. Now, everywhere he looked, he found himself seeing the signs of tyranny. Small things, for things in Kintargo were not as heavy-handed as elsewhere in Cheliax, but tyranny nonetheless. Evander began fighting against that instinct that told him this was natural, and began to privately criticize the doings of House Thrune. Though he had no abilities with music, his prose was such that he wrote and published – under a pseudonym – a book of limericks that indirectly mocked House Thrune and those noble families that supported it.
From there, he wrote other short satires as critiques of the heavy-handedness of the government. Always under a pseudonym, and ensuring that they could never be traced to him. He always disguised himself to meet with others, always passing himself off as a mere messenger sent to deliver the manuscript. Then came Barzillai Thrune. Suddenly, the city of Kintargo was under martial law, due to events far away from them, and the opera house had been closed down to become Barzillai’s home. Now out of a job, Evander is far more angry at House Thrune, and he knows he needs to do something about it. They need to know the citizens of Kintargo will not tolerate House Thrune’s interference. The protest at Aria Park – now that’s the thing. They would show House Thrune they opposed this rule, and demand that martial law be lifted.
Evander has another concern as well. He hasn’t seen Wilhelm since the night Barzillai became Lord-Mayor. He’s worried for the old man, as he’s the closest thing to family Evander has left.
Hostile might be too strong of a word. He's definitely opposed to Asmodeans based on his experiences in the orphanage. He's also smart enough to know that not all religions aren't like that. He's just decided that organized religion isn't for him and will let others choose to follow whatever religion they choose.
That works. Just wanted to make sure of where he would stand regarding players who did worship deities.
Phntm888 wrote:
Here is my submission - Evander Forrell, former gang member turned scribe and author, and budding political revolutionary. Let me know if everything looks good.
** spoiler omitted **...
Your submission looks good. I like your backstory. I did want to make sure of one thing, at least. Is Wilhelm supposed to be a human?
Dono Songwapper wrote:
OK. fixed a couple typos (I made this guy pretty fast) and added a reason for being in Kintargo. I hope you like the build.
I forgot Beorn posted his proposed crunch in a spoiler here and looked at his Alias, lol. I was confused for a moment, heh.
Also, sadly, I changed my Campaign Trait after re-reading the Fed-Up Citizen trait again. It is mainly good for Lawful characters, and the Child of Kintargo feat really better applies to Malavik. But I'm not sure if having the same Campaign Trait as other PCs will be a problem for consideration or not.
(updated his equipment, sheet and description accordingly)
I would like to apply with this character (I know I have a lot of updating to do, but there is still the core concept already written in). He will be an Urban Ranger Falconer, interspersed with levels of Bard (focused on Oration).
The gist is that he is the son of a lifelong Hellknight, and is himself a staunch loyalist to his home city of Kintargo. With the inclusion of Barzillai in the seat of power, he couldn't continue to be both, and his loyalties to the success of the city won out. He's half-elven, but thinks he's human (thanks to his own father's prejudices, and the steps the man took to hide the non-human half of his son). He also shares his father's dislike of non-humans, and actually dislikes 'filthy half-breeds' the most, not knowing his own truth.
Full disclosure: I am running Hell's Rebels as a PbP, but am fully capable of maintaining the separation.
I feel a little nervous about things being changed to keep it 'PG-13'. Will this lead to the change of anything big or important, or just less detailed descriptions of gore/torture/sex? I am not against a PG-13 game, but I feel like in a game about rebellion and overthrowing evil it would be nice to see that the evil is evil.
If you feel that my fears are unfounded than I am interested and throw Sebastian Sarini into the ring. He is a former member of the House Sarini and ally of the Rose of Kintargo. His crunch is still a bit up in the air, as I have yet to decide which divine class or archetype completely fits with his backstory, but for now he is an Oracle who may change to an Inquisitor, Warpriest, or another class with a divine archetype before recruitment is up.
Yes, Wilhelm is supposed to be human. Evander doesn't quite know his Tiefling heritage either (Pass for Human), but he knows there is something strange about him.
"So why, you noble idiot." The exasperated young woman sighed at him, brushing golden hair away out of her face with a dark crimson hand. A young man with short, sandy hair sitting at the edge of their bed chuckles.
"Because with the way the city is, things might get out of hand and people might get hurt." He stands, grabbing a tunic from his dresser. "We need people there to keep the peace." The woman rolls her eyes.
"And it's gonna be you, an off duty armiger with no support." The young man shrugs.
"How do I know anyone else will?"
--------
Orson Cromwell is an armiger of the Order of the Torrent, a young man who believes strongly in justice and order. He's a Kintargo native who's respected the Torrent since his childhood, after hearing stories of their heroic rescues, and after his father, an officer in the Chelaxian Navy, perished at sea in a skirmish with Andoran ships, he pledged himself to the protection of his nation and his city. He technically lives at home with his mother and sister, but in the past few months has spent most nights at his girlfriend Alice's apartment in the Devil's Cradle (as she is, in fact, a tiefling). In terms of current events, he finds Barzilai Thrune to be the antithesis of order, his edicts steadily going from odd but reasonable to the realm of madness. That, combined with recent revelations on the inherent imbalance in society for people like tieflings that have come from, for all intents and purposes, living in the Devil's Cradle have put him firmly against the Thrune regime, though he doesn't voice his opposition openly.
Also, sadly, I changed my Campaign Trait after re-reading the Fed-Up Citizen trait again. It is mainly good for Lawful characters, and the Child of Kintargo feat really better applies to Malavik. But I'm not sure if having the same Campaign Trait as other PCs will be a problem for consideration or not.
(updated his equipment, sheet and description accordingly)
I'm not as concerned about having multiple people with the same traits as I am about having a variety of classes, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. Your backstory itself is what matters most. Updates look good.
Gregor Ward wrote:
I would like to apply with this character (I know I have a lot of updating to do, but there is still the core concept already written in). He will be an Urban Ranger Falconer, interspersed with levels of Bard (focused on Oration).
The gist is that he is the son of a lifelong Hellknight, and is himself a staunch loyalist to his home city of Kintargo. With the inclusion of Barzillai in the seat of power, he couldn't continue to be both, and his loyalties to the success of the city won out. He's half-elven, but thinks he's human (thanks to his own father's prejudices, and the steps the man took to hide the non-human half of his son). He also shares his father's dislike of non-humans, and actually dislikes 'filthy half-breeds' the most, not knowing his own truth.
Full disclosure: I am running Hell's Rebels as a PbP, but am fully capable of maintaining the separation.
I like the concept. Look forward to the updates to account for the campaign setting. Thank you for the heads up about running the AP yourself.
Sebastian Sarini wrote:
I feel a little nervous about things being changed to keep it 'PG-13'. Will this lead to the change of anything big or important, or just less detailed descriptions of gore/torture/sex? I am not against a PG-13 game, but I feel like in a game about rebellion and overthrowing evil it would be nice to see that the evil is evil.
If you feel that my fears are unfounded than I am interested and throw Sebastian Sarini into the ring. He is a former member of the House Sarini and ally of the Rose of Kintargo. His crunch is still a bit up in the air, as I have yet to decide which divine class or archetype completely fits with his backstory, but for now he is an Oracle who may change to an Inquisitor, Warpriest, or another class with a divine archetype before recruitment is up.
I meant PG-13 just in terms of descriptions. Evil characters will do evil things and will be seen for what they are. I do not plan to fundamentally alter the main story. I honestly thought softening some of the descriptions would alienate less people, but if most players would rather have the unedited/uncensored descriptions, I’m perfectly fine with that. It’s also something we can reassess after recruitment with those selected. I’m open to feedback on this topic.
As for your character, I like his backstory. If you have time, try to combine some of the elements from your lists of things about your character so it forms a cohesive story. It doesn’t have to be all of them, but enough that I can get an idea of how some of them work together. One thing I do plan to change/add is content related to the chosen characters’ backgrounds, so any details you can provide in story form will give me more to work with.
Phntm888 wrote:
Yes, Wilhelm is supposed to be human. Evander doesn't quite know his Tiefling heritage either (Pass for Human), but he knows there is something strange about him.
Understood. Thank you for the clarification.
Orson Cromwell wrote:
Orson Cromwell is an armiger of the Order of the Torrent, a young man who believes strongly in justice and order. He's a Kintargo native who's respected the Torrent since his childhood, after hearing stories of their heroic rescues, and after his father, an officer in the Chelaxian Navy, perished at sea in a skirmish with Andoran ships, he pledged himself to the protection of his nation and his city. He technically lives at home with his mother and sister, but in the past few months has spent most nights at his girlfriend Alice's apartment in the Devil's Cradle (as she is, in fact, a tiefling). In terms of current events, he finds Barzilai Thrune to be the antithesis of order, his edicts steadily going from odd but reasonable to the realm of madness. That, combined with recent revelations on the inherent imbalance in society for people like tieflings that have come from, for all intents and purposes, living in the Devil's Cradle have put him firmly against the Thrune regime, though he doesn't voice his opposition openly.
Thank you for the dialogue sample and background narrative. I'm guessing you're planning to take levels of Hell Knight eventually? I'm curious as some of their abilities may have limited usage in this setting (such as smite chaos for a Hell Knight Commander), but I'm open to the option. If you're planning to just go straight fighter and roleplay as a Hell Knight, I'm okay with that as well.
