Hm. Child of Kintargo seems like the go-to trait for me. Gives my character (I'm thinking his name is Armon) more swag. The Noble Scion feat doesn't seem so bad, but I have to make up a surname for my backstory so that it makes sense (my parents are deaaaaad). All of the noble families listed in the PG I assume, are well intact. If I make it up, I might go with Roivas as the family name. Sounds appropriately uppity. :P
Edit: Also... might take the Freedom subdomain. Replaces two really circumstantial spells with slightly less circumstantial spells, and the liberation ability (more useful for a melee fighter) with liberty's blessing. Which if I'm reading right, gives another saving throw against... pretty much anything. Curses, diseases, poisons, etc.
Scath was the last animal companion to an elderly Druid name Galvaria Thrune, a very ancient tiefling who was born in Cheliax in 4592, just before the death of Aroden. She grew up in a very different Cheliax than modern Cheliax, and fought in the civil wars that wracked it after the death of it's patron god.
When the factions she backed within House Thrune were defeated by diobolic forces of Arbogail Thrune, she left Cheliax in disgust, and in some fear of reprisal. Traveling the world, she was an adventurer of some note.
In her last years, she returned to Cheliax and worked toward helping those who had run afoul of House Thrune. As her health declined, she found herself needing a companion who could understand her needs, who could pass unnoticed by Hellknight and Inquisitors, and whom she could trust so she awakened Scath.
Scath was rather surprised to suddenly find himself able to reason and think and recognize that those silly squiggles his mistress insisted on making on random bits of crinkly dried animal skin (OOH! CRINKLY DRIED ANIMAL SKIN! POUNCE!) actually had meaning! So for the next few years, Scath did his best to help his Mistress, amusing himself when she slept by knocking an animal skin off her shelf and reading it. He became very adept at using his claws to gently turn the skins over and unroll them without damaging them (much). And he forced himself to have restraint and only shred the the ones his Mistress allowed him to shred.
He was quite content with his new life, spying on those whom she asked by night, and reading her strange skins and scrolls and learning new languages by day. He would have been happy to spend the rest of his days doing this. But that was, alas, not to be.
A new governor came to the town, and one of his first steps was to vanish anyone who might be a threat. Galvaria, his own great great great great grand-aunt was such a threat, and his Inquisitors descended on her home in the night, while Scath was busy spying on someone for her.
He returned near dawn, only to find the house burning to the ground. Galvaria and all her wonderful animal skins with their scribbles were burned to ash. The only thing he had to remember her by was the armor she had given him to wear when he was out at night. The dark green armor was made of living metal, something she'd had made on her adventures for Scath's great great great grandfather, during the original civil wars, and had passed down from companion to companion until it made it's way to him.
Several of the Inquisitors remained, watching the burning house from a distance, noting who seemed the most upset at her passing, for potential future dismissal. The next morning, their disappearance was noted by their commander, but no trace of their bodies were ever found.
Scath had always had a somewhat complex relationship with the local thieves, given they both used the roof tops to move around at night unseen. Those who targeted those who couldn't afford it, Scath had a tendency to 'accidently' knock off the roofs. Those who targeted people who were rich and abused their wealth, well, he sometimes warned of approaching watches.
He also had a decent enough relationship with the local urchins, and had protected more than one street child from danger in the dark of the night. With no where else to go, Scath fell in with the local urchins, providing them with extra protection at night while they got him food using some of the coins he had kept at his mistresses insistence in case of emergency.
Kept it neutral to other PCs for now, until they are all finalized and we can work out if any know Scath is sentient or not. Also gave plenty of hooks for why some factions would be willing to work with Scath.
Well... I have a sad plot hook for Scath. :)
It looks good, and reads well. I'd be interested to know if she had anything Pre-Redaction that you might have read.
You mean like historical texts that were no longer 'real history'? I'd be shocked if she didn't. She was there when Cheliax fell to diablory, I'm sure she took some stuff with her when she left.
I need to fix him though, I forgot about the 'background skills'. Might put points into Kn(History).
You said drawbacks would not grant an extra trait yes? So really no reason to take them...
Mostly no reason. I feel that they don't really serve their purpose, given how... varied they are. It goes from 'what if I fail, oh god, everything is wrong!' and 'I get fatigued after combat, sometimes.' All the way down to 'my shadow is a a little funny looking.'
I understand it being a little rough that you can't, but you can still play him as overprotective. :)
And yeah. Real history. I'll likely connect you to one of the PC's and one of the NPC groups of no one else steps forward and meshes well. I'll almost certainly do the NPC part regardless.
Traits run the gammut from 'WTF were they thinking' to 'WTF were they thinking', seems like it's fair the drawbacks do as well.
I know I've seen people take drawbacks I think are horribly overpenalizing, and they hated ones I thought were ok. *shrug* Everyone has an opinion... :)
Yeah, the drawbacks are all over the place for sure. I don't think anyone would ever pick the doubt one intentionally for instance. I'm definitely missing that extra trait from having a drawback, though. I get so used to being able to pick three :p
Misha might fit as someone who knew Scath, since she spent much of the past 4-5 years hopping roofs in Kintargo on assignments (what better way to get around when you can long jump 40 ft on average!) It's quite likely that they'd have run into each other at least a few times, so there's definitely the possibility that they became friends.
Can hammer out details when I finish up the background in a while :)
Question Time!
As you guys work on your characters, in order to better aid you in character creation, I've got some guiding questions for you. You can either PM me the answers, or post them here.
1. What is your class? Why are you your class? What does your class mean to you?
2. What is your alignment? What made you that alignment? What does your alignment mean to your character?
3. How long have you been in Kintargo? (Forever is an option for the very old or very young) Where are you from?
4. What sort of crowds do you spend most of your time in, and what is your race? Are you part of some sort of society, secret or otherwise?
5. What is your goal in joining the rebellion? What pushed you to join it? (You aren't part of it, but if it comes down to 'someone told me a sappy story' we need to work on a stronger motivation!) What is your reason for attending the protest?
6. Do you have any cherished possessions?
7. Which trait did you pick from the player's guide?
8. Which 'job' do you hope to fill within the ranks of the rebels. Please list your top three in order. They're listed near the back of the book. 23-24, if I'm not mistaken.
I'll try to get some individual questions as we go. :)
Honestly... now that we're down to six players, go ahead and take a third trait. Normal rules apply. :)
Doubt is a trait I could never pick, as I live that trait. It's... absolutely terrible and accurate.
I like the idea of the one that fatigues you after combat, but it's far, far too harsh. I'd totally, as a player, make a character with it if it was just fatigued for rounds, no save, rather than minutes.
Question Time!
As you guys work on your characters, in order to better aid you in character creation, I've got some guiding questions for you. You can either PM me the answers, or post them here.
1. What is your class? Why are you your class? What does your class mean to you?
Slayer (Cleaner) - Scath is a natural born hunter (literally) of the night and spy, he had to clean up after himself so people didn't start thinking about him being a spy, or smart. Scath's class means he can kill that which needs to be killed, and make sure nobody knows he did it. Being an animal, his thought processes are not human, and he tends to think of problems as 'alive' and 'properly dealt with'. This will make him, probably, the most violent of the PCs in this type of campaign. But then, every covert group needs someone who is willing to get their claws dirty.
2. What is your alignment? What made you that alignment? What does your alignment mean to your character?
Chaotic Good - Scath was raised by a NG druid, and his natural inclination is to ignore the rules, being a feline, so his alignment is a natural melding of his former Mistresses alignment and his nature. Scath is much more concerned about doing good than following laws, if laws get in the way, then they are stupid laws and should be ignored. This doesn't mean he doesn't have things he believes in and lines he won't cross, it just means he is more worried about ends than means. Being good, he is much more concerned about people being happy, healthy, and safe than he is about power or following the rules.
3. How long have you been in Kintargo? (Forever is an option for the very old or very young) Where are you from?
All his sentient life. He came with his former Mistress 5 years ago, as a cub. Her previous companion was Scath's mother, and when she died, Scath took over as companion. He was awakened 3.5 years ago, shortly after becoming her companion. She never replaced her companion after awakening him.
4. What sort of crowds do you spend most of your time in, and what is your race? Are you part of some sort of society, secret or otherwise?
None - He doesn't stay in crowds, usually. He is mostly nocturnal, and prefers to move around at night, although he can move around during the day. He is nominally allied with the Urchin Gangs, who appreciate having some muscle around. He's also got thin ties to certain factions of the thieves guild, those who have some morals or at least restraint.
Scath's Mistress was likely part of the original Silver Ravens, but Scath was her secret weapon, and so it's unlikely anyone in the Ravens that survived would have much knowledge of him (likely why he hasn't been hunted down and purged).
5. What is your goal in joining the rebellion? What pushed you to join it? (You aren't part of it, but if it comes down to 'someone told me a sappy story' we need to work on a stronger motivation!) What is your reason for attending the protest?
Thrune Will Die. Period. Nobody murders Scath's patron and survives. If Scath has to free the entire city single pawedly, he will, but Thrune will die. Scath would likely be tagging along at the protest though, he doesn't really get politics, so the idea of shouting out his anger would be anathema, never warn the prey you are hunting them.
6. Do you have any cherished possessions?
His Armor has been handed down for over 60 years in his line. It is also the only thing he has remaining of his former Mistress.
7. Which trait did you pick from the player's guide?
Natural Born Leader. Despite Scath's lack of social graces, he has a natural knack for being a leader, and most people who would follow him take his gruff and taciturn nature as 'refreshingly honest' rather than 'jerkwad'.
8. Which 'job' do you hope to fill within the ranks of the rebels. Please list your top three in order. They're listed near the back of the book. 23-24, if I'm not mistaken.
Spymaster
Strategist
Sentinel
Question 9: What is your ideal modus operandi in combat? How do you expect for your character to function? If I need to automate you, is there anything you absolutely do not want me to do?
Scath's fighting style is to flank with an ally and shred an enemy, using acrobatics and stealth if needed to get into position. If he's by himself, he'll try to sneak up on enemies, getting as close as possible before attacking. Scath would absolutely not use deadly force on children, even if they are attacking him. He'd change targets or leave or take them down with non-lethal force.
Rule 5: Thou shalt talk out of turn. Seriously. Feel free to talk out of turn. Aid free actions out of turn. If you have a way to share information, aid knowledge checks. Never feel slowed by initiative, except where move, swift, and standard actions come into play.
Question 9: What is your ideal modus operandi in combat? How do you expect for your character to function? If I need to automate you, is there anything you absolutely do not want me to do?
Ok, took Scholar of the Great Beyond. +1 Kn Planes, +1 Kn History, Kn History becomes Class Skill. Fit with background (with Scath reading constantly when not napping or hunting/spying).
Beginning to lean toward small for the dex/stealth bonuses over the damage bonus. Claws are pretty powerful even small (1d6).
That they are. :) It also works better to not be able to fit half a human in your stomach (depending on who you ask). :)
1. What is your class? Why are you your class? What does your class mean to you?
Kineticist. For Misha it is literally who she is. She was born with those abilities, and they have defined her course through life until very recently. They were what landed her in service of her master, what made her an ideal spy and courier, and eventually trained killer. She takes great pride in her ability to manipulate air, though the majority of her life has been using them to do things she feels she must atone for now. She also has a great love of the ways of the Cavalier, something she picked up from Kenzer Stormborn, whom she has come to idolize in her time under his protection. She dreams of being a proper knight like him, and has taken to wearing heavier armor and carrying a shield in an attempt to emulate him. For his part, he has taught her how to behave as a Cavalier, and promised that if she lives up to her oath as a member of the Order of the Dragon, that he would teach her everything he knows.
2. What is your alignment? What made you that alignment? What does your alignment mean to your character?
Though her alignment was not always so, she is currently Chaotic Good. To her Chaotiic Good is about fulfilling the promise she made to Kenzer, to aid others in anyway possible, to strive towards the ideals of his Order. Doing so entails putting others before herself, something that does not come naturally to a girl that was raised to believe that power is an end, and that one must use power to benefit oneself. She struggles with her selfishness daily, and it is only the mercy that Shensen showed her, and the time she has spent with Kenzer that keeps her on her current path. Had she never left her Master's service, she would likely be chaotic neutral at best, or worse depending on how well she took to the new role she'd been placed into.
3. How long have you been in Kintargo? (Forever is an option for the very old or very young) Where are you from?
Misha was born near Kintargo from what she understands. At the age of five she was brought into Kintargo by her master to be trained as a tool for his machinations. She is of obvious Chelaxian heritage, though her clear blue eyes hint at something else present in her family tree, likely the source of her elemental powers.
4. What sort of crowds do you spend most of your time in, and what is your race? Are you part of some sort of society, secret or otherwise?
Prior to her encounter with Shensen and subsequently joining up with Kenzer, she was not someone who socialized much beyond with her teachers. Still she had some natural talent for it, and now with Kenzer has begun to associate with others. Publically she interacts with the few members of Kenzer's order who come around, and Kenzer of course. Privately she has ties to the worshipers of Sarenrae through Kenzer, and as a new follower of Sarenrae, is interested in seeing their ability to worship restored.
5. What is your goal in joining the rebellion? What pushed you to join it? (You aren't part of it, but if it comes down to 'someone told me a sappy story' we need to work on a stronger motivation!) What is your reason for attending the protest?
Her time with Kenzer provided the light necessary to cast the shadows of her former life into stark relief. She knows now that the Asmodeans and House Thrune are detrimental to the freedom of the people, and the imposition of Martial Law and increasingly oppressive edicts from Barzillai Thrune have made her realize that the current situation cannot stand. Since Kenzer has had ties to groups working against House Thrune for a long time, she has become used to the idea that it is possible to successfully oppose Thrune and is quite open to the idea of a Rebellion, so long as such a rebellion serves the needs of the citizens of Kintargo.
6. Do you have any cherished possessions?
Her most cherished possession is the Stormborn name, which Kenzer offered her along with her buckler and armor when she took her oath to join the Order of the Dragon. Her pride in bearing his name is clearly evident by the fact she's adopted his coat of arms, a stormy blue sea set upon a field of white. Her buckler bears that motif, and her armor shares a more subtle version, with blue waves adorning the border of her waist cloak.
7. Which trait did you pick from the player's guide?
Ex-Asmodean is her trait, as she has abandoned the teachings she received as a child in favor of Sarenrae's message of redemption. She holds a grudge against the Asmodeans and House Thune both for using her as an expendable tool, and also for their treatment of the population of Kintargo.
8. Which 'job' do you hope to fill within the ranks of the rebels. Please list your top three in order. They're listed near the back of the book. 23-24, if I'm not mistaken.
Sentinel - Though Misha has a background in Spying, her broad education and training as a knight make her a valuable asset in a flexible role like the sentinel.
Spymaster - Her training through her Master gave her plenty of experience dealing with such intrigue, though she prefers a more open approach now.
Recruiter - Her new-found idealism and desire to help others can be contagious, even if she isn't the most charismatic of speakers
9. What is your MO in combat?
Misha prefers a direct fight now, and makes it a point to charge headlong into battle. Once the fight is underway, she will try to remain close to her allies, (especially later on when she can actively protect them) and attempts to fight those who pose the largest threat to the group. If innocents are in danger, she will rush to their aid first, as her oath requires her to render aid those in need.
Scath is basically unplayable under ABP, because the system penalizes anyone who has more than one weapon.
No two-weapon fighting (only one weapon), monks are a major issue (what body part do you get the bonuses on, or if all, then they get way more than anyone else can get), and you can't just pay gold for an amulet of MF because under the optional rule, they don't exist.
I'll just step out of the game, as it's obvious that Scath is causing way too many problems based on the type of game DM wants to run. Sorry folks.
No. You are not a problem! At all. We just need to figure out how to fund multiple weapons. That's it. And I'm trying to find the best possible answer to make it work without making others feel obsolete or make you feel obsolete. :)
If... you just don't want to play, I fully understand that... but. :(
For that sort of thing the solution I've seen is to have the attunement function as an amulet of mighty fists. Since Scath isn't going to be developing extra limbs or anything it should work just fine :)
That's how our monk in the WotR game we're in with Ary is being handled.
I just don't want to have a bunch of 'pasted on fixes' so I can play Scath. I don't want to be that 'special snowflake' person. If I can fit him in using the basic rules of the campaign, all great.
But I've gone back over ABP. I'd known I hated it for a reason, but couldn't remember why.
Basically, it hoses over everyone but a single weapon attack character.
If you are a summoner or pet class like druid/ranger, you can't get magical attacks for your animal companion/eidolon, nor magic armor either.
Druids can't get Amulets of MF for their natural weapons when they wild shape, ruining those builds as well.
Monks get to basically two-weapon fight if you consider unarmed attacks 'one weapon' for attunement, but then that's not fair to a rogue who can't two-weapon fight with full bonuses.
Which brings us to 'two weapon fighting' which is severely nerfed under the ABP rules.
I'd like to probably throw a stop-sign your way: ABP allows you to enchant your whole body if you're using unarmed strikes or natural attacks.
I feel like if you wanted to avoid being the "special snowflake", then playing a cat isn't the best choice maybe.
I don't see that in the write up, but it seems unfair to people who want to two-weapon-fight.
If you cannot grow absurd numbers of new appendages, natural attacks will always end up falling behind a full two-weapon fighter.
The number of attacks you get to enhance is really comparable to someone who is single-weapon fighting, not two-weapon fighting, you just start off with them immediately, instead of gaining them as you go.
Also two-weapon fighters get to enchant both weapons, and get higher total bonuses (7 vs 5) for free than a single-weapon user. In the end they can spend a couple points to get +5/+5 as well, so it's not like they're exactly left out in the cold.
TWF is already inherently disadvantaged by the fact that WBL generally restricts one's ability to afford two enhanced weapons. ABP already takes that into account, as far as I know.
I think unarmed strikes and natural attacks are already also disadvantaged by their inability to bypass DR, not without some kind of significant investment or workaround. So I don't really see any problem with it.
I'm kind of b%@&~y today, RL stuff going on.
Ok, so, I'm fine staying if we're working out something that EVERYONE uses, I just don't want to be the special snowflake.
Rather than the ABP that the Unchained introduced, the way I did it when I ran it was, you get a 'pool' of 'virtual GP' that you use for bonuses.
So basically you got half your WBL you would normally get that you could spend, and the other half was 'virtual' that you spent on 'automatic progression' items. Stats, weapons, whatever. You got slightly less than normal, but, they didn't take up slots, and you spent them how you wanted. If you wanted AoMF, you got it, but could still wear an amulet of whatever. If you wanted two +2 weapons, you got them, it just cost twice as much from your virtual progression GP than a single +2 weapon did. It didn't matter which two weapons you used in TWF, as long as they were MW.
I already need to adjust how abp and armor work under the system. As it stands, it just doesn't make sense entirely.
I'm honestly cool with a lot of ways we can fix it... especially ways that make it so that a character who makes multiple attacks with say... thrown knives isn't hosed, either. :)
Likewise, treating it as the slower progression amulet of mighty fists does seem like a good call. I'd completely forgot that you cap at three attacks and a 2wf would be sporting like ten attacks. It actually feels like it breaks even, with monk coming up a bit ahead.
TWF is already inherently disadvantaged by the fact that WBL generally restricts one's ability to afford two enhanced weapons. ABP already takes that into account, as far as I know.
I think unarmed strikes and natural attacks are already also disadvantaged by their inability to bypass DR, not without some kind of significant investment or workaround. So I don't really see any problem with it.
It fixes it by not letting you have any bonuses on your second weapon until level 19, at which point, you can have two +5 weapons. Which means that TWF is unworkable until level 19.
Also... I do like that idea, overall. For 'personal gold' rather than 'virtual' but that's a term thing. :)
I think that nicely clears up all the issues I see with ABP. Like, forcing the wizard to spend 1/4 of his wealth by level on a walking stick. :)
Does anyone have a problem with adjusting to a gold pool rather than ABP?
Speaking of attunement, does Kinetic Blade count as a weapon you can attune to? I'm guessing no since it doesn't physically exist :P
Edit: Doesn't matter to me which way it's done, the main point is to get rid of the crappy items everyone has to take normally, so as long as it accomplishes that fairly I'm happy :)
Also, ABP does offer a 'split between two's option at level 7, I think. Which still sort of hoses the 2wf, because not being able to bypass dr/magic on the offhand is highly detrimental.
Hehe... and see? That's another person helped already by the change.
It really doesn't. :) it does count as magic for the purposes of DR, though.
Most DR's can be bypassed by materials or something else though. Honestly ABP forces players to look for other ways to bypass DR, as you won't be able to get enhancements above +5 until very late in the game, so if you want your weapon to do *anything* besides hit people, you will lose a whole bunch of your DR bypass.
Edit: You don't even get +5 until 17th level :p
Like I said, the best way I've seen is to just reduce WBL by some percentage, then spend that percentage of WBL on automatic progressions. Keeps the game similar, but turns them into non-item progressions.
It lets people build their characters how they want (giving bonuses to pets, summons, twf, natural attacks, etc). Focus on defense or offense, or buffs, as they prefer.
One other thing I've seen is to only use the ABP for saves and stats, and weapons/armor use the default items.
Yeah, the assumption for ABP is 50% wealth reduction, so no reason you can't just fold 50% of the WBL into the virtual pool. It should be essentially identical to the current system (in that you could just do the default progressions provided), but with flexibility.
Question Time!
1. What is your class? Why are you your class? What does your class mean to you?
Tobias is an inquisitor. He has no interest in preaching, or manning a church, but he does have natural talent for spellcasting and a desire to battle foes who get in the way of his (or, more importantly, his superiors') religion.
2. What is your alignment? What made you that alignment? What does your alignment mean to your character?
Tobias is Lawful Neutral. He follows the rules. He follows orders. He doesn't think about the origin or the morality of those rules (mostly) only whether he respects the person giving the orders.
3. How long have you been in Kintargo? (Forever is an option for the very old or very young) Where are you from?
Tobias has been in Kintargo for about half of his life - 20 years. His "family" moved there a long time ago because...well, because it's a nicer city.
4. What sort of crowds do you spend most of your time in, and what is your race? Are you part of some sort of society, secret or otherwise?
Tobias doesn't really spend time in crowds, unless he's following his mater around. He's got a few acquaintances among the working class and other halflings, but he doesn't really pursue those friendships.
5. What is your goal in joining the rebellion? What pushed you to join it? (You aren't part of it, but if it comes down to 'someone told me a sappy story' we need to work on a stronger motivation!) What is your reason for attending the protest?
Tobias wants the status quo of before back. He's learned the folly of worshipping Asmodeus, and he realizes that Kintargo before Barzillai was a much better place. So he wants Barzillai to leave. Not only that, but he wants the possibility of joining the Hellknights back, and to discover what happened to Octavio. He's joining the protest because he can't really do any of these things alone, and he's looking for someone to tell him how.
6. Do you have any cherished possessions?
No. Tobias doesn't really place sentimental value on objects, knowing that they can be taken away at any moment.
7. Which trait did you pick from the player's guide?
Ex-Asmodean - Tobias has gotten over his Asmodeus Stockholm Syndrome and he's realized how good something else would be for him.
8. Which 'job' do you hope to fill within the ranks of the rebels. Please list your top three in order. They're listed near the back of the book. 23-24, if I'm not mistaken.
1 - Partisan
2 - Strategist
3 - Sentinel
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re: questions
I'm not really responding much to those until I get home, where I can take notes and respond. :) Same for helping with backgrounds. People be asking about nobles, and I'm so bad at nobles.
Re: ABP.
Level Seventeen +5 with really wonky rules for non numeric enchantment was the main thing I wanted to change. :)
Honestly, if folks are comfortable with having a flexible pool, that's cool. :)
I'm fine with it.
So, half WBL is a pool for bonuses (+ stats, + saves, + attack, + defense).
So, if you had, for example, 10,000 in your pool, you could spend it as :
+1 AoMF (4,000GP)
+2 Armor (4,000GP)
+2 Stat (2,000GP)
Or
+1 Weapon (2,000GP)
+2 Armor (4,000GP)
+2 Stat (2,000GP)
+1 Save (1,000GP)
1,000GP unspent
This would only apply to Weapons, Belts/Headbands, Cloaks.
Any other item that gives bonuses to AC/etc (Natural Armor Amulet, Snakeskin Vest (+2 Dex), Ioun stones, Jingassa (luck bonus to AC), etc) would remain as is, and come out of normal WBL yes?
Again, sorry for being B!%$#y today. RL stuff and I can either be b+$~%y to my wife (who I have to live with), my mother (who lives with me), my boss (who can fire me), or on the board. :) Guess who won? :)
PC Level/Virtual Wealth
2 500 gp
3 1,500 gp
4 3,000 gp
5 5,250 gp
6 8,000 gp
7 11,750 gp
8 17,500 gp
9 23,000 gp
10 31,000 gp
11 41,000 gp
12 54,000 gp
13 70,000 gp
14 92,500 gp
15 120,000 gp
16 157,500 gp
17 205,000 gp
18 265,000 gp
19 342,500 gp
20 440,000 gp
But but ABP lets me be lazy and not have to do any book keeping! :P
I guess I'm fine with whatever, I'll just need a breakdown of the finalized rules (in the campaign tab maybe?). I'm not too worried about it either way.
If it's 50% of wealth, ABP would just be the default allocation, so you wouldn't need to do anything. The bonuses that can be bought should be restricted to only those already provided by ABP.
If you don't want to keep up with it, you can just go with ABP. I'm pretty sure ABP is -slightly- stronger, but less flexible. :)
Spoilers are to save space and organize, not because I'm being sekret! Take your time in getting back to me, never a rush til we start. :|
When it comes to 'was out watching someone' would you prefer that to be a friend or foe? A PC or an NPC? :)
Will Scath endanger himself to get flanking? I.E. there are two enemies on the other side of this enemy, practically guaranteeing that he also gets flanked. Would he go for that the majority of the time?
Which PCs do you have an interest in 'knowing' whether personal relationships or just 'of', so far?
I'll be sending you a PM about the houses, shortly.
Which PCs do you have an interest in 'knowing' whether personal relationships or just 'of', so far?
As I've said before. Hellknight should (in theory) be a super fun tie-in for you. :)
Which PCs do you have an interest in 'knowing' whether personal relationships or just 'of', so far?
Also, you skipped my new Question 9. :)
What is your MO in combat? How do you expect your character to function? If I have to automate your actions, what must I absolutely not do?
Watching : Whichever makes more sense for the story you want to tell. I'm easy one way or the other.
Endanger : Yes, if the one he's flanking is a danger to an ally, or if they are not outnumbered, or if he's not already badly wounded. No if it's just one of 3 grunts to our 5 PCs, no if they are outnumbered and his going down could endanger others, no if he's already badly wounded (unless the other PC is in worse shape).
Knowing : I'm fine knowing 'of' any of them. Misha's personality would be more along the lines of Scaths, while Tobias is way too fussy about rules and laws to be able to get along with Scath on a regular basis without some outside pressure pushing them together.
Also, Are there any outstanding questions that I promised I'd answer that I've forgotten to do? :o
Assuming you don't go with an unnamed: Jarvis is actually a decent family for artists. Its interests lie in Architecture, Carpentry, City Planning and Stonemasonry.
If you're more interested in theater arts, Sarini might be good. Bear in mind that that house allies with Thrune, though. The leader is also lawful evil. It could also be an opportunity depending on other player choices. :)
Alrighty, I'm glad that you're really flexible. It'll make it a lot easier to let you have another connection to work with. :)
As for 'not hanging out with any group' you mentioned spending time with the Urchins. For the most part, urchins in Kintargo will be made up of Tieflings. They're treated better than other places, but it plays off as inner city youth... then inner city adults.
As for a Thieve's guild, there currently isn't one. There are a few gangs getting ready to move on that. I'll get you some names, if you're interested, as things move closer to starting. I'll also remind you of it later on when they appear.
The PCs who would interest Tobias the most are likely... Misha and Juniper. They command attention. They're impressive.
Tobias is a STR-based melee fighter. He wants to exercise his training and really show people he's superior to them. Even while small. He gets into the midst of everybody and tries to wreck.
He wouldn't fight anyone he hasn't been explicitly told to fight (total defense until commanded to kill them) and he wouldn't really try to flank on his own. He's stay with the bulk of the group.
Guild - If the thieves are just gangs, then he'll have a very mixed association. Those that victimize the weak, or poor, or mom & pop store keepers, he'll interfere with regularly. Those who target the rich who abuse their wealth, the powerful who abuse their power, government offices, and so on, will get help.
Alright, Misha's background is done! It could definitely use some editing and polish, but I'm not sure I'll have time for that. Need to get some stuff done tonight :p
Misha was born to a poor family in the lands surrounding Kintargo, or so the story goes. She remembers little of her parents, as they abandoned her almost immediately when she her abilities began to manifest at the age of five. She was handed over to a local church and from there to an orphanage. She continued to be passed around as her caretakers discovered her abilities, which usually manifested when she was scared or angry. Shortly after she had turned 7, a noble from House Sarini came to visit her, curious about the girl who seemed to be haunted by spirits of wind and lightning. He had done his research, and was quite pleased to find the girl was exactly what he expected. He bought off her caretaker and took her back to his estate. There he explained that she was to begin a new life, and that he would be her master from that day forward. Her duty was to do as she was told, and that if she did so, she would find her life much simpler and more pleasant than what she had lived through until then. Her master was true to his word, beating her severely when she disobeyed or misbehaved. Eventually she ceased acting out, and so her master began to bring tutors to visit and teach her various topics of import regarding the situation in Cheliax and Kintargo. She learned about the noble families, the history and residents of the city, the various religions of the region and allowed her to learn about the natural world as well. Among those who visited her was a priest of Asmodeus. The priest taught her that developing her power was the only way to change her life. That she should seek power and knowledge above else, and use them to achieve her goals. Those with power determined the rules by which the world ran. She could become powerful and write the rules, or weak and obey them. These teachings struck a chord with her, as they were intended to. She was in her current position because she was weak, her master had proven that time and time again, and though she didn’t believe that one should follow orders just because they are weak, she understood that she had no choice in the matter.
By the time she was 12 her education had ended and instead of tutors, a master of the occult came to teach her to understand her powers. It was slow, but she began to be able to control the winds that seemed to follow her around, changing their course or calming them entirely. She began to be able to call upon lightning as well, and though she was warned not to use it, would practice channeling it whenever she could in secret. She also was taught how to move quietly and hide effectively, making it possible to eavesdrop or observe others without being noticed. As she continued learning, Master Sarini would often come visit her, making sure to let her know how expensive these lessons had been, and how honored she should be that he had arranged them for her.
Finally the training ended, and for several days she was left on her own. When Master Sarini came about again, he asked if she had enjoyed her training, though he didn’t wait for a response, and explained how lucky she was again. He then proceeded to ask how she intended to repay him for such kindness and generosity. Unsure what to make of his question, she hesitated for a moment. The words of the Asmodean priest echoed through her mind, reminding her that if she was among the weak, it was her duty to serve her master. Seeing her master’s displeasure at her silence, and realizing her situation, she offered to use everything she’d learned to aid him in any way he needed. In retrospect it was clear that this was his plan from the beginning. Her tutors and trainers had been preparing her with the knowledge she would need to navigate the city and serve as both a spy and courier for Master Sarini, the perfect tool for his machinations.
Her early tasks were usually simple. She would depart in the night, using her control of wind to cross from rooftop to rooftop effortlessly to rendezvous with a contact. The contact would give her information or a note, which she would drop off with an appointed recipient before returning to her master’s house. Her stealth, small size and ability to travel above the city made her quite effective at the job, and she began to enjoy it almost as if it were a game.
After several years had passed, she began to be tasked with infiltration as well, often breaking into homes and offices to retrieve important documents or books. By this point she had become accustomed to functioning as a tool for her master’s schemes and spent little time thinking about anything besides her next task. Her duties seemed to continually increase in complexity and frequency, and before long she found herself being pushed to the limits of her abilities. Still, her master seemed pleased with the results, and she was able to operate with only minimal oversight, so she worried little about it. Eventually a pause came in the missions again, and she was introduced to a new trainer. Like the master who had taught her to control wind, this one was to train her in mastery of the elements, but this time to control her ability to call forth lightning. She learned to control the blasts of lightning she’d played with when younger, and even to form a blade from the lightning itself.
Shortly after this new round of training her life took a darker turn. Her master explained that in order to make full use of her new training, she would need to gain experience in combat, and that he had made arrangements, as usual sparing no expense, to ensure her success. What this amounted to, however, was being locked into a large chamber with feral or rabid animals, which she was forced to kill in self defense. Day after day she was left within the chamber, food delivered to her through a small window, and new animals unleashed upon her. For the first time in years she remembered the cruelty with which she’d been treated when she first arrived, and felt anger and hatred well up inside her. She took her anger out on the creatures she fought with, often continuing to electrocute them until they were nothing but charred smoldering remains on the ground. Her success in defeating the animals didn’t buy her freedom, however, and shortly afterwards her opponents ceased to be animals. Criminals and other low-lifes who had been promised freedom, wealth, or power were placed into the chamber with her, intent upon killing her to receive their reward. It was in this way that she learned to kill others. She was offered a choice, kill or die, and she chose the former every time despite the deep sense of disgust it produced in her.
When her ‘lessons’ finally ended and her Master returned to speak with her, her rage boiled over and she attempted to kill him on the spot. He had been prepared, however, and with a look somewhere between disappointment and disgust on his face, he beat her to within an inch of her life. When she awoke several days later, her wounds had been healed, and her master stood before her again, asking if she was prepared to serve him properly again. Her task would be to murder a person who had been causing trouble for House Thrune for quite a while, a renowned bard and performer named Shensen. She was given information on how to find her, and when she would be most vulnerable, but little else. Her master informed her that this task was no different than the ones she had practiced for weeks; she could kill her target, or she could die, the choice was hers. The fight gone from her, she agreed to do her master’s dirty work and set off that evening to the Silver Star.
She managed to enter without any problems, finding the information she’d been given to be surprisingly accurate and useful. Even in simple infiltrations the information was often inaccurate, so the ease of which she gained iingress worried her. Nevertheless she eventually found Shensen’s dressing room and descended to find the woman distracted reading some sort of note. As she approached, however, the woman began to sing, and she found herself unable to focus on anything but the music. The woman, Shensen turned and looked at her, surprised to see such a young woman before her. Within moments, two men had joined Shensen and restrained Misha. Understanding that she was soon to be dead, Misha didn’t bother to struggle, she just collapsed to her knees and waited for her life to end.
That moment never came, however, as Shensen approached and crouched down before her, examining the girl before her. ”This is hardly the assassin I expected,” she said to the men, looking slightly perplexed. Sensing Misha’s distress, she spoke quietly to her ”Do not worry dear, you are not going to die here, nor by the hands of any of my friends.” She placed a hand under Misha’s chin and lifted her head up, noting the scars that still were present on her body and looking sympathetically at her. ”You do not strike me as one who does this sort of thing for a living. Were you forced into coming here?” Misha nodded weakly, but was unable to find her voice. ”I understand. The path your life has taken can change here if you wish. I know people who could help you escape the gaze of those who put you up to this.” Shensen stood up and looked at the two men restraining Misha. ”Please release her,” she asked, and despite complaints from them both, they eventually did so.
Free to move and terrified, all Misha could think was to run away. She couldn’t comprehend why someone she’d come to kill would be kind to her, or offer her sanctuary, she just knew that she had failed, and she would likely die when she returned. Still, she ran for it, jumping up through the opening she’d dropped down through easily, much to the surprise of Shensen and her guardians. As she glanced back down once more, Shensen called up to her ”Come back in the evening, three days from now if you’ve changed your mind, he’ll be here then, and I’ll make sure he knows you’re coming.” She smiled at Misha and waved as Misha hurried out of the building.
She fled into the night, and for two days she hid herself in an abandoned warehouse in the harbor, not far from her master’s home, unsure of what to do. When hunger began to claw at her, however, she finally decided to return and face her fate. She waited until late in the evening and approached, and snuck in, hoping she’d be able to find her master before he found her. Perhaps if she apologized and promised to try again, or to do something else, he’d spare her. When she finally found him, he was in his study speaking to a woman he’d not seen before. Instinctively, she hid and listened to the conversation.
”I have heard from our mutual friend that the Silver Star burned to ashes… unexpectedly,” the woman said, sounding quite pleased. ”Do we have your little ragamuffin to thank for that?”
Misha’s master bowed deferentially and responded ”Indeed, it seems the distraction worked as expected, Countess”
The woman mulled his response over for a few moments before asking another question, ”And she’s been taken care of?”
”I have not heard from her since then, so it is quite likely that Shensen’s guards killed her as planned, Countess. My informants are keeping their ears open, but I broke her well enough that she’d return here afterwards, regardless of what happened. Should she show up… lets just say the problem will be quickly resolved.”
”I am impressed Nephew, I had not imagined your scheme would work out so well. I’ll be expecting more of this sort of result. Do not disappoint me,” she added before turning to leave.
The revelation that her master had intended to dispose of her was more than she could handle, and it took everything she had not to break down then and there. Her instincts took over, however, and she fled the way she came, managing to escape the manor. Unsure of what to do, she thought back to Shensen’s offer, though she wasn’t sure if it would still be valid if the Silver Star had been burned down and she’d been killed. Still she headed back, if only to see what her mindless obedience to her master had brought upon the bard. She jumped down from the rooftops and approached through a dark alley until she came to where the building should’ve been. In its place, a pile of stone and charred timber, the remains of the collapsed building.
There, near the ruins of the Silver Star, her life changed forever. It was there she met Kenzer Stormborn. The gray-haired cavalier came up upon her, catching her off guard and asked if she was the girl who had visited Shensen. He said she’d sent word to him to wait here for her, along with a description. Though he suspected Shensen was dead now, he said he owed her and so he intended to follow through with her request that he take Misha into his protection. Misha was awed by the man before her, he wore a breastplate painted white and blue, with a sword at his side and a shield on his back bearing waves on a white background. Off guard, awestruck and at a loss for what to do she simply answered yes and went with him.
The weeks that followed were the best in her life. Kenzer snuck her out to the countryside where they stayed in a farm that was well kept but otherwise unoccupied. He said that some of his friends used it regularly, but didn’t explain beyond that. He gave her space for the first few days, and though she’d thought about fleeing again, something made her stay. Eventually her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked him if he was a Cavalier, and from that question a friendship sprang. He taught her about the world as he saw it, how his order fit into it, and about freedom and using your power to protect others. Before long she was demanding he allow her to become a Cavalier as well. Though he found it entertaining, he did take her request seriously, and two weeks in offered to let her take the same pledge he had when he’d become a Cavalier. He said if she could keep her oath, he would teach her everything he knew. He gave her a week to think it over while he began preparing to return to Kintargo.
He took off for a few days, and when he returned he took her aside and asked if she was ready. Misha didn’t hesitate at all, getting down on one knee and immediately launching into a recitation of the pledge as she’d been practicing while he’d been gone. Kenzer laughed, elated at her enthusiasm, and when she’d finished he welcomed her as a member of his Order. He also brought out a chain shirt and buckler he’d picked up while in Kintargo. He also said that any proper Cavalier should have a surname to be known by, and said he would be honored if she would take his. Completely overwhelmed by the gesture, Misha broke down crying for the first time in as long as she could remember. She hugged Kenzer and gave him a kiss on the cheek, thanking him.
The two of them set off shortly thereafter to Kintargo again, as Kenzer was supposed to meet some people, and he had someone he’d wanted her to get in contact with as well. Almost immediately upon arriving in town she took her shield and armor to get them painted so she could proudly display the Stormborn colors with the money Kenzer had given her.
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Teal Deer.
Here's this.
I'm considering VMC'ing into Fighter - there's not a ton of feats that I really want on this PC so.... I'll get back to you before it's relevant.
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Teal Deer backgrounds are the only kind I know how to write apparently :o
I struggle with that much detail. Funnily enough, answering a list of questions is easy, but putting those all into a cohesive story hurts my brain. :P