Record your secrets in this tome... plenty of blood in the inkwell to write with!
Bad Pura! No posting in discussion and gameplay until selections! *Picks up +777 Daemon-Whopping Paddle* XD
WEEEEEEEEE!!!
Ack! There's a wee smelly munkey tryin' to eat me scalp!
Lessairus and Jaeryn here, excited for the game.
Checking in. I'm looking forward to this. Should be fun.
i'm looking forward to this as well! i think all my character stuff is done except the last bit of gold he needs to spend (which i'll do later tonight when i have a little more time)- if there's anything else you'd like to see on there please let me know.
I'm going to update my class levels section with a spoiler containing AC, CMB, etc. It makes it easier to reference quickly.
Ony, I have a lore warden/martial master in a (stalled) RotRL PbP, it seems like a fun combo... Looking forward to seeing how it works for you.
It's a good archetype combo. I lets Lore Warden actually exploit his maneuver bonus easily.
So lets get a sense of our party combination, shall we?
I'm playing Pura Guile the bard/inquisitor. If you want, there's my myth weavers sheet so you know what I'm good at. Out of combat I pride myself in playing a pretty good skill monkey. In combat I like to buff (Dark Blessing), debuff (my bardic performance) and remove status effects (remove fear). Most of my spells are utility though (most of my cantrips, disguise self, silent image, last impression).
I am also playing a halfling but come off as a VERY creepy little human girl...
Sounds like a plan, Pura!
Ashlyn will be general melee support. She can mix it up both in melee and ranged. As we get a few levels under our belt, she'll have some more goodies -- notably flight, DR and SR, plus some spell-like abilities that should come in handy. A few things she gets right out of the box which have lots of cool RP potential is her telepathy and see in darkness abilities. Though they unnerve her (she's still afraid using them means accepting what she's become), they have lots of possibilities.
Ooooh. I wonder how she would react when she learns that I'm possessed by a daemon... and evil. Then again, she is an erinyes, so she can't really judge... Most Paladins wouldn't bother with a Lwful Evil party party member you know.
Oooooh. Anyone want to meld backgrounds? It'd be interesting if at least some of us knew each other. Perhaps Ony and I? ^_^
Yeah, a paladin in a party with some evil characters is going to be interesting to say the least... Hopefully the evil we face in the adventures are all greater than who's in the party.
And you're right; it's not like I can say a whole lot. But I might have to stop overtly evil acts if they're being conducted in front of me. Hopefully Pura will be discrete. And maybe she'll want to turn to the light? It can't be fun having a daemon possessing her.
Yeah, a paladin in a party with some evil characters is going to be interesting to say the least... Hopefully the evil we face in the adventures are all greater than who's in the party.
And you're right; it's not like I can say a whole lot. But I might have to stop overtly evil acts if they're being conducted in front of me. Hopefully Pura will be discrete. And maybe she'll want to turn to the light? It can't be fun having a daemon possessing her.
To be honest, she might not be willing to stray away from LE. Daemons are NE and she is possessed by one, giving her many murderous tendencies, but she's lawful because she at least has SOME ethics. She has a code, and will only go after people who deserve it (murderers, rapists)... though she might have to survive off of animals if she can't find any of her chosen targets. She will never willingly kill someone who isn't targeted by her code. Most of her victims will likely be Evil aligned, demons, devils, daemons, etc.
Lessairus here. he's a summoner/ranger focusing on undead. Grew up quasimodo style in a temple of Saranrae. Jaeryn, his mentor, and one of two people he interacted with, died. Lessairus got tricked into summoning a large group of undead at while trying to resurrect Jaeryn and they destroyed the entire temple of Saranrae and all her priests there. Jaeryn's resurrection was botched in the process and his soul melded with an eidolon. Now Lessairus and Jaeryn try to hunt undead, somewhat seeking redemption, though often using evil summons and tactics to do so.
Anyway, as for role. I see him eventually developing a silver tongue, but at this point he has too little experience with the real world. But he will have a lot of knowledge about planes and religion. Inside combat, Lessairus will depend mostly on Jaeryn as a fighting partner. Together, they'll do mostly melee, with some spell support.
I'm sort of a generalist, I guess... most of my choices were RP related... I can do secondary melee or ranged (full BAB and fair Str/Dex, proficient with all martial), provide some control with the sleep hex (with a pretty solid DC) and daze at will, and my spells are mostly sort of psychic in flavor- some 'telekinesis' with force typed blasting, and some more 'telepathy' stuff with memory lapse and a detect thoughts racial SLA... Over time I'll pick up some more control/debuff things through domain powers and bloodline abilities I think.
Ony is pretty straight forward, being the only strictly non-supernatural member of the party. He specializes in getting close and ruining days. I'll be pumping wisdom and strength with dex and con as secondary concerns. At forth level he'll start ignoring DR of all stripes with a swift action and a wisdom check. At fifth level he'll gain martial flexibility as per a brawler. Later he'll get a pounce-style ability and some entertaining crit based stuff. Combat maneuvers will also be hideously exploited.
Defensively, he will specialize in saves (of course) and AC. His hit points might lag a bit thanks to the d8s he gets, but he should be able to shrug a lot of the more vicious stuff off.
Ony himself is another straight-forward creature. His motivation is a sort of force-of-nature vengeance. Whoever killed the Professor triggered a landslide of pain, not because it is the right thing but because it is the sort of thing that needs to be repaid and because Ony is not one to forgive having something taken from him.
I had envisioned Ony as having lived with Lorrimor for some time as the man did his damnedest to try and haul Ony off the path of violence and savagery. Some of it took and some did not. Thusly, any of you who have spent a great deal time with the Professor likely knew of Ony in some capacity. It is doubtful he was very friendly as for most of that time the only people he was seen to not scowl at was the Professor and any of the man's family that might have been present.
TSPs character will be done shortly. He decided, given some of the submissions I liked, to change his character. I'm not going to spoil it though... everyone will just have to see it for themselves!
Ony, Lorrimor's only nearby family was Kendra Lorrimor, his brilliant but somewhat reserved daughter. Just letting you know in case you wanted to work her into your background. She is quite a homebody and rarely ventures beyond the village, preferring her fathers massive library of books to living the life of a socialite.
Zag, yes, your decision to build your stats solely around RP were not unnoticed by me. I was quite pleased with it personally. I've been lucky to find so many people who are not cookie-cutter optimizers and instead choose to go the 'flavor-build' route.
Ashlyn and Pura, I was aware of the huge contrast between your characters. I always find it interesting to see how these sorts of things play out. Then again, most of my campaigns have at least one antihero or 'villain-in-a-hero's-suit' type of character and they're a fun trope to introduce into roleplaying, because it makes a party more 3 dimensional, especially if there is a truly pure and good character who completely contrasts him/her. I think you two can certainly make an interesting duo, that's for sure! Very good cop/bad cop!
Less, how do you intend on playing the eidolon? I'm very curious as to the interactions between the two of you!
Ony, Lorrimor's only nearby family was Kendra Lorrimor, his brilliant but somewhat reserved daughter. Just letting you know in case you wanted to work her into your background. She is quite a homebody and rarely ventures beyond the village, preferring her fathers massive library of books to living the life of a socialite.
Well, I doubt many people would willingly spend time with Ony, especially sheltered young scholars. Ony on the other hand, will be tripping all over himself in her presence.
The melding of Jaeryn and the eidolon destroyed a lot of Jaeryn's memories, so that it's somewhere between being reincarnated and resurrected. He will have a more bestial personality with flashes of intelligence (Jaeryn was a genius) occasionally showing through. For the most part, he will still try to act like a father figure to Lessairus, though Lessairus' control over his being summoned, and his loss of intelligence makes that a bit difficult. In the end, it will mean that the eidolon will take the lead more often than most summoner/eidolon relationships, but he won't be able to completely take over.
Well, I doubt many people would willingly spend time with Ony,
What are you talking about Ony?!?! I love to spend time with you! You carry me everywhere on your shoulders, hit the bad guys REALLY hard, and look really scary!
As for the relationship with Ashlyn, I think we would have the same goals (stop evildoers) but with completely different methods (Pura's more along the lines of killing them so they can't strike again) and for completely different reasons {Pura doesn't care about Justice... she kills bad people because its practical and nobody misses them when they are gone).
what was the final decision on skills?
i saw 3 different things mentioned:
- base class skill points +2
- base class skill points + secondary class skill points
- base class skill points + secondary class skill points +2
also, i have a couple questions about options as we level... if i pick up the death domain can i use the Pharasma version (it replaces the animate/create undead spells which don't fit my theme at all)? and, if i take a bloodline with my divine traits can i choose a 'wildblooded' version (specifically, can i take the 'Warped' version of the aberrant bloodline)?
(also, sorry i didn't finish his equipment last night- i will finish it today)
RVT, I would like to ask if you would allow me to have the wings at the outset. I wouldn't be flying initially -- part for roleplaying reasons and part for game balance reasons. The main reason I want them at the start is that they're iconic -- the very thing that sets her apart as looking like a fallen angel. I hope you're okay with that.
(It's also the reason why I haven't picked up any armor; she needs a custom set to make room for her wings.)
assuming we're using one of the first 2 options for skills (from my previous post), I believe Zagathoth is completely ready and his profile fully filled out. looking forward to getting started :)
Had some time this evening, and I've been thinking about my arrival. Hope you like it!
Great job Ashlyn. Hmm I wonder if in my application, if I posted that part about Pura learning of the doctor's death. I'll put it in just in case.
When the girl nodded her head, the ribbons in her hair almost seemed to dance. She returned his grin with a toothy smile of her own. "Mommy and daddy are busy in the basement. They're doing science." She lets out a small giggle at that last sentence.
"Scientists in this part of the world? I thought they liked to stay near Absolom." He shrugged his shoulders and held out the note to the girl. "Well make sure your mom gets this. I wouldn't want to interrupt her in the middle of something important."
The girl took the scroll and thanked the courier before slowly closing the door. Peering out the window to make sure he was gone, she giggled again, and unraveled the parchment, reading what was inside. Once she got to the bottom of the letter, she frowned and discarded it into the fireplace before heading to the staircase that led to the basement. She was slow to make her way down the steep steps, as they were nearly as tall as her, but eventually she got to the bottom.
Scientific equipment scattered the messy room; test tubes lay broken on the floor, syringes littered the tables, and various scalpels and knives lay neatly next to disinfectant alcohol. But the centerpiece was on the large stone table in the center of the room. Two humans, one male and one female lie strapped down to the table with layer upon layer of rope. Gags hung in their mouths, leaving them unable to speak... But they were definitely alive.
Calmly humming a tune, the little girl strolled over to the two humans, the light sources -oil lamps- dimming to an unnatural level as she got close. She climbed on a stool and picked up a syringe on the table... smiling eerily as she did so. "Looks like we have to cut this playmate short 'mommy' and 'daddy'. The Professor I was telling you about, the one who saved my life... He died." She pouted, showing genuine sadness. "I liked that man... So I want to make it to his funeral. I owed him a favor you see." The air around the two, terrified humans grew denser, and the girl approached with a syringe and a scalpel. "I would appreciate it, if you were to hurry up and die already... I wouldn't want to be late."
Not as exploratory in nature as your post Ash, but short, sweet, and really introduced the Pura I know and love.
So Ash, at some point, could our character's have met? I'm not sure how long she followed the professor for after he freed her, but it might be possible she witnessed the attempted exorcism of the daemon possessing Pura.
I think having met previously is certainly a possibility, but I'm not sure about participating in the exorcism. I'm willing to explore that idea, especially if you have some definite vision for how the exorcism went off -- and if the professor was aware that it wasn't successful.
I'm afraid it would be hard for Ashlyn to deal with that failure and work with Pura if she had been a part of the exorcism. Unless there's a spark of hope that the daemon can be controlled, or beaten. Obviously, that's up to you whether that's true or not, but it could be something to keep Ashlyn around.
Let me know what you think.
I think having met previously is certainly a possibility, but I'm not sure about participating in the exorcism. I'm willing to explore that idea, especially if you have some definite vision for how the exorcism went off -- and if the professor was aware that it wasn't successful.
I'm afraid it would be hard for Ashlyn to deal with that failure and work with Pura if she had been a part of the exorcism. Unless there's a spark of hope that the daemon can be controlled, or beaten. Obviously, that's up to you whether that's true or not, but it could be something to keep Ashlyn around.
Let me know what you think.
I believe that it would have been... somewhat successful. She is no longer in the full grips of the evil being, and in fact, is conscious of her own actions, but some traces of the daemon clung onto her soul, and is now leaving the murderous thoughts in her mind. In all truth, she is like an addict that can't get better, and WANTS to rid herself of the daemon's grasp. The thing is, right now, she feels an almost compulsion to do evil, and so, instead of turning to the innocent, channels this to hunt down evil doers (someone who would be detected under a Paladin's detect evil ability) and make them pay for whatever crimes they commit.
Obviously Pura knows what she is doing is wrong (Even if she is killing evil people, eldritch abominations, demons, devils, and other daemons), but right now, under the continued compulsion of the daemon doesn't care... Though in a weird way she sees her code as a paladin would see their code. Absolute and unbreakable. It's a sick code, but it's something that would allow her to work well in a group until she can rid herself completely of the daemon
The average criminal is a coward, striking only when comfortable but they are also stupid and vindictive. So sending a message is merely a matter of making it big and messy enough that cowardice outweighs petty vengeance. The author of this message, certainly had other business to attend to in Korvosa but that was hours away. No, this was his way of putting an end to something, of setting the ground rules for this reciprocal violence. When he finished this evening, the message would be written as clear as day.
Do not come after me because it means I will come after you.
So that heavy smacking sound continued, audible through the doorway of the seedy tavern. The people in this part of town were used to the sounds of violence not being met with any response from the town guard. They were not used to this sort of specific violence though and some had stopped to check on it. Inside the tavern, its name as relevant as all other specific details in the rumors this message would spawn, lay two men. They were lucky, or unlucky depending on your point of view since they would survive and relate the experience those not present. The third would not.
A mass of scar tissue and cold, calculating anger straddled the man's chest and methodically applied balled fists to what had been a face at some point. With a final blow, the scowling figure shifted into a crouch with the grace of a cat and plucked a handkerchief from the sleeve of the victim. He wiped the blood from his knuckles and dropped the soiled rag onto the face of the dead man, obscuring the pulpy remains. Standing he rolled his neck and stepped away from the remains.
"This man took exception to me," he told the witnesses to his bloody deed, "Threatened me life, me host in this fair city, and the bartender who served me." At that, the man pointedly took a sip of the watery lager he had ordered before things got ugly.
"Do any of you have any further business with me?" To this a weedy looking man in a courier's uniform hesitantly raised a hand.
-----------------------------------
Ony barely remembered the old man when they first met, but he had plenty of time to remember on the back of the wagon to Ravengro. He tried to keep his mind in the present by whittling, but despite the surprising nimbleness of his thickly scarred and battered hands, he could not keep his attentions from straying elsewhere.
It was a few years ago in Magnimar, specifically and alley in Underbridge. A couple of thugs were edging in on his turf, he found them stand over a bloodied old man and demanding he turn over his purse. They should have posted a proper watch on the mouth of the alley.
Ony knew more about them than they did about him. One fancied himself a ladies' man, the other was a pickpocket, both peddled in petty thuggery and mugging. He let them live. The gigolo had his teeth broken and his face scraped to ribbons against the rough brick of the alley wall. The pickpocket will have to use both hands to hold a fork from now on. Ony barely listened to the old man's stammered thanks as he cleaned his knuckles and picked a few pieces of stray bone from them. He only caught the words 'Lorrimor, Ravengro, reimbursement,' by chance.
It was six months later when the tables would be turned and it would be the Professor who found a battered and half-feral Ony slumped against the base of the Harrowstone Memorial.
"A sad state for a hero," the old man had said.
"You owe me," Ony growled, "You owe me."
"A good deed for a bad, you think I am an addlepated old man who can be intimidated by another back-alley thug?" The professor asked, smiling down at Ony. Ony's brow furrowed at this, he was here to cash in a debt yet the old man was negotiating.
"Ain't a hero," Ony continued, "And you owe me."
"I don't like debts either but our chance encounter meant those two men were maimed for life. Short of charity they were never get the magic needed to fix what you did to them. That devalues your service considerably," Lorrimor crouched down, his sharp features suddenly as hard and likely as pitiless as Ony's had been that day.
"What's the price?"
"Ah, he learns," Lorrimor said, smiling again, "Three conditions, you live here for a year, you never raise a hand against any member of this township, and your services are mine to call on. Do we have an accord?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"There is always a choice, dear boy."
And so Ony stayed. After a time he started to actually live in the town. He bound himself to the Professor's deal and stayed his hand even in truest anger and he helped the Professor when asked. On the back of the farmer's cart heading homeward, Ony thought about the deal Lorrimor had struck with him and just what he thought of the old man.
A chance, it had been a chance, one freely given but hidden in the language Ony thought composed society. Those rules had been as much to protect Ony as those around him. He had been a project, one of many.
Just which of the Professor's other projects would show up to the funeral, was beyond Ony.
Exiled from the human youth's home when the power within began shaping the outward form, he has made his bed in darkened alleys and forgotten crypts, in sewers and abandoned homes. He has done whatever he must to survive and grow. As the whispers spread some came seeking him- scholars wishing to learn what this new thing was, and cultists eager for the Old Ones' return. From them he received food, and gold, and sometimes shelter. These things helped to sustain his form so he indulged the men who brought them, but the inconvenience of regularly needing to secure food and shelter from different sources displeases Zagathoth.
A message has come. One of the scholars has reached the end of their miniscule life. Hardly worth notice but for the fact that this scholar had once promised a reward. Moments ago, or years by their count, he had come to see Zagathoth; bandits nearly killed him but he was saved by Zagathoth. Now he had left something for Zagathoth, perhaps the means to end his constant search for food and shelter.
So, through shadow and night Zagathoth has walked across Ustalav to hear the Profeesor's final words.
Ashlyn stood over the fallen figure, shaking her head. The man groaned under the weight of his horse which still whinnied in pain. I just wanted to talk. I thought you might have been... someone I knew.
I will never... associate... with fiends... the holy warrior spat out through gritted teeth.
No one's asking you to, she sighed, and looked him over. She had gone to see if the tales of a valiant young paladin might have been her beloved. Not only was this oaf not him, but he was plenty eager to smite whatever detected as evil without question. She had fled, and he had pursued, until his horse lamed itself by riding into the woods at night.
She bent down and took his weapons: a very nice bow, his arrows, and a long sword. Then she claimed his shield. She put the horse out of its misery, then pushed the carcass off his legs. She winced in sympathy when she saw the mangled limbs.
However, I don't think you have much of a choice, she said as she strapped him to the shield and tied the reins to it, fashioning a makeshift sled. She endured his oaths and epithets as she dragged the paladin out of the woods and to the small roadside inn where she had been staying.
Pulling him inside, she summoned the innkeeper and turned the wounded man over to him. Send for his Order; he's going to need magical healing, she told the innkeep. He can stay in my room; it's paid up through the month.
The innkeeper nodded at the instructions, then asked, So you're leaving, then?
I have to. I didn't find what I wanted, so I shouldn't tarry.
Then you're lucky this letter arrived when it did. Here you go, the man said, passing it over.
Ashlyn broke the seal and read it, growing paler and feeling ice crawl into her belly. By the time she reached the end, tears were streaming down her face. Then suddenly anger: at herself for leaving and chasing down this rumor, then at the stupid man who wasn't her beloved and for chasing her and for nearly dying and making her drag his stupid body all this way and...
A very real temptation to take out her grief and frustration on him crossed her mind. She shook it off, and reminded herself of who she was. The professor had believed in her. Now he was gone, but she wasn't going to let his death be the reason for that faith to be false.
She looked at the innkeeper. Take care of him. I have to go to a funeral. She stepped out into the night and began to walk.[/b]
OMNOMNOM!
Hello?
Yes puppy?
Anyone heard from the boss-lady?
Nope. Maybe data issues again?
Towards the end of the recruitment thread one of the other applicants made it sound like her post rate is very low. This is slower than I anticipated (by a fair margin) but I think she'll get the first post up eventually (hopefully fairly soon).
Still around.
After what seems like weeks of patient meditation Zagathoth casts his conscious mind into the void... In it's dark vastness he searches for the absent one, the one who weaves the tapestry of fate, the one whom the ancients represented with the ruins "RVT"...
Who all is still around?
As I said before, I'm in several other PbPs... so i'll always be around (and if we end up at a 1/month post rate so be it, lol)
Same as Zagathoth. I'm in others, so I'm keeping an eye out for activity here.
I'm in!
It's lucky I checked this but if it somehow got off the ground, I'd still be game.
apparently I never should have mentioned Patience Dome....
I have been sent as an emissary from the Lady herself! She speaketh unto me that I am to speaketh unto you and say this: "Beware Monday the Ninth, the day when a dark and sinister presence shall descend upon the PCs in the form a Lady, who brings nat-1's and soiled undergarments to the poor players who stand before her!". Dare you stay and risk awesomeness? Dare you stay and risk actually playing the characters you made? DARE YOU SEE IF THE PATIENCE DOME BE REAL OR MERE ILLUSION, CONJURED UP BY THE FLEDGELING OLD ONE, WHOSE NICKNAME IS THAT OF A CANDY BAR?! Stay tuned to find out...
Sorry, felt like adding some flourish for one of RVT's campaigns!
This is TSP, by the way!
*Opens eyes.* That was a good nap guys!