It has been a century since the immortal witch Baba Yaga last visited the world, and the hour draws nigh for her return. But when she fails to appear in the frozen realm of Irrisen to usher in its newest ruler, pockets of winter begin to grow throughout the Inner Sea region. After 1,400 years of perpetual winter, the icy curse of Irrisen is spreading! What links do these strange blizzards and swaths of wintry landscapes have with Irrisen, and is there any truth to the growing rumors that the Witch Queen Elvanna has taken full control of the realm? Can her plans for the Inner Sea be thwarted, or will the Reign of Winter engulf the world?
The Reign of Winter Adventure Path begins with an exciting new adventure from RPG Superstar winner Neil Spicer! Every 100 years, the Witch Queen Baba Yaga returns to the nation of Irrisen to place a new daughter on the throne, but this time, something has gone wrong. Far to the south, winter cloaks the forest near the village of Heldren with summer snows. The heroes venture into the wood and discover a magical portal to the frozen land of Irrisen, whose supernatural winter will soon engulf all of Golarion unless they can discover the fate of the otherworldly witch Baba Yaga—a quest that will take them through snowbound Irrisen to even stranger lands beyond.
And so we begin!
Character Creation:
- All core sources are allowed. By core I mean a hard back book printed by Paizo. If you want to use something from one of the Chronicles, Companions, etc. you are welcome to do so, but be prepared to fit it into your character through your background, and sell me on it. The exception to this is Ultimate Campaign. Nothing from that sourcebook will be allowed. It's just too new and there is some incoming errata to be sure.
- Standard races are preferred, but others will be considered. I'm not overly fond of the strange races, so you won't be helping yourself by picking one, but I'll give it consideration.
- Core classes preferred. See "How Not to Get Picked" at the bottom for further explanation of this one.
- 20 point buy for stats. This is Reign of Winter! Only the strongest and smartest can survive in the North! Now, having said that, I would highly advise against min/maxing your stats. Not only could it hurt you, but the GM will see through your shenanigans and will likely not consider you.
- Starting gold of 150gp for all characters. Sorry, PFS is just in my head way too much. This number works well for me.
- Good Alignment preferred. I'm not hung up on Lawful vs. Chaotic. If you want to play Chaotic Neutral you will have to convince me why you shouldn't be spending time in a padded cell instead of adventuring.
- Max HP at level one. After that we will roll or you can take the PFS standard HP for the class. You decide before any rolling is done.
- Nothing will be allowed from any publisher other than Paizo.
- Two traits. Preferably one Reign of Winter Campaign trait and one other, but you can take two normal ones IF your backstory would lead you to Taldor and get you motivated to deal with witches.
PCs will not steal from or harm other PCs: I take this one seriously folks. I'm fine with you being a rogue, but you are a part of a group that needs to trust each other with their lives. There will be no excuse for this and it will result in removal from the campaign immediately.
RP Awards: I give these out randomly, and usually around the time that a level is coming or is due. This could be anything from extra gold, an NPC contact, a piece of equipment, or so on. You would do well to remember this and always be striving to better role-play your character.
EXP: The group will level up at the same time based on when I feel it is appropriate within the campaign. I will not be handing out EXP.
Applicants are expected to agree and adhere to the following:
- You must be a daily poster. Preference will be made for those who show higher activity on the boards and a history of PbP activity. I fully expect to complete the scenario as quickly as the players set the pace for. I am online for 8 straight hours during the day (8am-4pm EST) and can move things along rather quickly during that time. On the weekends there may be less activity, but I will likely make at least 1-2 posts, sometimes more.
- If a player fails to post within a reasonable amount of time without notifying the group that they will be unavailable they will be moved to inactive status, removed from the active game, and replaced with another applicant. I am taking this one seriously folks. I fully intend for this PbP to make it through all of the books, and I won't let an inactive player ruin it for everyone else. So understand what you are committing to before you apply.
- You must be willing to ROLE play, not just ROLL play. The GM feeds off of the players, so a good group of role-players helps the game take on a life of its own. You don't have to fill every post with three paragraphs describing how you took your morning coffee, but you should be able to write well and play your character well. If I find all you do is post "I follow Bob, my sword ready" and post a lot of "yug yug, I'm a barbarian" type stuff, you will be summarily removed from the campaign, tied to a hippogriff, and flown over a field of elven archers for target practice.
Your Application should include the following:
- A complete character stat block, hidden in the main post using the spoiler tag or posted as an in-character alias account. If you do not know how to use this tag click on the button below "Submit Post" of your reply that says How to format your text. For a PbP game you should be familiar with all of these tags anyway.
- A character background. This will allow me to RP with your character a little better, understand their motives, and even tailor hints or dialogue to them specifically. I will look upon those characters with a detailed background more favorably than those with two lines of "I was born, my parents were killed, I was an orphan, I want to kill things for revenge". Be creative!
- A brief note of your posting habits or schedule. If you are more available or likely to post on specific days or at specific times, let me know. I'm looking for dedicated PbP'ers who will see this one through to the end.
How to get picked:
1. Write a good background
2. Don't be a power gamer
3. Do something original
4. Make your character memorable
5. Include everything asked for in the application
How not to get picked:
1. Submit a half-ogre barbarian
2. Submit anything having to do with firearms or bombs
3. Submit anything having to do with feudal Japan
4. Be a sloppy poster
5. Disrespect a fellow poster
That's it! I look forward to seeing what the responses are and to finding that special group of folks who will make their mark on Irrisen forever!
About Me:
I've been gaming for over 20 years, having started as a much younger man with the original AD&D Basic set. Since those times I've played and GM'ed in more games and campaigns than I could ever count. I've ran 2nd Ed AD&D, 3.5 and 4e, Pathfinder, Gamma World, Star Trek, Hero System, and many more. This IS my first time GMing on this site, but I am confident in my abilities. I also lovingly borrowed a large portion of this from GM Captain Trips, no need to reinvent the wheel right!
Here's my character: http://paizo.com/people/LachnaWonderstone
Stats and background are there.
I'll post at least once daily, usually in the evenings eastern time.
I'm already in a Reign of Winter game, so I won't be trying out for this one, but I'll be keeping my eyes open for anything else you run. I dig your style.
Color me interested, just got two questions, besides the obvious hints at the classes that will most likely not get picked, will the other base classes have as good of a chance as getting picked as the core classes? Or should I just stick to core, cause I am good either way.
As for my second question, can I roll a character with an evil alignment with a convincing reason to adventure or fight evil snow witches? Or should I go with the better safe than sorry approach and stick to non-evil? If I do roll an evil character or chaotic neutral one I can promise you that no group or campaign disrupting behavior will be seen coming from me, its no fun ruining the fun of others.
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Hey Mez!
Keep me in mind for a spot. I'll work on a character, either a new one or one of the ones you have seen, if you like any of them. (Norine is, at least, 'creative'..., although I do have some shared characteristics - such as the name and dress - among my characters that started as an inside joke.) I also think you know that I am a high-frequency and reliable poster.
What, by-the-way, is the level range for an adventure path? I pretty much only know how to play low-level characters - so far, at least.
~~ Matt/Norine
Dotting -- I'm a frequent poster in a few other games -- I have no problems with more than one post per weekday (generally avaialble from 9-5 Eastern) -- and can do one per weekend as well.
I've got a few ideas in my head for a character, should be able to post one in a day or so.
Okay, this is Avora Teremocles, arctic druid. Click on her picture for the full stat sheet, but here is her background. I've left in the stuff that the other GM requested; just ignore it if you don't need it, but if you offer me hooks to one of these extras, I'll take the bait.
Avora is neutral, but if that is really going to hurt my chances of getting picked, I'll make her neutral good. I'll probably end up playing her as such anyway.
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Born to Taldan serfs in the poor village of Heldren, Avora had always felt out of place. She had an affinity for winter, preferring that season to all others, and suffered mightily during the summer. The North always fascinated her, and she never really understood why. Until, that is, her parents revealed that her grandfather was an immigrant to Taldor from Irrisen. It was then that everything became clear to her, and she knew that somehow, she must make the journey to the land of her ancestry.
She has prepared for this for much of her young life, learning the languages of the peoples that inhabit the region and always making plans for the big journey. But life is what happens while we make other plans, and so it was with Avora. When she was but a child, a mere eight years old, she wandered into the woods alone and was attacked by a bear. The creature mauled her to within a hair of death's door, and then suddenly stopped for no apparent reason. She was found by a druidic initiate, who carried her to his circle for healing. At a loss to explain why the bear had left her alive, the druids decied that she should be initiated into their ranks and trained in the ways of the wild. To this day, she bears the scars of her close encounter.
As she trained in the ways of druidic tutelage, Avora's dream faded from her mind, but it was never far away. She still felt a connection with the North and found herself unconsciously continuing her studies in the languages of Irrisen and focusing her talents on cold-based spells.
At the age of 15, she met a man named Jellico and befriended him. This, too, would prove to be a fateful event. Jellico took her under his wing and taught her things that her tutors did not. From him she learned that no deed was done without a trade of equal or greater value. He was ruthless, but always fair, and Avora aspired to be likewise.
By the time she was ready to leave home and seek her own fortunes, Avora had been fully initiated as a druid and reached the end of her training. Jellico had moved on, though his lessons would never be forgotten. For several years, Avora served Heldren as a member of the circle, using her abilities to enhance their harvests and bringing relief from the elements where needed. But in recent months, old memories of a grand journey have begun to resurface, and once more she feels the longing to journey to the land of her forebearers.
Her decision to leave Heldren was cemented only a few weeks ago. A new temple had been erected on the outskirts of the village, devoted to the god Nethys. The circle was dismayed. For years, the temple in Heldren had maintained a balance, catering equally to all faiths. This new temple threatened to upset that balance. While they met in council to determine a course of action, the brash young Avora took matters into her own hands. Insuring that no one was about, she burned the structure to the ground one night, just before its completion.
The community was in an uproar, but the individual responsible was never caught. Many suspected the druids of the wrongdoing, but they proclaimed innocence. For her part, Avora simply kept quiet and made her plans to set out upon her journey northward.
Color me interested, just got two questions, besides the obvious hints at the classes that will most likely not get picked, will the other base classes have as good of a chance as getting picked as the core classes? Or should I just stick to core, cause I am good either way.
As for my second question, can I roll a character with an evil alignment with a convincing reason to adventure or fight evil snow witches? Or should I go with the better safe than sorry approach and stick to non-evil? If I do roll an evil character or chaotic neutral one I can promise you that no group or campaign disrupting behavior will be seen coming from me, its no fun ruining the fun of others.
1: APG classes are fine for the most part. I'm less of a fan of Summoner because everyone I've seen played has been optimized to the point it can solo the game, which makes everyone else feel useless and is no fun.
2: I'm ok with evil if the back story supports it, but I would prefer good/neutral over all.
I present to you Cervin Kelinson, background detail and stat block are in the alias. Cervin's concept is a divine hunter paladin of Erastil. His concept is much like a ranger, but I want the personality and devotion to doing good of a paladin. He's young, headstrong, utterly devoted to his God and ideals, and very much a homebody. He is LG, but his lawfulness is more a devotion to his own code and ideals. He has a great distaste for corrupt authority and the nobility of Taldor.
I think he'd be a great fish out of water character for this campaign. He is utterly devoted to Taldor and wants to spend the rest of his life wandering and learning the land. He's well-travelled, but only in a small area and he is quite naive. I think the impact of being thrust into Irrisen will make him very interesting to play.
Sounds fun. i'll work up a character tomorrow and get it posted for you
Here is a character that I had applied for another RoW with, but didn't get picked. I will need to make serious mechanical adjustments for your PC standards, but the flavor is all there.
I will adjust and repost to this recruitment after I've fixed the numbers to meet your standards.
*sigh* I had this Half-Elf Ranger worked out to apply with, but then Paizo decided to go under maintenance just as I finished her background. I got a sheet worked out, though it's a PDF.
This does sound pretty awesome. I will hopefully get a character together tomorrow and post him up for inspection. Any ideas when you will be choosing a party and beginning?
I have a Human Fighter (Taldan Rodelero Duelist) with an unknown connection to the Northern Lands. I'll get him posted asap. Would love to play this AP.
Bugsby Featherfoot -
A Gnome Sorcerer (Protean Bloodline) in the works. Super excited to get the details of my character up after the date with my wife.
Wahoo!
Dotting for interest
I present to you, Varmond Strongsword II. Son of a man who was trained to be an Aldori Dueling Master before an incident forced him and his family to flee south the the River Kingdoms. Varmond left his family to see the world at the point of a sword. He does not have the skills his father has, but he did pick up on a few tricks from his old man before he left.
I've been wanting to play this AP since it was announced, I love love, LOVE winter based campaigns and this one fits the description. I can post multiple times a day because I have a pretty loose schedule. Man I hope I get chosen.
Profile stats placeheld for Iosef, working on a more robust background.
I'm definitely interested. This is a druid I made for another RoW campaign but wasn't selected, I will just adjust to a 20 point buy but pretty much everything is set.
May I ask when is the deadline for submission? I've been wanting to try a Mad Dog Barbarian for a while now.
Here is Ned Rodan, an Ranger(guide)/1 for consideration. Regarding his background, he has the same abilities/skill/alignment which ever aspect of his personality is active. The only difference would manifest in roleplaying. Any questions?
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I have played RPG's for over 20 years now. I began with Champions then played Rolemaster, Rifts, Shadow Run, White Wolf and many others. I have been playing Pathfinder for approximately 5 years now, or since its release.
I have not played a PbP campaign yet but as my table top group only meets twice a month I would very much enjoy immersing myself in a good campaign here.
I very much like the format and structure you are using in your recruitment and I hope that carries over into your campaign, which I would like to be a part of.
Her is Rath "The Ashbringer" for consideration.
This is a character that just got not-picked for another RoW campaign (lotsa' familiar faces here) I'll adjust it tomorrow to fit your standards.
I would love to throw my hat in the ring for this one :)
I had an old Summoner known as "Smaug. Prophet of the Dragon!" that I had to throw out a while ago and I would be tickled at the idea of reviving him as so that he can spread the word of the impending doom of the world by dragons :D
He is far from min maxed as building an eidolon a very specific way leads to overpower, it does not...
He is also one tough old coot and had so much character (at least in my head :P). Ill admit now, I am not great at writing backstories (easily my weakest point, I am finding) but I can work hard at getting something written up for it :P
I post constantly, multiple times during the day and often a big chunk right at the end of the day. I do, however tend to slow down a bit when I am creating characters (as that takes a lot of the focus and I just finished building a monstrous 20th level gestalt). Just letting you know ahead of time!
Ill have to see what I can do about getting him ready :)
DM when do you plan on ending submission for character?
It will be open for at least a few days, assuming the applications continue to roll in. If things slow down earlier, then I'll decide earlier.
Okay,
Oliver has been updated to the standard. Let me know if there are any issues/questions about the character.
Thank you Sven, I was just about to make a list of that myself.
I seem to have left out a bit about how I plan to run combat, so here's the deal on that.
Combat will be Block format, and I will roll initative for everyone. I will also roll saves for spells the NPC's cast and any AoO's they provoke. This will keep the combat flowing and be generally easier all around.
In case there is confusion, my version of Block format is: PCs that beat the NPC init, then the NPCs, then ALL PCs go, then the NPCs, etc... Individual initiatives will not matter beyond if you can go before the NPC in the first round. After that it's done in post order. Some people say this causes initiative feats/traits to be weaker, but that can be solved by just having the PC's work together and communicate their plans. Don't want the Barbarian to charge before you toss a fireball, say something. Think that wizard may be winding up a fireball, delay until after they go so you don't get crisped too.
Do you use maps, and if so, what method do you use (google.docs, maptool, posted on imgur or Flikr, etc..)?
I actually like that format better, it causes the players to be more reactive and it usually don't lag the combat by waiting for the other to post first before you think of your actions.
I am still trying to determine that Oliver. I know a lot of people use roll20, however my work PC is restricted to IE, which doesn’t play well with that site. I am leaning towards google.doc since it’s accessible on both my home and work computers.
All my info is in the profile. I do have a couple of non-core crunchy bits but they are all from paizo.
The trait Opportunistic Gambler is from Second Darkness but I thought it fit perfectly and the Rondelero Duelist is from the Inner Sea Primer.
Bugsy is pretty much ready from a crunch perspective. I'll continue to add some more detail along a similar vein as Avora (I really liked some of her ideas).
My daily posting is... often. I usually go the speed of the group because, let's face it, talking to yourself is only fun for so long and then you just look like a nut job.
Right Wilson? Right.
Meandering down the street away from the Stoat Bugsby grins as a group of laughing kids race past him (many taller than he is), but he manages to keep the amber liquid in his cup from spilling. Quite pleased with himself he takes another sip, and suddenly his whole body freezes with his face in his cup. Looking down into the glass he appears mesmerized by something. He reaches down with his offhand and plucks a nearby blade of grass and squints into and through the liquid-filled glass, the grass stalk being held just beneath it.
After standing thus for a good two minutes, Bugsby puts the blade of grass in his pocket, and beings searching for, finding, and examining multiple objects through the liquor-filled glass. Small bugs struggle while held in gentle fingers, dogs growl when lips are lifted and teeth peered at, kids protest as hair in examined, an adult rolls her eyes patiently as one of her shoes is studied, and inanimate objects suffer in silence as Bugsby makes his way through town, still moving in the general direction of home, but his steps are about as purposeful as the flight of a butterfly... similar to the butterfly he scrutinized under his glass.
A young boy, Rett, approaches cautiously, "Whatcha doin?" he asks curiously, aware of Bugsby's odd ways. From under the brim of his hat the gnome mutters, "Hmmm? Ohyou'retalkingtome? WELL!! It'smostexciting! I..." The gnome lifts his head suddenly, tilting it back and takes in a huge calming breath, then another with equal deliberateness. Then he lets his head fall forward until he's looking at the boy, "I am examining various specimens through my ale as I've recently discovered doing so could reveal some interesting scientific facts. Would you like to help me?" The excitable gnome seems to be making a physical effort to keep his words slow and clear for the boy.
When Rett nods his interest, together they collect multiple samples for study. An hour and a half later, Bugsby and Rett can both be seen standing over a small patch of ground littered with a seemingly random selection of bits, bobs, and trash. But to the two scientists, both now holding a glass in each hand -one to each eye and looking quite ridiculous- they continue to study and 'learn'. Dirty and disheveled they appear to be having a marvelous time.
Rett - an orphan child in Heldren who'd become an 'assistant' to Bugsby while conducting whimsical and inexpert experiments and studies of nature. A shy child, Bugsby is actually slightly shorter than, and definitely weighs less than, the boy. But their combined innocence and wonder at things new and life in general is a source of great amusement and fondness for most all the townspeople as the two scamper around town. Bugsby has many friends in town, but holds a special place in his heart for Rett and the boy's situation. Getting meals, buying decent clothes and shoes, making sure the boy has shelter, are just a few of the byproducts of their friendship, an unspoken responsibility Bugsby readily accepts and thrives on.
'Mr Featherfoot' - Bugsby only refers to his father by the name Mr Featherfoot. A serious and scholarly wizard of great respect in Oppara. Bugsby fled from the structured life of his strict father, fearing the order and lack of whimsy would drive him to an early grave. His father became this way after Bugsby's mother died unexpectedly, and has begun to steadily grey and age with alarming rapidity. His fathers lifestyle terrifies his son, and Bugsby's chaotic and exuberant approach to life may well be in response to watching his father's zest fade away.
Jasmina Flynflander - This lovely female known is best described as 'the one who got away'. The romance between Bugsby and her was real and blossoming towards full fruition, it's eventual destination likely a chaotic and blissful lifetime marriage and partnership. The death of Bugsby's mother and subsequent brittleness of his father changed all that. Bugsby fled Oppara, fearing life under his father's severity would destroy his soul, but Jasimina wasn't ready to leave her friends, family, and established life in the capital. So Bugsby left her there, sobbing and confused, and wears a neckless that was once hers. It's a copper-wrought Sun and Moon, the two planets artistically linked, and not a day goes by that Bugsby doesn't kiss that necklace. Though years have now passed, the ache is still present in Bugsby's gut, and it's a pain the small gnome wouldn't give up for the world, because to give up that aching pain would be to give up Jasmina from his heart... and he'd rather die.
Stanly Parducci - Bugsby doesn't admit to having any enemies, his positive attitude not allowing such a concession. But the person he avoids the most is a trapper named Stanly, working the game around Heldren. The gnome, in his wanderings, has seen the cruel traps and careless methods used by Stanly. One of the rare half-orcs in the area, Stanly keeps to himself, but the animosity between the two is palpable. Bugsby has gone into the woods, hidden himself, and thrown small rocks from his sling at the half-orc. The life-loving gnome cannot stand Stanly's uncaring disregard for nature and others, and the dislike is mutual. Stanly suspects Bugsby of dismantling traps and releasing caught game... and he's quite correct, though he can't prove it. The two seldom cross paths, and when they do come face to face, Stanly is usually right there with an accusation and Bugsby doing an excellent job of ignoring the 'big orcish oaf'.
Bugsby hopes to study nature, which to him means to climb tree's, watch the wind-blown snow, observe animals in the natural habitats, and anything else which catches his fancy.
Winter is his least favorite season, but "It's still a favorite!" he often says. There is a serene beauty and perfection to the snow and the wind which fascinates the gnome, but whenever spring comes, Bugsby is notably excited.
He seeks to share his love of things with those around him, sometimes to distraction. But he enjoys entertaining, or trying to entertain, and is very much a socialite. Striving to unify people and groups and to peacefully resolve conflicts is something the little gnome is always striving for.
He enjoys coming up with unusual experiments to either test outrageous theories or just because it seems fun at the time. Sometimes innocent and unsuspecting people are the subject of his study and don't find out until their laces are tied together, their hair is dyed blue, or they wake up to find Bugsby staring intently down their nostrils.
I'm a strong regular poster that's been holding out for a while for a good DM/group to play this AP. If you run your games anything like your recruitment thread, you're exactly what I'm looking for. =)
I finished Skull and Shackles with a PBP group about ten minutes ago. You can see the game here. We did the whole AP in four months, from start to end. Hopefully that's a good representation of my ability to post well and post often.
Four months!? that is seriously just awesome and deserving of applause. Nicely done!
*slow claps for Sven (and his group & GM)*
Do you use maps, and if so, what method do you use (google.docs, maptool, posted on imgur or Flikr, etc..)?
+1 for Google Docs
Sven: 4 months is a very impressive clip. I have a penciled in goal of 1 book a month, which would make it roughly 6 months overall.
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G'day Mez.
May I ask you when you plan on picking applicants?
Also, I know you said "no Ultimate Campaign", but would you consider some of the traits (and just the traits) from it on a case-by-case basis? Some of the traits are really cool and unique and flavourful, but I understand if you'd prefer to avoid them for now.
Mex, GM DW here with my submission for a switch-hitting paladin. Nothing too fancy, but a touch off the beaten path. Definitely not your detect/smite type, but ready to lay the smack down when the time comes.
And doing one book/month would be impressive! I'd love to give it a try.
I have no strict time table for picking, but I doubt it will go much past the remainder of the week, if that. I know a few people requested a few days to make characters, which I'm fine with allowing.
I'd like to avoid UC, traits and all. I don't own the book, and the errata will probably change things from there more often than I'd like. You are welcome to use it if you want. Just make sure you explain the trait to me. I might be convinced to allow it if really does make the character blow my mind.
A month per book is still an incredible pace.
Hell, just finishing an AP is pretty incredible around here. Most APs end up falling apart. =/
Too true, most have a flurry of activity in the first few weeks, and then things peter out. My goal is to get most of the way through each book during that flurry, and then ride the "we're almost done!" thrill for the remainder of the book. Depending how many people I chose, I may adjust the encounters, which may add some time to fights and stretch things out more, we shall see.