Shadows in Light

Game Master DEWN MOU'TAIN

Hi All,

I originally started running a PBP based on a published WoT campaign, the Prophecies of the Dragon. Due to some people dropping out and the nature of the adventure itself, that PBP kind of faded and I am looking to "reboot" a Wheel of Time game. This will be a home-brewed adventure that takes place during the book series.

Info to know when posting an application:

1) I am a HUGE Wheel of Time fan. I wanted this said so you're not surprised by my other notes for the game below.

2) I will be running this using the old Wheel of Time 3.5 RPG book. This will not be a conversion to Pathfinder or 4E or any other system. This will be with the original system designed from the novels. If you don't have the book, then I'm sorry. This is simply because I was very happy with the rules they came up with and it also saves me a TON of work having to update things and translate them. I know there are a bunch of fan sites with more optional rules for the system but I won't be using those, for the same reason as I'm not converting, it's just easier for me. I hope this doesn't put anyone off the game but I just want people to know. (Note: I am "stealing" a few key updates from Pathfinder, most notably the skill list updates but these will be expanded upon when you're accepted.)

3) I am looking for ideally a 1 post per day minimum from people Mon-Fri but I totally understand that real life is rough and I will already admit planning on being guilty of missing a day from time to time. This is especially for roleplaying stuff and if you're busy for a day or two, no biggie, you're just quietly brooding when people are talking, or something like that. It's easy to work around if others are helping to carry the conversation. During combat however I will be a little more insistent on the 1/day frequency as it really does make it easier for the group as a whole.

4) This game will take place roughly during the end of the 5th book/beginning of the 6th. As I'm expecting everyone to be fans of the series, I don't really need to explain what this means exactly. One thing this will allow for is that male channelers may start with levels in the Initiate class as the Black Tower is up and recruiting at this point.

5) This is a Wheel of Time game and I will require people to be familiar and comfortable with the series. This isn't to say that you have to quote specific lines from chapters and it's not designed to limit your roleplaying options. This is being put out there so people understand that the game will be firmly set in the WoT world. A perfect example of this which fans of the series will understand: If you play a male channeler character, there will be roleplaying consequences for this. NPC's will most likely hate or fear you. Maybe both, maybe try to kill you. This is a risk you face, at least in the beginning. I want people familiar to the setting so that they're not surprised by this kind of issue or others like it. (NOTE: Other PC's are of course exempt from this kind of issue unless specifically roleplayed by the individual player. As in games where certain character concepts aka necromancers etc can create tension, my default assumption is that the PC has proved his worth to the party enough for them to overlook the undesirable trait of the other member.)

Phew that was a lot info to swallow. If you've read all the above and aren't put off and are still interested in playing in this game, then here we go.

- Sumbit a character concept/backstory. The more detail the better, but for sure I am looking for at least a small display of your WoT knowledge either in your backstory or character build ideas.

- We'll be using the standard <4d6> and dropping the lowest for ability score generation. Feel free to use the in post dice rolling mechanic for ability rolls. Max HP for all levels.

- You do not need to submit your actual character build/mechanics when applying, you may wait till you are accepted if you'd like. There will be no preference shown to people who submit both instead of just the backstory. Looking for concept initially. If you do want to create a build, we will be starting at 5th level.

Thanks for showing an interest and I hope to be playing with some of you very soon.

You have my interest sir. I have the WoT RPG book and will look through it a bit before I give you a concept.

I have the WoT 3.5 book and I am up to date on the series. I need to think about it for a bit but I am possibly interested. Need to see if I get in a couple other games, don't want to overload.

Glad to see some interest. Let me know when you guys have ideas and we'll go from there. I have no specific timeline to start the game, obviously the sooner the better but there's no real rush.

Graul here from your last WoT. Hope you dont hold that against me....
Would really be enterested in a character in this game, but not what I ran last time.

Graul here from your last WoT. Hope you dont hold that against me....

Would really be enterested in a character in this game, but not what I ran last time.

Kozaric, no worries I know real life happens. Graul died a warrior's death to be proud of. :-)

You're already pre-approved, you did a great job before. Feel free to roll up your new stats and get your build going in the OOC thread.

Drof and Deserach, just checking with you guys to see if you're still interested.

I am, I've just been rereading some of the stuff in the book to decide on a character concept. I'm probably going to go with an Armsman 1/wilder 4, but I still need to work out the background. I think he will be one of the early recruits once Rand give's Taim permission to go out looking for male channelers.

I am, I've just been rereading some of the stuff in the book to decide on a character concept. I'm probably going to go with an Armsman 1/wilder 4, but I still need to work out the background. I think he will be one of the early recruits once Rand give's Taim permission to go out looking for male channelers.

Well that's enough of a concept for me and its a strong one at that. Plus you seem to clearly know the books. Consider yourself approved and feel free to hop over to the Discussion thread to meet the other players and work on your character build stuff.

Hey, Jonasty, good to see you're still interested in running one of these, though I'm sad to hear that your last group fell apart.

Do you have any specific direction for this campaign? I only ask because it may shed some light on what nationalities/classes would be really fun/appropriate.

It's been a while since I've read the books, but I do so love them. I'd love to play off someone else's character in terms of build and concept, but I'd also love to play some flavor of male channeler... the whole Ash'aman thematic is rocking in all its twisted glory!

I'm initially thinking of some flavor of wilder/wanderer.

id love to play an initiate asha'man! i see the guy, more like a kid, teenager, just full of piss and vinegar, thinking he knows everything and that if you didnt attend the black tower, you aint crap.

Oh, that seriously makes me want to roll up a male channeler who was learning to channel before the tower was created. Not against the tower, but a blossoming channeler in his own right.

So... possibly a team of male channelers, huh?

Are you wanting a more varied group, Jonasty? Basically, am I hurting my chances of getting in your game if I also roll up a male wilder?

Are you wanting a more varied group, Jonasty? Basically, am I hurting my chances of getting in your game if I also roll up a male wilder?

My last group had 3 Aiel out of 6 players, so no worries that your chances are hurt for making another male channeler.

As to the direction of the game, given the time frame will be in/near the 6th book, a lot of the story is going to revolve around trying to survive and make sense of the world. And let's face facts, if I have even 1 male channeler in the group that allows for all kinds of options.

Ok, cool. It's good to hear that more saidin-users won't hurt us (well, any more than channeling saidin in a culture that equates saidin with the Dark One or insanity, anyway).

I had some more time to think about it, and I have a loose idea of a character.

----

Jakwin Howel, known as Jak and to a lesser extent "Mad Jak" or "Laughing Jak" to those who know him, is... well... the consummate drifter, gambler, and 'businessman'. He's a handsome (at least he thinks so) late-twenties Arafelin who has the reputation of a scoundrel, drifter, and sometimes thief and swindler, though he'd argue that those are all empty accusations by business rivals… what that business is, well, he never really says.

People had called him Mad Jak for years because of his propensity to talk to himself when concentrating, thinking, or (oddly enough) fighting, but the last ten years have been particularly adventurous and unpredictable for him - ever since he learned he could channel. At first he convinced himself it was just his luck (which is admittedly good in general), but over time, a sickness took him after times of extreme pressure, fear, and adrenaline. He couldn't ignore it for long, though, as he realized he could see what others couldn't', hear voices others couldn't, and do things - especially with fire - that other people couldn't.

He could channel.

Luckily, it's easy to hide this fact when you never put down roots, which worked well with his nomadic lifestyle - a byproduct of his upbringing as a traders' son and his mercurial, gregarious personal nature. He initially sought out other male channelers (as difficult as that was), but quickly realized they were generally dangerous… and were more than often a little mad. So for the last half a decade he has avoided them, traveling the lands as a trader in good (both legal and less-than-legal) and information, a gambler, opportunist and general entrepreneur.

People quickly realize that he's more than a bit emotionally mercurial, and loves change as well as danger/excitement. He's also a fan of women… of nearly any size, shape, and color. His quick smile, handsome features, and silver tongue has won him the company of all sorts of women, high-born and low. Maybe its because of this that he's learned when to stick around and when to run… or, as he'd say it "when to ante up and when to cut losses and run."
---

This is where I'll need to know who the rest of the group is dealing with. Despite the fact that he'd probably have casual connections in more than a few towns (and probably have more than a handful of pissed off town officials, businessmen, and husbands), Jak wouldn't normally fall in with a group for a long time, and rarely looks to make connections that tie to long-term responsibilities. But he does have a strong sense of quirky honor - especially when it comes to true friends and family. If someone could be a cousin or niece or nephew, that would definitely give him a reason to stick around for a bit. Or maybe there's a deal to be had? Some coin to make?

I love him being a borderlander. The odd juxtaposition of borderlander honor and roguish flare make him interesting to me. Kind of a matrim feel there. I have him as an Arafelin because of their reputation for honor, but if tying him to another character means he should instead be Saldaean born or something, let me know and i'll see how I can work on that. Basically, I'd love some collaboration on this point.

I love the idea that he's just hearing about the Dragon and the Ashaman. Being a drifter and somewhat self-made, he's skeptical of the organization of the Black Tower, but the idea of a group of like-minded men might have a certain appeal to a guy who's not had a home for a long time.

Basically, this guy's a blank slate when it comes to where he's going mechanically. If he's convinced that the Tower is the way to go, I'd push his build towards Ashaman. If through some strange turn of events he took a shine to a female channeler, maybe he'd make a strangely effective warder (though i'm not sure how your feelings on channelers bonding channelers).

I'd love to hear your thoughts, Jonasty. Frankly, i'd love to hear thoughts from other players or potentials as well.

Might as well put some rolls up for stats

4d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 4, 1) = 15 - 14
4d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 6, 1) = 13 - 12
4d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6, 4) = 19 - 16
4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 5, 5) = 22 - 17
4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 4, 4) = 17 - 14
4d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 2, 6) = 16 - 14

holy crap... those will work.

---

"So you can channel huh? some back country bumpkin like you probably is afraid of the big bad city, HA! i bet you wet your pants walking into a city like Tear, or Camelyn, or even Cairhein! Just look at you, ugg, just smell you. No wonder you move around alot.

"who am i? Im Jasper Firewyn. Grew up on the streets of Camelyn. I was here when the Dragon and False Dragon came through. Seen the False Dragon, not the real one. Ha, i even threw a stinky horse pie at the guy, although you dont have to tell him that. Aye, those were the days, running from the city guard, stealing stuff to eat. But that all changed. Not too long ago, i was caught see, caught by them guards. They were threatening me, beating on me, and what not. i, well, its not fair, there was 5 to just me. I had no idea what was gonna happen next. i just suddenly got a chill down my spine, like the dark one was calling me, and suddenly i thought of FLAME, FIRE, BURN! and wouldnt you know it. the guardsman in front of me went up like pine tree. covered in flames like they was his skin. the two holding me, they let go and drew swords, and then they burst into flames. Well, i looked up and sawthe last 2 guardsmen turn and charge me. about half way, they stopped and howled in agony. their breastplates were glowing a bright yellow color and steam and smoke came from the cracks. within moments they all died, leaving me shaking and in fear, wondering what had i done?

"well, i ran as fast as i could, out of the city. i didnt get very far, when these men in black coats stopped me. at the time, i had no idea who or what they were. but, they subdued me and took me away. again i thought i was dead, but i awoke in a small barracks, with a man staring at me. It was from him that i learnt about the black tower, and i was at the black tower, and that i had channeled. when i learned this, i leapted for joy. The power i hold. who cares about the taint. I HAVE POWER. and the dark one take those that stand in my way...

Jak looks the young man over, a smile on his lips, "Nice story, kid. That impress the other twelve year olds?"

:D I couldn't resist. Though looking at it now, if Jonasty picks us both up, I may have to look at jak's affinity. Two fire guys? : shrugs : May not be a big deal.

I didn't see it in the initial post, Jonasty, but how many new players are you looking to pick up?

And can someone give me a refresher on 3.5 skill rank purchases as it pertains to cross-class/class skills? If something becomes a class skill, is it always a class skill? Or is it dependent on what class you're currently leveling into?

Basically, if Jak has a level of Wanderer, then he takes a level of Wilder, can he still purchase ranks of acrobatics or Bluff at a 1 to 1 rate? Or is it 1 to .5 for that level?

and also... :)

once you have the class, all class skills are class skills, even if you use other class skill points to buy them. sd the 1 to 1 rate is correct.

once you have the class, all class skills are class skills, even if you use other class skill points to buy them. sd the 1 to 1 rate is correct.

What he said. :-)

And as to number of new characters, I haven't set a limit. If everyone submits an awesome WoT character then I might have a game with 7 people in it, or only 3. It doesn't really matter to me, I just want to run a good WoT game.

lol. And we just want to contribute to one. :D

Regarding the skill points, cool. I thought I had that wrong, but couldn't find my old books to look it up. Thanks for the help. I'll need to re-work Jak's skills with that in mind.

Can't wait to hear your selections, Jonasty.

Hi there. I’m kinda new to PbP, but I came across this thread. Being a WoT fan I was intrigued would like to try my hand at it if there’s still room. My first thought for a character was for an Aiel ex-warrioress who was discovered to be able to wield Saidar, working towards the Wise One prestige class. However, it sounds like you have several channelers already, and, not knowing the scope of the story you’re looking to tell I also wasn’t sure how well Aiel might fit into your campaign concept. Assuming you’re still looking for more players, do you have any preference between having another channeler or something more ‘martial’?

hmmmm, i think it would be cool to do an adventure with nothing but channelers.

Well to answer questions, no I'm not opposed to a party full of channelers. We won't have that simply cause I have a few exisiting players who aren't. I'm of the opinion that you can submit/play whatever you want. As long as the character concept is cool, that's what matters to me. So submit your idea and we'll go from there.

For Jenrah’s submission: Fiallain Bo’airr

Curious hands held up the small object to the sun. Lips split upwards into a smile as she admired the intricate statue in the likeness of a great jade prowling beast. The woman shifted her stance from one foot to the other, moving with an easy grace not unlike that of the stalking predator held in her hands.

“Does the Lady like?” The little obsequious man in the funny cap asked, wringing his hands together in anticipation of a possible sale.

Fiallain held it lower in her hand, still admiring.

“They tell me it is a likeness of a great shadow-cat from the mountains of mist. Very fierce, very dangerous….”

She smiled faintly at that, apparently pleased. “So it looks to be, wetlander.” She had no idea if it were true or not… “How much do you as….” She trailed off as a movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. The merchant happily jumped in the void, prattling on about prices and the deals he was prepared to offer just for her… and at great personal sacrifice to himself of course. But she was no longer listening.

She clenched the figurine in her fist and gripped the shortspear in her other hand. “Mother’s Milk!” She hissed softly, the odd wetlander curse rolling off her tongue. The merchant gave a start and squeaked, thinking he had somehow offended the oft prickly Aiel. He jumped back and away as Fiallain spun around his cart and hunched down, peering over the edge. She slowly backed up, pressing herself flat against the wall of the building that stood behind the merchant's stall just as a trio of women walked past her alleyway, colorful bracelets and earrings jingling as they walked. Fiallain squeezed her eyes shut. “Light! Please don’t look this way” she prayed silently. She peeked from her hiding place and slowly exhaled as she saw the three wise one’s backs as they continued on down the street, oblivious to her presence. “Too close! A good thing they either could not channel, or did not sense me…” She thought to herself and then growled, jumping as a head poked around the corner of the building. She paused, her veil half raised as the merchant looked nervously at her. He croaked.. “Th..that will be Forty marks my lady…”

Name: Fiallain Bo’airr, of Clan Chareen, Cosaida Sept
Age: Upper teens
Short Description: Tall and slender, but probably short for Aiel: about 5’10. Short cropped, dark blonde hair with green eyes.
Class: Algai 2, Wilder 3 (ability scores willing)

Fiallain crossed into the wetlands when her clan followed the Car’a’carn across the spine of the world. She is a spear-maiden, and desires only to be a spear maiden. Much to her dismay, she began channeling not long ago. Knowing that if she were discovered the Wise Ones would give her little to no choice other than a ‘career change’, she has managed to remain hidden and out of their clutches. For how long though…?

Ooh... nice. I like that, too.

Jonasty, if it matters for anything, I'm thinking Jak will be 2 levels wilder, and staying mostly wanderer. I like him as a skill-focused individual who just kind of has this ace in the hole of channeling.

Carry on...

'Mad' Jak and Fiallain Bo’airr are both accepted. I like the writing you guys displayed and clear love and understanding of the setting. Feel free to move over and check in with the discussion thread to finish up your character build stuff. Welcome aboard.

Dewn Mout'ain, I haven't seen anything yet from you as far as a character idea, were you still interested in the game? If so, feel free to submit your idea so I can take a look.

Very cool. I'll get a post in there ASAP. Thanks for the opportunity, Jonasty.

sorry, i shoulda made a mention that jasper firewyn would be my character, a 19 yr old obnoxious full of himself teenager that thinks he is better than all cuz of what he is.

rolls:
4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 2, 2) = 16 14
4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 4, 3) = 14 12
4d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 6, 5) = 17 15
4d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 3, 5) = 12 10
4d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 3, 5) = 16 14
4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 1, 1) = 9 8 uggg... :(

maybe a very clumsy initiate...

Is it too late to express my interest in this game? I've never played a PBP game before, but I've always wanted to play in a WoT game. If you're willing to take a noob, I'd love to play.

Of course, looking at the character concepts submitted upthread, I may have to consider a character other than the Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah that I've always wanted to play...

Anyway, thanks in advance!

Great! I'll work on getting the mechanical side of things fleshed out tonight and get her character sheet posted either later tonight or tomorrow eve. Thanks!

Character: Alathea, initiate of the White Tower (and prospective Red Ajah member?)

Female Ebou Dari Wilder ??

Stats:
2 5 4 2 : 11
6 6 5 3 : 17
5 1 5 4 : 14
5 6 4 2 : 15
1 1 1 4 : 6
1 6 4 4 : 14
I'll arrange them so that Alathea has Str 6, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 14.

Alathea comes from the countryside surrounding Ebou Dar, the youngest daughter of a farm family. Her family wasn't rich by any stretch of the imagination, and her childhood was one of hard work and little else. Even so, she looks back on her early years fondly...at least the years before her life changed. She was always close to her brother Ralin, closer than to any of her other brothers or sisters. She was the first to notice when things started to happen around him: those who angered him would suffer injuries that they couldn't explain, he could force others to do as he wished, and other minor things. It was never serious, at least not at first--an unexplained bruise on a rival suitor for a neighbor girl's attention, another sibling unwillingly doing his chores--but she saw. It wasn't even the things that he could do that scared her, though, but the change in his personality. Where he had always been kind and generous to those around him, he grew colder and more selfish...more dangerous. Still, she kept his secrets as best she could. But it couldn't last: others began to notice Ralin's erratic behavior and the strange things that happened around him, and he was exposed as a channeler. The mob got to him before the Aes Sedai could, and she could do nothing but watch helplessly.

Three years later, Alathea herself began to channel, and her family did not take it well. Fearful of his family being seen as tainted, her father packed her up for the city under the auspices that she was to stay with a distant relation. He drove her into Ebou Dar and dropped her off at an inn, told her to find work as a barmaid, and abandoned her. In the next few months she managed to eke out a living and to gain a tenuous control over the One Power, but in her struggles, she was noticed by a local Wise Woman who passed word of her on to an agent of the White Tower.

Alathea quickly found herself in Tar Valon as a novice. Although such a life wasn't easy for her, especially as a Wilder, it was preferable to the menial labor and dangerous conditions of Ebou Dar, and she found a purpose. She hadn't been able to save Ralin from himself, but perhaps as an Aes Sedai, she would be able to save others with his condition. Determined to make a difference, she threw herself into her studies, eager to learn and eager to understand saidar. When she can be pried away from her studies, she's outgoing and friendly, and patient with her fellow initiates.

***

I see Alathea as going for full Aes Sedai as soon as she can. I like the idea of playing her as a Red Ajah who doesn't hate men, not even those that can channel. She sees the Red as a means to reach male channelers so that she can prevent them from meeting her brother's end. She sees these channelers as people who need help, not as monsters who need to be put down. Of course, her *current* idea of help is to gentle them so that they don't destroy themselves. However, I imagine that upon meeting a male channeler, her compassion for him and her understanding on what touching the Source feels like will, at the very least, shake her convictions.

I don't know at what level this game will be starting, but I imagine Alathea as relatively inexperienced. She probably still has her block, and I think that being unable to channel unless she's afraid would fit the bill. I guess that to be an adventurer, she's have to be an Accepted instead of a Novice, so that she's have responsibilities that would take her out of the tower.

Anyway, let me know what you think. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

EDIT: Spacing is my friend.

Dewn, no worries. Part of the confusion was that when I looked at Jasper's profile after that first post it was for a Dwarf Fighter and I got pretty confused. Realize that you're recycling the name/profile and gave a re-read to your entry. Looks good, you're in.

Alathea, your concept is strong and your knowledge of the books sounds thorough so that more than outweighs your "noob-ness" for me. You're accepted.

Both of you feel free to post in the discussion thread the rest of your character stuff and introduce yourselves to the rest of the group.

At this point, recruitment is closed and we'll see what happens from here.

Thanks, DM Jonasty! I very much appreciate the invitation. I'll make up my character today and post some more information in the discussion thread. Fortunately (at least for these purposes), I'm at home with my sick daughter, so I'll probably get the posts done by this afternoon!