Square Sails on the Horizon (Inactive)Game Master Mark Sweetman
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Righto lads - here be the Discussion thread for promising young vikingr. I've posted up what originally made up my Recruitment thread for reference. I'll collate the rules and what-not into the Campaign Info in good time. At present we have:
Consider yourselves chosen for the PbP if you wish and start throwing up some more detail and backstory as you see fit. Campaign Summary:
In the medium term (about level 4 on) you’ll be given the opportunity to get to lead your own raids as a longboat captain leading up to a potential moral event horizon that will colour how the rest of the game plays out. It will be dark, it will be bloody and there will be mead and plunder aplenty. Combat will be a significant part of the PbP, though I will encourage a heavy level of RP. There will also be drinking contests, competitions of strength, boasting contests along the lines of flyting, and the chance to take ownership of your own longship / village and clan of Ulfen and lead them through the long long winters of the North. Direct knowledge of the area in Golarion is not required, as you’ll be able to pick it up along the way – but some details of where you start are below:
Details of Broken Bay (from Lands of the Linnorm Kings sourcebook):
Located on the westernmost fringe of the Linnorm Kingdoms, Broken Bay comprises the water surrounding the islands of Aegos, Orthost and dozens of smaller uninhabited rocks. Of these, only Aegos is what could properly be called “civilized.”
Broken Bay itself is home to plentiful schools of fish and the occasional pod of whales, and fishing is the primary industry for those brave enough to make a living here. The region is notorious for its storms, powerful tides and currents, and treacherous shallows – the “broken” in the name refers to the countless wrecked ships that lie in the waters or sprawl upon rocky isles. Life in Broken Bay is cold and rough, and those who grow up here are shaped by these environs, becoming mercenaries and raiders who seek to plunder coastal settlements throughout the Inner Sea region. Ingimundr the Unruly rules Broken Bay from the city of Bildt, the only natural harbor in the region. He has grand plans to restore Bildt’s prominence and strengthen his own influence by increased raiding and adopting a more martial lifestyle, and sees Broken Bay as the last bastion of bona fide sea-raiders in the Linnorm Kingdoms. A Question of Tone:
While a lot of these changes won’t actually change the mechanical effect of abilities - it is still important to keep in mind when putting together your characters. Wuxia inspired monks, or wizards that shoot fire out their nostrils will not fit in. Winter witches, sorcerers who call upon dark pacts and brutish brawlers do. Campaign Specific Rules:
Crunch Application Guidelines:
Fluff Application Guidelines:
Secondly, I would like you to give a tale of one or more of your ancestors. This can be as recent as a parent, or as old as thousands of years prior. What deeds of theirs are recorded in history? Are they praised or cursed? Do you seek to live up to their reputation? – or are you attempting to make your own name? This will be one of the main differentiators that I use for selection. Regardless of your character’s personal alignment, in the lands of the North blood is thicker than water. Bonds of blood and of clan are unshakeable and to cross them is to die. CN fits into the setting perfectly, but that still means that you fall in line with the needs of the clan and consider them before acting. Some clips to get you in the mood for Character Creation:
One other point - I have zero problems if every single person in the PbP wants to play a martial character.
DM VoV: It's Filios, and I would like to introduce Kjell Carlufsen - Ulfen Two-Handed Fighter! He is ready for action. The Appearance and Ancestry/Background are in a spoiler in the profile. Let me know if you need anything else! 
Working on my concept - my original pitch was way too like my other Northman character Skane in Randall's game so I'm changing him up if okay? My boy will be a Barbarian (Sea Reaver) - background is a disgruntled whaler... More to come as I get creative. Hope the change is acceptable DM VoV...
Sea Reaver will do just fine :) Kjell - nothing much to ask at this point, looks ok thus far. 
dotting Wavering between the Titan Mauler and an Arcane Duelist Bard. I like the idea of an all martial party, so I could contribute the guy with a giant weapon. The bard would still be a fighter type, but would play a fey-touched aspect that would provide an off-setting intimidating aspect.
Meowzebub - either would be perfectly fine :) Have given a general invite to another of my PbPs (the Zolurket crew) to see if they're interested in rounding out the numbers. 
Would a Winter Witch have access to Infuse Effigy? Seems up their alley and not listed (but only core classes were listed)
Just rolling for wealth... The Numero o' the Beast! Yah Beezer! ... might try and factor his good fortune (and possibly someone's mis-fortune) into his backstory...
DM VoV Would my Sea Reaver be able to take the following 3PP Regional Trait: Born For The Longship The heaving deck of a longship feels natural beneath your feet. Benefit: You never get sea-sick. You gain a +1 trait bonus to acrobatics and Profession (Sailor) checks while aboard ship.
David - have looked it over and would not have any issues with Infuse Effigy being available to witches. BD - Go for it. I'd extend it to also making Profession (Sailor) a class skill.
DM VoV: Cheers... Torgeir is coming along nicely... Should be posting him tonight for your delectations...
If it pans out we shall have a full squad of six joining us. Current roster looks to be: Kjell Carlufsen - Two hand Fighter
Just repeating from earlier - think about what character resonates with you, and not about party balance necessarily. Once a few more are reasonably ready I'll put up some framing notes.
Hello to all! Should be a blast!
Six Degrees of PbP at work :) Including this one I'm in 6 PbPs with Meowzebub, 3 with BD, 2 with Kjell, 4 with David, 3 with Balodek, and 3 with michaelane.
Having now picked up the Midgard: Northlands supplement mentioned by BD above I'll be stripping out elements to include :) Balodek - there is a Skald archetype in there that you might consider. Details on Skald archetype: You pick up proficiency in axes, hammers, short and longbows instead of the normal Bard weapons. Retain light armor proficiency and get shields.
Performances are re-skinned as drottkvaets or Lordly Verses, and you get a different list. 1st level ones are Morale to Wisdom, Competence against fear, grant Endurance feat to allies for one task, or Demoralization through wit (similar to the Court Bard archetype). 3rd level you can incite rage, and a bunch of other performances higher up. If it's of interest I can copy over whole text so you can review in more detail.
Current leanings ~ Ranger with big hammer 'The Ancor'. Will try to finalize tonight.
Working on getting something together, but on call this week and free time today has been limited. Will get it together soon. dm-vov: I'm leaning towards maybe a cleric or oracle class in the vein of the Ironborn in martin's books. "Touched" by the gods and all.
Background:
For centuries, the Crestborn have been valued members of any crew. You normally see them perched on the figurehead or even the bowsprit guiding the ship. Their ability to see through any fog or storm alone can save the ship their own countless times. They also possess the ability to walk on the water as if it was land and some even breathe water like air. Alfgeir Crestborn was perhaps the greatest of them all. A true miracle worker on the seas said to be able to find any ship on the seas by gazing into a bowl of water. And could become water himself to vanquish foes. A century later Agnar is ready to take up the charge. Thrown into the seas as a baby to see if he was special, Agnar was seen floating in the waves. He is the third such Crestfallen in his family after Alrick and Arnvid. He is proud to honor his family tradition and ready to take to the seas to prove his worth.
Spoiler: S 16 Dex 13 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 15 MysteryOracle of Water Revelations Water sight (You can see through fog and mist without penalty as long as there is enough light to allow you to see normal) and with a feat Fluid Travel (You can walk on liquid as if it were a solid surface. You can move across this surface at your normal land speed.) Curse Tongues - Aquan Weapon - Use a trait to get Martial weapon proficiency and thinking of some sort of heavy ice pick. (possible uses to break ice on water apart and be able to walk away on the water or ruin boats with a sunder) Spells 1-cure light wounds, obscuring mist (to use my ability) or divine power 0-create water, purify food and water, mending, stabilize I like the idea of some of the things in Midard:Northlands you mentioned, but won't be able to get that for a bit.
My ranging is now complete. I have settled on a Myrmidarch Magus. Never played a Magus, so doing some brushing up. Would still like to use a big hammer, realizing that Spell Combat needs a free hand and so would not be an option initially. Reading up on whether that is also the case for Spell Strike. If it limits Spell Strike from what I read or in your opinion I will just go with a warhammer. Anyone have experince here? Would like to play him not as a book wizard, but perhaps his spells are a collection of rune stones he has found, or they are runes on his hammer. People think him touched/blessed/cursed by the magic he wields in his weapon.
David - looks decent, write it up in full when you can. Chosen spells are fine and fit in ok with the setting. For flavour's sake, the cure light will be more morale based than actually healing the wounds. Mechanics would be the same, but fluff is important. With the Fluid Travel - I'd flavour it as ice temporarily forming beneath your feet as you walk. Meowzebub - excellent good. Agree with the runic aspect being a good way to flavour the spells. Perhaps instead of a spellbook you have a rune pouch. Preparing spells becomes time spent reading the runes of a morning? There's also some runic information I'll pull out of the Northlands supplement later tonight to see if you like it or not. As far as I know, Spellstrike doesn't need a free hand, so you can use that with a two hander.
I've put up a placeholder game thread so you can dot it when you get a chance and have the Campaign show up in the tracker in your Profile. Don't take that as necessarily a hurry-up, it's mainly to make it easier for you to get back onto this thread if it gets lost in among the others. We'll kick off when everyone is reasonably comfortable with their Northman's personality. Meowzebub - the runic stuff I alluded to before needs to have a feat sunk into it for some static benefits depending on which runes you choose to master. Might be more reasonable to consider for a higher level buy in rather than 1st level.
Three options I'm toying with: 1. Melee-oriented alchemist possibly master chymist, picking up an archetype that gets rid of bombs. Mind-altering substances such as smoke, herbal chews, etc. that cause his changes. 2. Barbarian/Giant-Blooded Sorcerer (from Northlands supplement). Thinking mostly sorcerer, but some barbarian. Might play with the dark-pact idea. How giant blood got there definitely has to be part of the story. 3. Inquisitor of Gorum - thinking of a couple options for where to take that. One would be a heresy of Gorum (still TBD - could be part of concept or something that fits with where you're thinking of taking the campaign). The other is simply working to turn around cowards or dispatch them. If none of those fly, will probably look at more traditional melee options. I'm assuming cavaliers aren't going to be a good fit with this setting. I do wish they had more options to trade out the mount - maybe a totally reskinned sword saint.
Excellent. Rune pouch was exactly what I was thinking, too. I just need to settle on my feats. Working on the background too.
michaelane - all three sound pretty decent to me. If anything the Giant-blooded Sorc stands out to me, though I strongly want everyone to play whatever seems right to them so don't let that lead you anywhere you don't want to go. What Alchemist archetypes are there that get rid of bombs apart from Vivisectionist? Cavaliers aren't a good fit from the mount perspective - though I'd be happy if you wanted to take the Hound Master archetype from last years RPG Superstar? - you can flavour the companion into whatever creature you'd prefer (wolf / bear / hawk / etc).
I'll run with the Giant-Blooded Sorcerer and look back at the Hound Master. That helps me narrow it to two and I'll see how the backstory comes together to pick between them. Re the alchemist, I knew the vivisectionist, but couldn't remember if there were any others. The bombs definitely don't fit with some campaigns.
O' DM VoV some questions for ye seer... Can we use the scramasax from the Northlands supplement... great back up & flavour weapon nei? Considering taking "Additional Traits" as my starting feat [would grant me another 2 traits...] not definate but thought I'd moot it... With that in mind have another trait for you (this time from 3PP Spes Magna Games supplement Barbaric Traits: Aura of Menace (Social Trait) (page 8 for reference)
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you. Not particularly different but by Woden it sounds nails! DMVoV: If I do go down the additional traits route was considering having Torgeir encounter Draugr in his youth and survive... but gained the Ghost Sight trait due to his wound - perhaps a blind ("dead") eye that can "see the dead"??? Input much appreciated Mark - keen not to have our fledgling vikngr be too cool for huscarl school...
Looking through the traits I see a bunch of +1 to skill and it is a class skill for you. I am specifically looking for perception to go with the ship watcher vibe. The only one I have found is a campaign specific trait for Council of Thieves. Can I have that does that?
Mmmm yeah - might just bump for a Feat proper. David what about a bespoke trait - something DM VoV said he'd indulge us in... My 2 runes worth: Veðrfölnir's Eyes Like the fabled storm eagle of legend, your keen eyes miss little in the natural world.
I've worked out my background....it's good. And it does not involve heroics, but it will perfectly explain why this strange young man carries an old anchor....a cold iron anchor. Will use an earthbreaker to thematically represent his 'Ancor'. Will take average gold to make sure I get enough to afford the cold iron weapon. I have a real life game tonight but will try to get this up and going while I am at the table. Anything 'fey' out there of note I would be interested.
Ok, working through the questions: michaelane - there are a few that reduce bomb damage, but I think only the vivisectionist gets rid of it altogether... which is unfortunate as the vivisec has a negative connotation to it. Would be good to see a combat surgeon or the like that at least gets rid of the bombs and still lets you be a good guy. Black Dow - Scramaseax is fine with me. Are you interested in the harpoon as well? - with the whaling background and all.
Black Dow:
Childhood encounter with Draugr would be workable. The benefit of the trait isn't going to come in till higher levels anyway, so you won't be 'too cool'. If anything having a withered eye is going to initially be an unsettling point, and could be the reason that you are looking for glory outside of your own clan? David - BD has it right, Perception is one of the skills that is annoyingly left off of most traits. I have an Oracle in another game that sprung for a custom trait for the same reason, to serve as a ship's watchman. His proposed trait would be ok with me. Meowzebub - I am very much looking forward to your tale :) Would the anchor be wielded on a length of chain perchance? - or are you holding straight on the haft?
Profile created, stats inputted. Still need to add my standard in game macros.
Roluo - looks decent enough, though you'll need to throwdown with Kjell for the avatar ;)
michaelane - was just reading over the Sword Saint archetype again from Dragon Empires Primer (Cavalier without mount) and figured it could be re-flavored to be a Norseman? How are you going with character concept?
@Roluo: I am pretty happy with my Avatar selection...If you are really married to yours, then tell me, and I will search for a substitute.
I've no problem with changing, tried last night and the forums wouldn't let me, so I'm going to keep trying. Half the time when I try to change it tells me I have a custom avatar and need to contact customer service. No idea what's going on but I at least managed to get a different avatar up there.
Thanks!
Appreciate the patience Roluo and Kjell - in the immortal words of House Stark... Winter is Coming. Once we have a couple more stout men ready I'll kick in the game thread so we can begin the journey :)
No problem...lots of drinking and whoring can be accomplished while I wait! :-) 
Here is Gylfir. He is a fey (faege) touched Magus. Almost done with his background but should finish that tonight. Still needs equipment and possibly a trait. I took Rough and Ready as a way to use profession sailor, to allow him to use an anchor as a weapon (or any other ship board item), but he also gets a +1 using that item and that seemed a bit of cheese, as I am in effect using an Earthbreaker and not an 1d6 improvised weapon (as this is just fluff) Once I finish his background, you will see that he is unwillingly targeted by the fey (both seelie (teaching him runes) and unseelie (attempted kidknappings)). The anchor he wields two handed, and it is chained to his ankle, although he does not use the chain as a weapon. The anchor and chain is basically an antitheft device. He has learned to carry it around as a teen, or he would still be stuck in his yard.
Gylfir - definitely interesting and no issues with most of the choices.
michaelane here. Profile is coming along. Have decided to go Cavalier (Hound Master) with a wolf. Going to pick up the Animalistic Affliction (Ulfen) trait, but modify it for a +2 Handle Animal instead of +1 Handle Animal and +1 Wild Empathy. Haven't decided exactly where I'm going with the flavor aspect which suggests a lycanthrope in his ancestry, but that gives me something to build off for at least one ancestor tale.
Black Úlfarr - sounds great.
Heh any name with Black in it carries weight in the North ;) Apologies for dragging my heels lads - Torgier is finished, RL/work has weighed heavy this week - been offshore and North Sea interwebs is pish. Back on the beach today so will get everything updated [own game included] tonight. Am actually thinking of making Torgeir a dwarf now, low centre of gravity makes for better harpooner etc. Still be a vikingr though :) Will mull the rebuild... regardless he'll be up tonight. Thanks for the patience - especially you guys who've been quick off the mark!
Glad to see you've dipped your boots offshore BD :) - you need to get over on the Norwegian side of the North Sea, they have it easy. Single rooms all with internet, TVs and personal en-suite bathrooms! Sure beats the four man rooms with a shared bathroom we get here in Malaya. Dwarf would be ok, Ulfen is also - go with whatever fits best. I'll be aiming to get the gameplay thread kicked off for some prelim RPing hopefully tonight along with some framing notes here in the OOC so you know what you're walking into ;)
Framing notes time: The Conceit:
At the beginning of this PbP you are all swarthy gents and Northmen - but you've not yet been blooded. So you've fought in a few skirmishes, faced a few ravenous beasts off - but you haven't tasted blood in a shield-wall or gone a viking over the seas.
The PbP will start with you all attending an invitation from Clan Arngrim. He sent runners through Bildt and to the surrounding villages that he was taking in new blood. For reasons of your own choosing - you have little or no prospects of fulfilling your desire to be a vikingr within your own clan - so this invitation is seen as your golden ticket. You know that it is not looked well upon by the elders to spit upon your own blood and betray your bonds to serve another - but that disdain is soon erased if you come back with plunder. What you leave behind you is also of your own choosing - it can be a clean break, or you could have left a betrothed or parent on a deathbed, etc. The invitation is to attend a feast in Clan Arngrim's longhouse though you feel that there will be more than a feast to endure... Your Potential Benevolent Overlord:
Clan Arngrim is well known in Broken Bay. While not a powerful family, rich in arms or longboats - it is nevertheless looked upon kindly by King Ingimundr the Unruly (ruler of Broken Bay). This is because the jarl of Clan Arngrim is a staunch supporter of the old ways. The rumour is that Jarl Aerlfin has suffered this winter - huscarl wasting away as they stood guard and being found come morning mere husks still at attention; food stores infested with vermin and the wood of some of his longboats warping un-naturally.
Word is that he is desperate to reclaim some standing and power and that is the reason he has put out the call. Please ask any questions that you feel the need to in order to get a good grounding on how we're starting out - I am happy to fill in any gaps you see :)
Seems like a good start to me. It fits in well with my background, as I am eager to kill a linnorm and become a king in my own right, thus reclaiming my family honor, but I'm not powerful enough yet to do that. This is exactly the sort of thing to get Roluo the respect and power he craves.
The start up fits well with Glyfir's background. He will have wanted to try to get on with a different clan anyway. Swapped out Rough and Ready for Focused Mind - All that time by himself and all that. Background is on the profile. Did the short version as I am still short of time this week.
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