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I may be on the side of the angels... But don't think for one second that I am one of them.
— Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock, "The Reichenbach Fall"
This is a recruitment thread for Paizo’s latest Adventure Path – Wrath of the Righteous.
Campaign Summary:
“I'm the one who steps from the shadows, all trenchcoat and cigarette and arrogance, ready to deal with the madness. Oh, I've got it all sewn up. I can save you. If it takes the last drop of your blood, I'll drive your demons away. I'll kick them in the b$$!~+*s and spit on them when they're down and then I'll be gone back into darkness, leaving only a nod and a wink and a wisecrack. I walk my path alone... who would walk with me?” ― Garth Ennis, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits
The Worldwound tore reality apart at the dawn of the Age of Lost Omens, murdering the nation of Sarkoris and unleashing a ravenous demonic horde upon the world. Only the quick action of several other nations of knights, barbarians, and heroes stemmed the demon army and contained it within lost Sarkoris, and for the next century, crusade after crusade tried to defeat the demons only to fail time and time again. Their greatest success, the line of magical artifacts known as wardstones that stand sentinel along the Worldwound's border, barely manages to contain the demons. So when one of the wardstones is sabotaged, a city falls and the demons within surge out in a massive assault like none before. Even before the Fifth Crusade has begun a city has fallen and some of the crusaders' greatest defenders and heroes are slain. Can anyone rise up against the demon host to prevent the armies of Deskari, the demon lord of the Locust Host, from swallowing the world?
Thus was written the Campaign brief for the campaign – Player’s Guide isn’t quite available yet… but there is enough bits and bobs floating around to work with until it does launch. You begin in the city of Kenabres on the border of Mendev, a base of operations for the Mendevian crusaders. The premise I will be using at the start of the AP will be that you have just been placed into a military squad under the auspices of the Mendevian Crusades.
Though keep in mind the information below when building characters.
A Question of Tropes:
Never fear the darkness, Bran. The strongest trees are rooted in the dark places of the earth. Darkness will be your cloak, your shield, your mother's milk. Darkness will make you strong. - Brynden Rivers, A Dance With Dragons
I’d like to use tropes for the application process as a measure of two things:
1) For an insight into what sort of character you’re aiming to put together.
2) As a guideline of sorts as to my expectations.
One of my most favorite books recently from Paizo was the Chronicle of the Righteous which manages to encapsulate the tone I’m aiming for almost perfectly. That is, that Good is Not Nice, Holy is Not Safe, Dark is Not Evil and the ranks of Paladins have places for Knights Templar and those that would Pay Evil Unto Evil.
You can be Lawful Good without needing to walk on a tightrope to maintain it. Good deities exist that are there to support prostitutes, executioners and even sloth. That is the way that I view the world of Golarion as well as the fight against the Worldwound.
The group that I am putting together will be a crew of 5-6, and I will be comparing their personality traits against the Four Temperament Ensemble and looking to get a fairly decent spread of personalities. However I will also be looking for a Leukine personality type to step up and act as the group’s primary leader – the person that weighs and measures that which is said and is the final decider on the terms of action moving forwards. This is to help with the potential for PbP stagnation by appointing a specific leader – as well as an attempt at ensuring that although the personalities within the group will be disparate, there is a central figure melding those together.
If you’re aiming for the Leukine personality position, then keep in mind that I will be reviewing that very stringently and will take into consideration both posting history and submission strength when selecting.
Posting Requirements:
Bread for bread, blood for blood. - Russian proverb
I am looking for people that can check in on the thread at least a couple of times a day, and post at least 1/day on weekdays. Weekends are more relaxed, as I can generally only get online in the evenings due to the entanglements of a couple of young boys. My weekday posting can occasionally get a bit spotty as well depending on how my workload goes. But two and a half years on the paizo boards and coming up on 18,500 posts should give you some degree of security that I’m not going to disappear on a whim.
Feel free to pop into my profile and take a peek at the campaigns that I currently DM if you’d like to get a read for how I go about things.
What do you Need to Post Now for an Application:
People like you always mistake compassion for weakness. Michael and Sanya aren't weak. Fortunately for you, they are good men. Unfortunately for you, I'm not. — Harry Dresden, Death Masks
You will need all the strength that you can muster in order to combat the powers of evil within this Adventure Path, but the baseline from which you will start is as follows: Race: Human, Class: Warrior, 15 point buy, no traits and zero wealth. I would also need a short background to consider an application complete. The background must explain why you have come to Mendev and why you joined the crusade against the Worldwound.
Stingy? – why yes, but the salvation to that is in your hands.
To gird your form against the travails of the Worldwound – look to the following for guidance:
- To choose a different race from the core rule book – explain whether your character is a native Mendevian, or why they’ve come north into danger.
- To play one tainted by good outsider blood (aasimar) – tell me how that came to be, and which outsider was your forebear.
- To play one tainted by evil outsider blood (tiefling) – tell me also how you are not killed on sight.
- To be more powerful (20 point buy) – tell me of your character’s personality and state which aspect of the Four Temperament Ensemble is closest to your character's outlook.
- To further hone your strength (25 point buy) – describe a few other tropes that apply to your character, and whether you play them straight or subvert them.
- To choose one’s class – state what you have to offer the crusade (imagine you were responding to a recruiter).
- To be a Cavalier / Cleric / Inquisitor / Paladin – ensure that you tie in your character’s personality and conduct to your code or deific edicts.
- To gain belongings (average wealth for your character class) –tell me what your character looks like, and how they comport themselves.
- To be richer still (max wealth for your character class) – describe one item you bear that was inherited from someone important to you, and how it came to be yours.
- To have skills borne of experience (two traits) – weave the skills into the background that shapes your character.
- To gain the bonus trait Channel Divinity below – state your patron deity and how you venerate them in daily life.
Recruitment Timeline:
“Honor, eh? What the hell is that anyway? Every man thinks it’s something different. You can’t drink it. You can’t f*** it. The more of it you have the less good it does you, and if you’ve got none at all you don’t miss it. But some men think it’s the best thing in the world.” ― Joe Abercrombie, Before They Are Hanged
The recruitment thread will stay open for ~7 days or so. I also will give a 24 hour warning before shutting the gates to applications.
The PbP game thread launch will need to wait until I get my grubby little electronic mitts on the first volume of the AP (which will hopefully be on the 15th of August).
Fire away with any questions that you might have and I shall endeavour to answer them.
Lastly… please remember this is a Recruitment Thread; and not a Roleplay Tavern.
"Soon there will be war. Millions will burn. Millions will perish in sickness and misery. Why does one death matter against so many? Because there is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even in the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this. But there are so many deserving of retribution... and there is so little time." — Rorschach, Watchmen.
Getting started on a Good is not Soft, Holy Hand grenade Paladin
Dotting. Will begin answering your questions soon.
Working on a "Princely Young Man" Sacred Servant.
Working on a halflng devotee of Chaldira Zozaristan, thinking fighter, but keeping paladin/inquisitor open as options. She will swing a big-ish sword all the while underfoot all the crusaders, because that's what Chaldira likes to do herself.
Dotting as well.. I like the style and am interested in how this goes.
Welcome, welcome - look forward to seeing the details and shading of the characters begin to take form. Don't feel any need to rush things, as we'll be here for a while.
And as always - questions are welcome.
ah, another tough VoV recruitment.
i will toss my hat in, if only for the fun of having done so (should i not be selected)
first thoughts have me leaning towards an aasimar cleric, but i need to do my research first.
Interesting - I'll need to read up on tropes though
Dotting.
I may be on the side of the angels... But don't think for one second that I am one of them.
— Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock, "The Reichenbach Fall"
I'm working on an idea and want to run it past you before I get too far into it.
The Forces of Good see those of Evil as one monolithic block, yet this is far from the truth. It is the nature of thinking beings that they reserve their most vehement hatred not for the heathen, but the apostate.
I am interested in playing a Lawful Evil devotee of Hell or similar concept type. My trope for this is The Holocaust Survivor - specifically as a Knight Templar.
This character will have been orphaned in the area through expansion of The Worldwound. Forced to survive in a world populated by demons, this character will have fought them totally, without reservation or moral qualm. Eventually escaping to human lands, this character will have been unimpressed with the limitations of the human spirit, considering them weak and unwilling to do what is necessary to win.
I would probably write their growth into this philosophy as background rather than developing it in-game as the latter would sidetrack the party too much. I therefore see this character as on loan from the church of Asmodeus (or another entity of Hell) rather than a recruit in human service.
It could be spun a couple of ways:
1. A (non-evil?) mortal who uses the forces of demonkind to battle other demons
2. An evil agent of Hell who uses devils to fight demons
3. An evil agent of the demonic legions trying to keep a rival demon from becoming too powerful or who uses their own demon to fight others.
While the above is my character concept, I have three sub-concepts when it comes to their actual class.
1. The Enchantress - This female character uses whatever means necessary to dominate others whether that means charming them with her beauty or magic. She is icy cold inside however, seeing her pawns as little more than pieces on a chessboard. Her evil would show as utter ruthlessness, sadism and an acceptance of what is basically mental slavery.
2. The Summoner - This character uses the forces of Evil against themselves, summoning devils (or even demons) and forcing them to slay their kindred. I would use the Master Summoner archtype of the Summoner. The character would fight in combat themselves, beside their summoned servants.
3. The Host - Specifically, the Living Bodysuit - This character would be a Synthesist Summoner, an archtype which has a reputation as easily broken by power gamers. My version is a possessed mortal who becomes a monster when stressed. The inspiration for this character is here and here. This concept could also work with a reskinned alchemist, using their Hyde ability to represent the demon. It wouldn't be as giger-esque as I'd like, but might be more balanced - or maybe not, as they would then have full spell levels instead of the limited summoner ones.
Anyway, I hope this wasn't too long to read. Despite the three variations, my base concept is really an evil character who uses the forces of darkness to fight against themselves.
Thanks for reading.
Sarvin Drackar being a tiefling would normally killed on sight in Mendev, however he is member of perhaps the most feared group of Low Templars, "the Hellfire Shroud" a group of (in)famous Cheliaxians, tieflings and outcasts that have proven essential to the defence of Kenabres. Despite the protestations of every self righteous lunatic and "holy" paladin in the city "the Hellfire Shroud" is paid a generous sum to defend Kenabres. For where paladins with shining swords and fancy dancy pedigrees of their ancestory fail the "hellfire Shroud" succeeds. Sarvin serves as a "hellstaff" a conjuror trained to counter and control outsiders.
Melancholic in the sense that he believes in the operational rules of the "Hellfire Shroud". The rules are 1st when the idiots who employ us fail at something we succeed at it, 2nd never default on the contract unless the idiots who employ us decide to try killing us, 3rd tolerate no crap from anyone including current employer and 4th never betray the Shroud. Tropes Serious business and Smart Guy, he may maintain the aura of a no good, fun loving scoundrel but when it comes to war Sarvin demonstrates why the "Hellfire Shroud" is worth its obscenely high monthly rates. Sarvin also knows more about demons, devils, religious idiocy, history, undead and military tactics then any "battle" cleric of Mendev could ever know. He is also cynical, paladins and clerics will find him remorseless in his criticism of all that is "good and holy".
What have I suceeeded with and what is only fit for Asmodius's chamberpot?
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Twigs here. Dotting. I've done a little writing for him, but not a hell of a lot at this stage.
I gave a lot of thought to the kind of roleplay role I wanted in the party, particularly alongside a grizzled, hard-liner Paladin, the likes of which I'm sure we'll see. Harrol is a character I cooked up in a Pathfinder Society PBP a few months ago. I dont think he was particularly good for the format and I was going to shelve him until I found a game with higher moral stakes, so hopefully this is that game! Good luck to everybody.
To speak in tropes, he's a Wide-Eyed Idealist, a Naïve Newcomer... "The Heart". In terms of the humours, I'd say he'd be closest to Phlegmatic, as Phlegmatic as one can be when worshipping a god of crusading and butt-kicking anyway. I'll try to quote scripture passages and stories from the Acts of Iomedae, but also try to integrate his faith into the little things. Saying grace. Things like that. I'll probably need a bit of research before I can convincingly play a true believer, but it's stuff like this that makes clerics fun. and also a bit of boondock saints though i should probably leave that to the paladins What do you think so far, boss?
Nothing has red-flagged me as a no, so I'm interested to see where it ends up :)
A side note - I'm not terribly keen on Summoners in general, and the Master Summoner and Synthesist less so. It's not to say I wouldn't take one - but it would have a steeper hill to climb than other classes.
Viluki:
Thanks for the interest and I'll cast an eye over your submission in due course and respond with queries and what not.
Harrol:
Looks interesting and I await the Boondocking with bated breath.
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I have been working on a Tiefling Sin Eater Heretic of Ragathiel for use in Wrath of the Righteous for several weeks now in anticipation of the recruitment threads starting to pop up. I need to look at your other campaigns and decide whether you are the right DM to apply to with my baby. But the good news is, I already had a long personality section filled with links to the TV Tropes site before I even saw this thread. They include:
I am What I Am, Charles Atlas Superpower, Combat Pragmatist, Covered with Scars, Dark and Troubled Past, The Cowl, Dark is Not Evil, It's Not You, It's My Enemies, Knight in Sour Armor, The Stoic, Friend to All Children, Good is Not Nice
Character isn't finished yet, but it's getting there. I'm done with the crunch and I have all the notes on his background, just have to write it up. After I check out your other games to gauge your style I'll post again to confirm or withdraw interest.
Okay looks like you're a good writer running fourish campaigns at the moment, using maps for combat and keeping up regular posting. I'm definitely interested. I'm gonna go ahead an volunteer to make and sort "the list" of applicants to save you some work. Couple of initial questions...
Can I take a drawback?
Any problems with the rich parents trait?
Are you cool with reflavoring demon hunter to work with a religion other than Asmodeus?
DM Jelani:
I'm happy that I measure up acceptably ;)
Yes to a drawback.
Yes to rich parents... though I personally find it one of the most boring traits.
Demon hunter can be reflavored as long as the chosen religion fits in Golarion canon.
You know, the tropes thing is rather interesting. Checking the site and going from link to link, I have found about a dozen tropes that would fit my potential character idea (basically an elven bladebound hexcrafter magus whose appearance and personality are based on another magus character that I unfortunately did not get a chance to play after all).
I am assuming with the adventure path making use of mythic rules, the Mythic Adventures Playtest could help in the way of inspiration, such as with the source of the character's eventual manifestation of mythic powers?
F. Castor:
Yep, mythic rules will come in at about the end of the first AP chapter - and until the big book is released the playtest is the best source of inspiration.
And TVTropes I find quite cool, and have whiled away many an hour link surfing ;)
Tell me about it! You read through an entry and then get lost amidst the many amusing links it contains to other entries. And they have more links... Sheesh...
What do you know... :-P
Oh, a question: Are we required to take a campaign trait (once the Player's Guide is out) as one of our traits, or is such a thing not necessary?
Oh, a question: Are we required to take a campaign trait (once the Player's Guide is out) as one of our traits, or is such a thing not necessary?
That was going to be my question. Adam Daigle posted yesterday that he is still working on it.
Oh, and dotting. :)
Dot for interest...
Hi, this sounds excellent. A couple questions for now. I'm considering a dual cursed oracle, and curious about how Misfortune works in pbp... or if it doesn't.
I'd be happy to brainstorm ways of making it in pbp but wanted to start by seeing if you have experience with it, or preferences for or against.
Also, thoughts on necromancy, juju and otherwise?
Thanks,
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Hat, meet ring.
Definitely interested
Thinking Menhir Savant caster druid. I'll have a flip through the tropes and put something together.
F. Castor / markofbane:
I've not been overwhelmed with the campaign traits from the last couple of player's guides. They are definitely available to you, but you are not forced to take one.
gyrfalcon:
It works as it would on tabletop - just accounting for time delays. You could signify your intent to use it when posting an action for a round - or dictate it up as a reactive action after I've posted. Obviously there is a potential for abuse via metagaming - but we're all adults so I'm sure we could smooth out most of the rough edges.
As to necromancy - I would say a definite no to vanilla necromancy, and a wary possible to juju. I think vanilla necromancy is far too overtly evil to be tolerated as part of the crusade. Juju would need a pretty darn good reason as to why you're in the back end of the North though as well.
John:
Welcome and thanks for the details :)
All others who've expressed interest I am humbled by the gesture and excited to look forward to your submission. No-one is too late, and recruitment will remain blissfully open for a long time yet.
The order of receipt of submission plays zero part in my selection process. A character that comes in 30 minutes before final deadline is viewed the same as one that came up 30 minutes after I posted the recruitment. Also, please feel free to revise and shape characters if you feel the need - final selections will be based on the versions of the characters at recruitment closing time.
I shall play a LE Lesser Host D-wait no, wrong campaign. Hmm, you've got me tempted VoV, it seems like a really cool AP but I haven't actually thought to much about what I'd want to play (RL group too busy with other campaigns).
TVTropes eh? Well I'll have to surf around for inspiration then. It'll be your fault if I'm late for work tonight :p
Dylos: - nothing is out of bounds and nothing is sacred.
List as it may be for now, for those that are interested.
Sanguine:
Choleric:
Melancholic:
Viluki - Sarvin Drackar - Tiefling Conjuror
John Woodford - Melchesiech - Elf Admixture Evoker Wizard
Phlegmatic:
Young Harrol - Halfling Cleric of Iomedae
Sanguine and Choleric (the Artisan):
Choleric and Melancholic (the Rational):
Melancholic and Phlegmatic (the Idealist):
Phlegmatic and Sanguine (the Guardian):
Leukine:
Undetermined:
Mark Thomas 66 - Paladin?
Rakeesh Sah Tarna
Meowzebub - Halfling of Chaldira Zozaristan?
KDinIN
Tenro - Aasimar Cleric?
Harakani
F.Castor
Hilde Alfborne
DM Jelani - Tiefling Sin Eater Heretic of Ragathiel?
TerraNova
markofbane
DM Barcas
gyrfalcon - Oracle?
Oneindiesoul
GM Fanguar - Druid?
Dylos
Peanuts
Still need to read up more, but at the moment I'm thinking either LE (probably Chelaxian in origin) or if you think that'd be too disruptive, LN (going more for pushing back the forces of chaos than evil either way) Human? Ranger focusing on thrown blades and melee combat. A Choleric leaning strongly towards the Rational looking at the tropes The Lancer, an Anti-Hero, The Sneaky Guy, and probably a bit of Holier Than Thou. I'm not real experienced with Tropes so I'll keep looking beyond the obvious ones :)
Peanuts:
I'd steer people away from LE except in a reasonably extreme outlier case. There is a fair old chance that you'll have a Paladin at your side...
Dylos:
I'm open to that approach... but I'm unlikely to take more than one in the group with that specific approach (as in the evil paying evil unto evil).
Still working away here, probably won't be ready until more towards the end of recruitment as I want this to be a really good submission. Character's name is Ruarc Bataar and he's definitely a Melancholic. He's pretty heavily inspired by batman, so yeah. Oni-Spawn Inquisitor (Heretic, Sin Eater) of Ragathiel.
I was planning on waiting to start a list until I saw a few completed submissions. But looks like you beat me to the chase :P
Mmm alright, I'll see how the character develops as I work on him. Looks like me and Dylos will be competing for the same spot :p
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If you don’t know what tropes are – please feel free to visit TV Tropes for a quick primer.
One does not simply visit TV Tropes...nor is any visit quick.
I now have 10 tabs of TV Tropes open and I'm not even sure what I'm playing yet, for those that are curious, here's what I have open, Four Temperament Ensemble, Tsundere, A-Cup Angst, Catch Phrase, Shana Clone, The Lancer, The Gunslinger, Girls with Guns, I Call it "Vera", and Anti-hero. Probably also helps define what character I'm thinking of, lol.
Crunch will soon follow:
To gird your form against the travails of the Worldwound – look to the following for guidance:
· To choose a different race from the core rule book – explain whether your character is a native Mendevian, or why they’ve come north into danger.
· To play one tainted by good outsider blood (aasimar) – tell me how that came to be, and which outsider was your forebear.
· To be more powerful (20 point buy) – tell me of your character’s personality and state which aspect of the Four Temperament Ensemble is closest to your character's outlook.
· To further hone your strength (25 point buy) – describe a few other tropes that apply to your character, and whether you play them straight or subvert them.
· Expressive high, responsive moderate.
· Response's delay short, duration variable.
· Corresponds to the double-element lightning (air + fire).
Will be playing both aspects of his personality, his duality being sharply separated between combat and non combat activity. Gregori is that person who is your best friend, makes you feel safe, and when you watch him face an enemy, frightens you a little.
While charming, friendly and extremely likeable, there is a definite dark side to Gregori that he keeps under tight control, usually using it to fuel his focus in battle, reflecting on his own darkness to understand the darkness into which he seeks to incinerate the shadows with his blinding light.
Intelligent and extremely capable, Gregori is also overconfident, stemming from literally being the temple’s “golden boy”. He was raised to believe that while wielding the light there is nothing he cannot face and has a tendency to believe it much of the time.
Tropes
Good Is Not Soft
If you have to look along the shaft of an arrow from the wrong end, if a man has you entirely at his mercy, then hope like hell that man is an evil man. Because the evil like power, power over people, and they want to see you in fear. They want you to know you're going to die. So they'll talk. They'll gloat. They'll watch you squirm. They'll put off the moment of murder like another man will put off a good cigar. So hope like hell your captor is an evil man. A good man will kill you with hardly a word.
— Discworld, Men at Arms
Holy Hand Grenade
"And Saint Attila raised the Hand Grenade up on high, saying: O Lord, bless this Thy hand grenade, that with it Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits, in Thy mercy."
— The Book of Armaments on the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Holy Hitman
"And you will know my name is the LORD, when I lay my vengeance upon thee."
— Jules Winnfield (mis)quoting The Bible, Pulp Fiction
· To choose one’s class – state what you have to offer the crusade (imagine you were responding to a recruiter).
· To be a Cavalier / Cleric / Inquisitor / Paladin – ensure that you tie in your character’s personality and conduct to your code or deific edicts.
He has been raised in the church, forged into a living weapon against evil. His natural gifts, combined with an almost unlimited potential to draw upon the powers of light (will forgo spell casting and go with Warrior of Light archetype at 4th), render him capable of wading headlong into the heart of darkness and surviving. Through a combination of martial power, divine gifts and inspiring charisma, Gregori not only presents a powerful force against evil, but makes everyone around him better.
He is noble without being haughty, nonchalantly courageous and unrelenting when faced with an enemy.
· To gain belongings (average wealth for your character class) –tell me what your character looks like, and how they comport themselves.
Gregori
Tall, dashing, extremely well muscled, Gregori seems a temple statue brought to vivid life. In his stylized armor, fully equipped he virtually radiates an aura of martial divinity, ready to stike at the heart of evil. From his flawless appearance to his stunning smile and roguish grin with just a hint of playful mischief, the man seems like a living embodiment of the blend of Ragathiel’s wrath and Sarenrae’s grace.
· To be richer still (max wealth for your character class) – describe one item you bear that was inherited from someone important to you, and how it came to be yours.
The other most influential person in Gregori’s life was his sword master Darius. A grizzled old man who could best most men 20 years younger, Darius was in many ways the closest thing Gregori had to a father figure.
After years of training young warriors to battle the darkness, Darius decided to retire the way he lived, heading to the worldwound to battle the demon hordes.
After 2 years without contact, a messenger appeared carrying an oil-cloth wrapped around Darius cold Iron Bastard sword along with a note etched in a strip of leather.
MAKE THEM PAY
·
· To have skills borne of experience (two traits) – weave the skills into the background that shapes your character.
Called
Your deity or a powerful spirit spoke to you when you were young, dropping cryptic hints about the important destiny that lay before you and how you must win your fights if you are to achieve your predetermined greatness.Benefit(s): Once per day upon rolling a natural 1 on an attack roll, you may reroll the die and take the second result instead.
A Shining Beacon
You carry a burning hatred in your heart for all things demonic, and have studied their weaknesses carefully.
Benefit: You deal additional damage equal to your weapon’s critical hit modifier when you score a successful critical hit with a weapon on a demon. This damage is added only after the damage is totaled, and is not multiplied by the critical hit multiple.
· To gain the bonus trait Channel Divinity below – state your patron deity and how you venerate them in daily life.
Gregori hates evil. Not just in the manner of a Paladin or as a creature of good. He bears a personal grudge against creatures that actively promote an evil agenda because creatures like them took the woman he loved from him. He is however willing to accept that there is a possibility of redemption, giving quarter if there is a true sign of good in his opponent
Gregori was once on the verge of falling, having descended into depression and rage after the death of his love Tania against a horde of orcs. Unable to forgive himself, he spiraled into violence and rage, seeking perhaps a violent end in battle. Brought to the brink of death after taking on a pack of trollhounds that were preying on an outlying village, his inner hate festering to the point where he found himself stripped of his resistance, the Bloodfire fever burning within him, he had a vision. Whether hallucination or divine providence he would never be able to say for sure, but in that moment Tania came to his side, and convinced him to release the poisionous rage that was slowly eating away at him. The tattoo that he bears over his heart, a circle made of equal portions of light and shadow interlocked serves to remind him that in even the greatest warriors of light lies darkness that must be acknowledges and controlled, and that by the same token, in the darkest of hearts may be a glimmer of light.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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Hey, Paizo is back :) Here's what I prepared
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Background sketch:
Yarris Norrit was born to minor taldan nobility, and raised on tales of her families heroic exploits. As the seventh child, and fourth daughter, her chances of inheriting were slim to non-existant, and so none objected when the headstrong girl arranged for her own squirehood with the reknowned paladin Arrisand de Romier.
When the mendevian crusaders yet again recruited, Arrisand felt called to finally contribute to the task. Yarris accompanied him proudly - but despite the grand speeches, the rousing songs and the proud banners, his tour ended sooner than anyone would have guessed.
His company ranged beyond the wardstones to confirm rumors of a major demonic force attempting to outflank the crusaders through the Mammoth Lords' realm. They met that force head-on, and foolishly joined battle.
Yarris could not do much in that fight. Only watch as her teachers and betters assaulted unnatural beings, watched as blessed armor shattered and demonic ichors stained the banners. How winged vulture-demons danced in the air, and the ground shook under the application of magics. She let fly some arrows, never getting close to hitting.
She did not die. Was not even wounded. Watched as the forces of armageddon and those of preservation dug into each other. Felt her own mortality and came to know she was going to die. Not that day. Maybe not even soon. But eventually. As the moon rose, the few surviving demons retreated, and Yarris knew even demons died. In time, the world would end. All the worlds and all the planes could not last forever. It was just the way of things shy from eternity. Yet all would occur in proper time, and hastening or delaying the inevitable were sins of equal magnitude.
The moon's face turned to a skull in her minds eye. Her thought began to curdle like milk when a drop of vinegar is spilled. The universe began to make more sense, but the words to express this sense never again seemed to quite appear. It is all already there - just beyond her conscious reach.
She returned to Kenabres changed. Her eyes had begun to look beyond not just the moment, but all time. Some would begin calling her unhinged, but these insults were nothing.
Traits: Defy Madness, Rich Parents
Personality:
Yarris is best categorized by the Guardian combination (Phlegmatic with Sanguine aspects). While she is not extravagant in her oddness, she is an example of the "Strange Girl" trope, bordering on "Cloud Cuckoolander" territory. She's definitely not a "Perky Goth", but may be mistaken for one at first glance. Generally I'd like her to be "Creepy Good", with her focus on making sure the apocalypse appears on time (and not before).
What does she contribute:
Yes, you see... you might want to send me away, and that's what I'd do, too. But you really shouldn't. I can help you. Its not as if you can have too many people who can mend bones and protect from their mind-magic.
I promise, I won't run out at night and howl at the moon. And I can't just do nothing. If you won't have me, I'll do it myself. This wound is not supposed to be here, and it might kill the world before its time. I know that.
*looks at the recruiter without blinking for two and a half minutes*
Appearance:
Yarris is slim, waifish even. Everything she wears somehow seems to be ill-fitting, even if was produced specifically for her. Her grey eyes never quite seem to focus on you, and her hair is never quite right. She is clean enough and has no odious personal habits, but somehow still projects an aura not quite belonging wherever she is.
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Ok, I've been doing some brainstorming and I think I have a good concept to work towards. I'm going to be applying with a Human (Kellid) Scarred Witch Doctor. I'll be taking the racial heritage feat in order to meet the requirements of the witch doctor archetype. I plan for my character to be from the small town of Valahuv. It's one of the few places within the World Wound that has managed to resist invasion. I'm thinking that his patron would be Shadow, and he would begrudgingly follow Ommors, the Bringer of Twilight. I would play it in a similar way that Dresden interacted with Lasciel. I'm thinking he would be a jaded chaotic good. I'm going to stop writing now because I need to get the concept down on paper.
Waves to one and all and thanks TerraNova and Mark Thomas for the submissions. Depending on how much time I get tonight I may get the first round of read and queries out.
I must withdraw my application.
I couldn't muster the interest in a good character, and oddly enough i dont feel like playing an evil or neutral character in this story. Not to mention I am just not well spun-up on the worldwound situation.
I look forward to the next VoV recruitment though.
Uh oh, Celeador in the house. Now I really gotta up my game. I was going for a Mineko Yamauchi style show stopper. Now I gotta compete with the man himself :P