"In an honest service there is thin commons, low wages, and hard labor; in this, plenty and satiety, pleasure and ease, liberty and power; and who would not balance creditor on this side, when all the hazard that is run for it, at worst, is only a sour look or two at choking. No, a merry life and a short one, shall be my motto."
Hello! I’m opening recruitment for a Skull and Shackles game!
We have four players and I’ll be recruiting one, maybe two others.
The current players are:
Ambrose – Tiefling Wizard
Boldwin – Dwarf Brawler
Dughal- Half Orc rogue
Sh’torek – Undine Barbarian
We are mostly looking for divine classes. A cleric would be great, but any class capable of performing healing is welcome. (Witch, Oracle, Bard, Cleric…)
Starting Level: 2nd level
Stats: 22 Point Buy.
Alignment: This is a bit of a sticky wicket, or at least was until I made my decision. Since the PCs are supposed to be a part of the pirate lifestyle, I WILL allow neutral and evil PCs, but be amply warned beforehand: your actions will have consequences, and those consequences could spell your doom if you're mindlessly violent or bastard-y.
HP: Max for 1st level, half for even levels thereafter, full for odd. So a 1st level Wiz would be 6 + Con mod, 2nd level 3 + Con mod, 3rd 6 + Con mod, lather, rinse, repeat.
Classes: For this recruitment, any class capable of performing a healer role.
Races: All races except the following will be okay: Samsarans, Strix, Vishkanyas, or Wayangs. Oh, and naturally, no Azlanti. Remember, the campaign is set in a relatively warm and aquatic environment; northern/cold-loving races would probably be a little put off.
Drawbacks: Nope!
Traits: Two, one must be a campaign trait.
Wealth: You will start with one mundane weapon and armor of your choice. Nothing more. No more than 300 gp.
Downtime: Downtime will be an important part of the adventure, particularly the latter portion, since there’s a definite kingdom-building vibe to the entire AP. I’ll handle significant events that happen during downtime in vignette-style action, and hopefully it’ll work to keep everyone from getting bored.
Submitting a Character:
Description – A paragraph or two should be sufficient for this. Please describe your character, as they’d appear the first time someone saw them.
Personality – I’d like to see a nice paragraph or two talking about the PC's background at least, though I won't say no to more than that. Since the campaign is focused on the Shackles and surrounding areas, your character will be from either the areas nearby or an immigrant.
Background – A paragraph or two, describing your life history, and how you ended up working in the Man’s Promise merchant boat.
Recruitment will be open until Friday.
Thanks :)
Dotting for interest, will mull over a concept.
Just to clarify, under gear: nothing else beyond the weapon and armor? No pack, rations, scrolls, potions, etc? Just double-checking I'm reading that right.
Specifically, as a caster, would I get my spell component pouch? Most divine spells can be done with just V and S, but a few require components, holy symbols, etc, so, just curious how that would work if I can't have those.
At this point I'd be bringing either a cleric of Besmara or an oracle of waves-- slightly leaning towards the latter because fun flavor, but it would be basically the same personality/character, just with different mechanical options. I'll get the finalized versions up later tonight.
Dotting for a bard. Probably going to just rework this one as needed.
"I have been toying with the idea of opening a new shop (see background). This seems like a great opportunity for businessman like myself to get established in the development of a GREAT city, from the ground up."
"Of course, if this new shop is going to be successful, I'll need to stock it with staple items: various potions, consumables, ect."
"It also would be beneficial to discover some unique item, that may only be found in this region, drawing in travelers from afar for trade and commerce. It may take some research, exploration, and creativity... but with the right social network (other players), this new town could really be amazing, and if I play my cards right, I'll be the biggest proveyor of my line of goods, or possibly more!"
Thank you for your consideration.
Alrighty, here we go:
Physical description:
The tall, lean woman is dressed in baggy trousers and a sleeveless vest, over which she wears a jerkin of light, flexible pieces of leather stitched together. The thickness of her black hair and her black eyes speak to Mwangi blood, but if the warm brown tone of her skin is any indication, northerner blood has mingled in her past as well. She wears her hair tied back with a bright red scarf, and gold glints at her ears, eyebrow, and the side of her nose. Her hands are callused and scarred from ropes, nets, and fishhooks; her feet are often bare, the better to find purchase on a cliff-side or on ship's rigging. Also, her forearms are badly scarred as if from a fire, with the skin warped and puckered.
Nthanda has lived her life on the sea, and her moods often mirror the ocean itself: one moment she is laughing a deep belly laugh, without a care in the world, and the next minute she could be sullen and angry. Though she has a temper, she is just as quick to forget a slight as she is to take offense at it.
Born to a Mwangi mother, and a Chelish merchant father who fled House Thrune and set up shop in the Shackles instead, Nthanda is a child of two cultures, but she would say that she only has one: that of the open water, where the borders of nations do not matter so much. She was birthed on her father's trading vessel, and learned to swim almost before she learned to walk. She raised prayers to the sea queen Besmara, and learned medicine from her mother. She values freedom above all else, becoming antsy when she must stay cooped up on land for any period of time, or when the wind does not fill the sails.
When she was thirteen, there was an accident on her parents' ship: a smashed lantern in choppy waters led to an on-deck fire that spread to the cargo hold, where it met flammable spices and flour; the fire ravaged the ship, but it also trapped Nthanda in the below-deck space. Her frantic parents and the crew managed to put the fire out, but not before the ship had been badly damaged, the cargo destroyed, and Nthanda burned in the accident. Her parents took a large financial hit both with the loss of cargo, and money paid for both repairs and for healing for their injured daughter. In the end, her father's ship was sold for salvage, and her parents set up a modest landbound shop instead, trying to recoup the losses.
Nthanda chafed at being on land. As soon as she was old enough, she signed up with the first ship that would give her a try despite her burn scars. She has spent several years since drifting from ship to ship, and as she has grown, she has discovered she dreams of fire and water both, and that Besmara whispers in her dreams and has granted her strange gifts.
She intends to return home when she has a ship of her own, that she can present to her parents, and invite them back onto the water and to freedom. For now, her path has led her to the Man's Promise, where she serves as sailor and healer both.
Nthanda
Female Human Oracle 2 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 42)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +1
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 21 (2d8+8)
Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +4
Weakness oracle's curses (blackened)
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft., revelations (fluid travel)
Melee boarding pike -2 (1d8+1/×3)
Oracle Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +5):
. . 1st (5/day)—burning disarm (DC 14), burning hands (DC 14), cure light wounds, shield of faith, touch of the sea[APG] (DC 14)
. . 0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, mending, purify food and drink (DC 13), spark (DC 13)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 13, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 17
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 13
Feats Athletic, Toughness
Traits blessed touch, sea-souled (coastline or island)
Skills Acrobatics +4, Bluff +4, Climb +3, Diplomacy +7, Disguise +4, Escape Artist +4, Heal +5, Linguistics +2, Perception +2, Profession (sailor) +7, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +5, Swim +7
Languages Aquan, Common, Polyglot
SQ mysteries (mystery [waves])
Other Gear masterwork lamellar (leather) armor, boarding pike
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Blackened Your hands and forearms are shriveled and blackened. You take a –4 penalty on weapon attack rolls
Blessed Touch Heal +1 damage when using lay on hands, channeling energy, or casting a cure spell.
Fluid Travel (Walking, 2 hours/day) (Su) Walk on liquid as if was solid.
Besmara's Blessing +1 to perception, +1 to Profession Sailor, may reroll 1 sailor check / week, declare before rolling
How about LN necromancer. One of the spells they get is skeleton crew?
=^^=
I have always wanted to throw up a human storm druid, an avatar of wind and stormy vengance, in a game of something similar. This looks like the perfect chance :)
Will mull over it and get something up soon!
Dotting for interest, will mull over a concept.
Just to clarify, under gear: nothing else beyond the weapon and armor? No pack, rations, scrolls, potions, etc? Just double-checking I'm reading that right.
Specifically, as a caster, would I get my spell component pouch? Most divine spells can be done with just V and S, but a few require components, holy symbols, etc, so, just curious how that would work if I can't have those.
At this point I'd be bringing either a cleric of Besmara or an oracle of waves-- slightly leaning towards the latter because fun flavor, but it would be basically the same personality/character, just with different mechanical options. I'll get the finalized versions up later tonight.
That may sound harsh, but it's the truth. You'll be press ganged into service of a pirate crew. In addition, they will take everything, except your armor and weapon. You’ll have change to get it back inside the game, don’t worry about it. :)
How about LN necromancer. One of the spells they get is skeleton crew?
=^^=
That sounds like an interesting idea. :)
Making her now :)
Lillian
Female Changeling Cleric
LE Medium humanoid (changeling)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+6 armor, +1 natural)
hp 12 (2d8)
Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +7
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee 2 claws +1 (1d4) and
. . switchscythe +1 (2d4/×4)
Special Attacks channel negative energy 7/day (DC 15, 1d6), death's kiss
Cleric (Undead Lord) Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +6):
. . 1st—cause fear{super}D{/super} (DC 15), cure light wounds, cure light wounds, endure elements
. . 0 (at will)—create water, mending, purify food and drink (DC 14), stabilize
. . D Domain spell; Domains Death, Undead
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 18
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Command Undead, Selective Channeling
Traits sea-souled (coastline or island), ship's surgeon
Skills Diplomacy +8, Heal +11, Knowledge (religion) +4, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +4, Swim -1
Languages Common, Draconic
SQ aura, corpse companion, ocean's daughter, variant channeling (undeath variant channeling)
Combat Gear healer's kit; Other Gear mountain pattern armor, switchscythe, goblin dog
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Aura (Ex) The Cleric has an aura corresponding to his deity's alignment.
Cleric (Undead Lord) Domain (Undead)
Cleric Channel Negative Energy 1d6 (7/day, DC 15) (Su) Positive energy heals the living and harms the undead; negative has the reverse effect.
Command Undead (DC 15) Channel energy can take control of undead.
Corpse Companion (Su) Gain a single skeleton/zombie as companion that doesn't count against limit.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Death's Kiss (1 rounds, 7/day) (Su) Melee touch attack makes target count as undead for positive/negative energy healing/harming
Ocean's Daughter Automatically succeed at Swim checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from swimming.
Sea-Souled (Coastline or Island) You may always take 10 while Swimming.
Selective Channeling Exclude targets from the area of your Channel Energy.
Undeath Variant Channeling Enhanced healing for Undead
--------------------
Flit
Bloody Goblin Dog Skeleton (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 0)
N Medium undead
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 6 (1d8+2); fast healing 1
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2; +4 bonus vs. channeled energy
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4; DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune cold, undead traits
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +2 (1d6+2) and
. . claw +2 (1d4+2)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 15, Dex 16, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 15
Feats Improved Initiative
SQ deathless
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Channel Resistance +4 +4 bonus to save vs. Channel Energy.
Damage Reduction (5/bludgeoning) You have Damage Reduction against all except Bludgeoning attacks.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Deathless (Su) Return to unlife 1 hour after being destroyed.
Fast Healing 1 (Ex) Heal damage every round unless you are killed.
Immunity to Cold You are immune to cold damage.
Undead Traits Undead have many immunities and use Cha in place of a Con for all effects.
Being what she is, she always loved the ocean. Near it, in it, around it. So it was no surprise when she took to the sea when she was of age. Her skills helped her to become her ship's surgeon. And she was fine with that. It kept her busy.
The sap to the head, well, she knew what it ment, and she would soon wake up on a unknown ship. Though it did not matter. a ship was a ship was a ship. All that mattered was that she was on the ocean. Her real home. She hoped they would let Flit come with her. He was a good friend, and a companion who listened when she needed it.
Lillian is a friendly and caring person. (So why LE? Well, LE because thats the way people see her, she creates and travels with undead)
She sees herself as a caregiver and a surgeon. Eager to help those who need her skills. She wont run from a fight if she is need to help the wounded.
She is quite the looker. Beautiful to the eyes. Slender, tanned and proportioned. Her hair is long and black, tied into a pony tail. Her movements are fluid and graceful. Deep blue eyes can almost swallow a man whole. Till you see the skeletal goblin dog by her side.
When's the cut off period for consideration? I'm very interested in joining another S&S game. I'm also curious where you all are in the game, so I can make sure whatever I submit is appropriate in mindset.
I think, with whatever I'm submitting, I may try and find a way to incorporate a relationship with someone from Cheliax, who sold him into bondage after the relationship went sour. Or at least tried the selling part. Now I just have to figure an appropriate class and build from there.
Hi, I'd like to submit this character for the game. I was in a Skull and Shackles game that folded and would SO love to pick back up where we left off... though with a new character, as sadly, the old one would be redundant in this party.
Sjora stands at an average height for a young woman. Her black hair hangs loose behind her, blowing in the breeze. Surprisingly violet eyes miss very little around her. Her leather pants are styled to look like clothing, though they are actually part of a finely-made suit of light armor. Under the top part of the armor, she wears a light hooded shirt, edged with a bit of lace, her one concession to her pampered past. When working or meeting strangers, she keeps a veil in place over her face, partially hiding her features, keeping her thoughts and intents to herself regardless of her words, which are usually cautious and measured. Sjora carries no visible weapons. Her healer's kit is worn at her belt, always at the ready for any circumstance that may arise. She does not, however, have the soft hands of a typical healer, bearing the scars and calluses of a weaponsmith and fighter on her hands and forearms, a definite disconnect from what she seems on the surface.
She is an oracle and healer, and all her information is in her profile.
I typically post at least once a day, often more frequently as the flow of the game requires.
First, I stress I'm not trying to argue with you about this, I'm just curious: I've actually played a tiny bit of the AP (we hadn't even gotten to the Man's Promise yet before the game died), so I get the press-gang aspect and I knew that was going to happen. However, our GM was keeping ALL gear away from us: no weapons, no armor, no nothing.
To me, it seems rather arbitrary that the pirates are allowing people they have forced to be aboard their ship and are forcing into brutal labor... to keep weapons? And armor?
Yet not keep things like... the ability to cast utility spells that might help the ship at large, or tools they might use to do boat tasks (like fishing gear)? This, to me, would be like slave-owners refusing to allow their slaves to have a plow... but letting them keep guns or knives. I'm not clear on what the in-game logic is that we can keep weapons, but not non-combat, useful utility items.
Anyway, as I said, I'm not trying to argue with you on how you want to run it, I'm just surprised that they're letting us keep weapons and armor. That seems like the last thing you would want your more-or-less-slave-labor to have access to.
I think I'll leave my feats as I submitted them, anyway, even if I can't have a spell component pouch. If possible, I might get my holy symbol tattooed, though; that's 100 GP, which I can easily afford with the money I can't otherwise spend on gear. A weapon is not a priority for my character. If I could keep, say, a healer's kit, rather than a weapon, I would happily do that instead. Anyway, it looks like you'll have lots of submissions, so I guess I'll see if I even make the cut before further worrying about the gear thing. :P
When's the cut off period for consideration?
I’ll accept applications until Friday. August 15. With the result maybe that same day or Saturday.
I'm very interested in joining another S&S game. I'm also curious where you all are in the game, so I can make sure whatever I submit is appropriate in mindset.
I’ll answer this in a PM a bit later.
Not a problem at all. I have to wrap my head around what to do with this character and how to get him there.
I was also going to ask if it was just normal classes or if the new classes (like war priests, shamans, etc) were allowed.
I was also going to ask if it was just normal classes or if the new classes (like war priests, shamans, etc) were allowed.
I'm ashamed to admit that I'll not buy the book, when they release it, and because of that, I would say no for those classes.
I know, shame on me. :(
Nah, no worries. It just makes me be more sure of what I'm doing.
Lachlan Keir, cleric of Besmara.
Lachlan is a young man who, perhaps, looks older than he is. His ethnic background is indeterminate - a true mongrel from the melting pot streets of a port city. His demeanor seems at first sombre and reserved, but anyone who observes him for more than a few minutes will see him smile or indulge in a savage laugh, sometimes at things that are not always evident.
Hirsute, barrel chested and with a stocky build lachlan is a bear of a man. His hair and beard hang in salt-stiffened dreadlocks and he has the broad stance, rolling gait, and sun burnished coloring of a man who spends more time astride a deck than on the docks. He often carries a boarding axe or cutlass at his broad belt, but reaches for a long spear when bloodshed is called for. He dresses in a careless, utilitarian fashion - probably choosing his garments based more on the lack of bloody rents left in them by their rapidly cooling previous owners than anything else.
His mother a whore and his father known only to the gods, Lachlan carries a wisdom taught to him by years of seeing the darkest side of people. Good natured and friendly as a child, the world he was born into took constant advantage of these traits - it wasnt long before he was caught up in a short lived illegal enterprise, and quickly found himself sold into slavery when his co-conspirators all fingered him as the fall guy. Picked up to pull on an oar by an unscrupulous merchant who had the misfortune to run into pirates just a day or two later, his obvious talents (that is - no missing limbs or other obvious deformities) saw him being offered a choice between joining the pirate crew who had taken the vessel he helped to row, or face the long swim back to land.
some might say fate demanded Lachlan become a pirate.
its been the pirates life since for Lachlan, and for a time his lot improved - until the first time his new crew went into battle with him against a naval vessel. Quickly overwhelmed, Lachy shortly found himself short of breath and headed for the depths when he felt the capricious touch of the goddess. She offered him the same choice his erstwhile captain had done, and it were an easy choice once more. No sooner did he pledge himself to Besmara than a strange current bore him away from the fighting to safety. His new found abilities made it easy for him to secure a place on another pirate corsair, and he has been promoting the agenda of the sea-b&*$* ever since.
sorry im a bit light on setting specific details, but i have always loved the idea of a campaign based around piracy - perhaps Lachlan is on the merchant ship as part of a ploy to capture her, an inside agent if you like.
working on some stats now.
Beval cleric of Besmara ready to make his mark. Stuck working of this trice cursed merchant tug after his last ship went down in a storm. The Man's Promise pulled him from the flotsam now he has to work off his passage until they make port and he can find another proper pirate vessel to crew on. Hopefully this one will have a Captain that will have some clue what he is doing.
So far, we have those applications:
Akvius_Sirthos – CG Tiefling Alchemist
Nthanda – CG Human Oracle of Waves.
Lillian – LE Changeling Cleric of??
Sjora – LN Aasimar Oracle of Metal
Lachlan ?? – Human? Cleric of Besmara
Beval CN – Human Cleric of Besmara
Interest dot:
Faunra Variel
Joseph Bonkers
Kenji Elindir
Algar Lysandris
ShadowyFox
If I got something wrong, please tell me. :)
Didnt see it wasnt on list. Urgathoa :)
i envisage Lachlan as CN with good tendencies (well hidden at times).
he is human, yes.
I have an idea... but as with other things, it may be slow to congeal...
Male N Medium Undine (Native Outsider, Aquatic)
He would have both the amphibious (gives up hydraulic push) and flesh chameleon (gives up cold resistance) racial substitutions.
His family is one of the enclaves that lives underwater, and comes up to trade occasionally, but avoids humans. Having lived with deflection and avoidance when humans are mentioned has filled him with a perverse curiosity regarding them, and he's now decided to strike out for some of the land cities to see what's what...
|
Hello again, Aku. It's been a while. :)
Dotting for interest and brainstorming presently.
Edit: Hate to jump onto the Oracle-train, but I'm strongly considering a wind/storm-focused caster with more of an impulsive, self-taught, not-especially-religious bent than I can justify building a druid or cleric around. My other line of thinking would be Sorcerer, but then healing utility is a wash.
Consequently, currently looking at a Wind Mystery Oracle with a bad leg. More to come in the next day or so.
Hello Sozia, long time :)
hmmm... Question GM, would you allow a http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/kobold-press-open-design/ white-necromancer or http://www.d20pfsrd.com/psionics-unleashed/classes/vitalist?
Just wanting to know your stance on 3rd party content, both can act as decent healers...
Gm Aku, just thoughts on my advancement if I get selected. Do you have problems with Inscribe Magical Tattoo, Skilled Driver or Expert Driver feats.
@Questions.
I've been busy today. I'll answer the questions a bit later.
I'm going to have to bow out of recruitment sorry about that.
@Viluki
About the classes, I'm not so sure about white necromancer, but vitalist seems a good one.
Anyway, you can submit the class you think it suit you best. The final Decision however, will be largely influenced by the current players, and I can’t say about their position about 3rd party content.
@Beval
No issues at all. It seems fitting for this campaign.
@Faunra
Thanks for your interest, and happy gaming.
Ooh, a Skull and Shackles game! I haven't had the opportunity to get into one yet and my friends keep insisting that I need to play it.
I will definitely be going cleric (just not a huge fan of oracles), but first I would like to know what party roles (beyond healer) are currently unfilled. Will the rogue be participating in melee? Is anybody the party face? Do we have a survivalist? Stuff like that, I just want to know what else besides healing does the party currently need.
So after doing some reading what I'm thinking is a changeling cleric of Besmara (hard to not pick her in this AP) with the Water (Oceans) and Trickery domains. Flavor and crunch to come once I finish reading the player's guide.
No third party, please. Prefer Paizo only. Thanks.
withdrawing all interest then, nothing in paizo's "healing" classes I am fond of besides the witch... And I can't think of a good witch story at this point.
No third party, please. Prefer Paizo only. Thanks.
Well, that's not going to prevent me from working up Aven's submission, but it does make me a little sad. 3.5 had psionics. It's very easy to use and reflavor. Paizo did not convert that bit of Open Content Official Material when they did their refurbished Core. Dreamscarred did. It's well done. Simple.
And Paizo did do some psionic content in Dragon and Dungeon Magazines. :D
Alright, time for a last-minute submission!
This actually looks awesome. I've been meaning to try and get into a Skulls & Shackles or other game for a while now (I used to run an aquatic campaign, but have never gotten to play one), as well as wanting to play an Oracle one of these days.
(Thanks to the Oracle's spontaneous pinch-spells like Water Breathing, I could see a use for both an Oracle AND a Cleric/Druid/other healer on a ship, if necessary).
How much crunch do you want? It's almost friday, so I'll get out the basics and backstory now, but am not sure what else I can do by then. In the meantime, time to get writing.
I am done with the crunch for my changeling cleric, when I get back from work this afternoon I'll get the fluff done.
Victoriana Whitecap
CG Gnome (Gear Gnome)
Oracle 2
Revelation: Lore (Sidestep Secret Mystery)
(next revelation will probably be Lore Keeper)
Curse: Blackened
Traits:
Ancient Explorer (Campaign)
Dangerously Curious
Feats:
Gunsmithing
(This and other crafting feats will allow something to do during downtime; with Gear Gnome traits, she can use any firearms she crafts)
Spells:
Automatically gets Identify, Burning Hands, and Spontaneous Cure spells. Will pick the rest if chosen, to balance with party, but will probably be mostly buffs or sailing-related spells.
Skills:
Will also be adjusted for party balance, but mostly knowledge and craft skills. Possibly some Bluff, Diplomacy and UMD with that massive charisma. Currently receiving 7 points/level with favored class.
Abilities:
Str 10
Dex 12
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 19
(Victoriana is quick, and tough, and very smart, but most of all she is convinced of her own brilliance, and good at making others agree, to the point that it may be the strength of her love for tinkering that powers the magic she uses to actually succeed at it)
Equipment:
Light Crossbow (with a single grappling hook bolt), Chain Shirt armor. They threw her prized pistol overboard when they took her, and it'll be a while before she gets to craft a new one.
• Spontaneous healer. Any oracle or cleric can do this well enough.
• Support caster. There are a lot of useful buffs in an aquatic setting, like Water Breathing or Freedom of Movement, and being able to choose them situationally is a nice perk to spontaneous casting.
• Not *just* another healer. In case the party decides to go up to six players, Victoriana has a few other useful roles she can fill that would keep her from being redundant with another healer, as listed below:
• Offensive ranged support. Ability to (sort of) use firearms and fire spells should add some ranged damage versatility where useful. (Blackened gives some great anti-enemy ship spells, and firearms' resolve-as-touch attack should help make up for the penalties that her curse inflicts)
• Weapon and item crafting. Someone's gotta craft firearm ammo and magic items when the party's far from shore, and she's up for the job of crafting whatever the other party members don't take feats for.
• Ship repairs and cannon/catapult crafting. Someone's gotta do this, and it fits with her personality.
• Amateur party face. High charisma means good diplomacy, and the Lore Oracle's ability to tie knowledge to charisma means she should be able to throw some decent knowledge checks as well.
Victoriana Whitecap is not a woman of large stature, but she stands upright and proud. Much of her appearance is dominated by her hair, which is often wind-tossed, and rarely the same length in any two places due to its tendency to briefly catch fire at frayed ends. Her clothing is practical: an engineer's smock over light armor, ringed with metal just heavy enough to be resistant to scratches and flames, and smeared with pitch and soot. Her hands, arms, and neck bear scars—some of them burns, some scratches—of uncertain origin, but she does not walk or act as though she is in pain. She moves, rather, as though she does not have time for pain.
Victoriana talks loudly, excitedly, and confidently—and endlessly, if she is engaged on the subject of ancient magics or feats of engineering. A buzz of magic tends to follow where she goes; she is constantly looking for dents, flaws, scratches in the objects and structures around her that could benefit from a Mending spell. But the better part of her time is spent reading, or experimenting, studying the things around her only when she is distracted from the things in her books or the artifacts in her workshop.
This is a gnome who looks after the people and objects around her, even if they don't always want her to. Victoriana believes it's always better to be prepared, although the things she prepares for are not always the wisest, and may well range from waterproofing the ship's sails to warding her books against dragonfire. She's an archaeologist, and an engineer, and most importantly she's someone very confident in her own ability to fix anything and anyone.
When the pirates caught her, and dragged her to her ship, she merely shook her head. When they took her pistol away, she grimaced; when they threw her smaller tools overboard, she screamed. But when she saw the boatswain, drunk on stolen wine, throw her books into the cooking stove as kindling, THEN she got mad, burning through the ropes around her wrists and setting half the ship ablaze.
The pirates that grabbed her from the tavern she had foolishly wandered to alone had wanted a new ship's mechanic, but after seeing the damage she had done to their ship, they quickly found a way to get her off of it, "trading" her to the first captain they met in the next port. With her tools, her tomes and her notebooks gone, Victoriana resigned herself to a fate where, at least, she'd get to keep working on repairing things while being left alone.
Hailing originally from Nex, far to the East, Victoriana was trained as a gunsmith, with a love of intricate mechanics, gears and pullies, and an innate magical knack that involved a lot of spontaneous fire-setting—the sort of thing that would be worrying to anyone but a gnome mentor. While there was much she could learn through studying, her magic seemed to come of its own accord, but eventually she found ways to use it effectively, repairing light damage to objects around her and the heavier injuries that she inevitably had a tendency to inflict on herself.
Like many gnomes, she found something of a restless wanderer inside herself. With a fascination for the knowledge and technology of the past, she signed on to join an exploration deep into the Mwangi Expanse in search of ruins and artifacts; but when her party turned back, empty-handed, she chose to press on further west, following stories of legendary treasure wrecks just off the coast of the Shackles. Foolishly naive and headstrong, she was not prepared for the dangers of the coast, and found herself quickly press-ganged into service, her tools and money taken away.
Now, she seeks treasure or secrets, though of yet has found little; and she seeks freedom to work in peace, on something more exciting than shipboard fevers and repairing minor damage to the rudder. Most of all, she'd like to have some intellectual equals to talk to, or a magically/technologically exciting treasure to chase.
Also, something helpful I've seen on other recruitment threads:
1. Your experience with the rules
I've only been playing Pathfinder for about a year, but I've got about 10 years of 3.5 before that. I've got nearly every table in the 3.5 handbook in my head, and am working on updating those to PF. In games, I'm usually the person who helps out new players, because I can immediately tell someone who wants to play a level 5 cleric what their hit dice, base saves, and spells per day are.
As an aquatic DM, I've also had to read every 3.5 and Pathfinder rule related to water several times.
2. Your experience with PbP
I've been doing PbP for only a few months, but in that time I've been in five games (including running one of my own), with hundreds of posts. I think I'm doing a pretty good job of it.
3. Expectations for playing and what you want out of the experience
For me, PbP is something fun I can do in the down-time I face on a daily basis while running experiments at work. It's a way to get involved in more tabletops without burdening my schedule overmuch, and with new people in the mix.
4. Philosophy as a PbP player
Personally, I think games of all sorts are, or should be, about having fun. I try to play characters strong enough to not cripple the team, but with enough personality or other quirks to stay interesting. I also am a big fan of PbP's ability to let people act in slightly flexible order, discuss plans and actions ahead of time, and just generally allow more flexibility and thought than a regular game.
I also think that the text-based nature of PbP allows people more time and opportunity to add proper description and motivation to their actions, etc. I'm an experienced LARP writer, and enjoy being able to add descriptions and motivations to things is another draw of PbP.
5. Why you are applying to this game?
I want to play in a game where I get to be on a boat. Always an aquatic GM, never an aquatic player. Also, I've wanted to play an Oracle for a while, as well as a crafter/wright of some sort.
6. Define what you think good role-playing is in PbP.
Good role-playing is, at its core, is about being able to separate a character's desires, motivations, actions and knowledge from those that would make sense as a player. Too many people forget this.
(And if you're doing it in a way that makes the game less fun for others, you should probably think of how to avoid that in the future—a good character, to begin with, knows how to "not be a jerk" to other players, even if they're rude to other characters)
currently looking at a Wind Mystery Oracle with a bad leg.
Dude, with the Peg Leg campaign trait, that would be perfect.
Plus, there's a lot of variety in oracles (and clerics, and truids)—an Undeath Domain/Bones Mystery divine caster could double as a Skeleton Crew creator, while Wind and Water Domain/Wind or Waves Mystery character could help steer the ship, and an Artifice and Knowledge Domain/Lore or Metal Mystery character could gather knowledge and help craft siege weapons/repair the ship. ...all while healing well enough to keep the party alive.
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Presenting:
Finn Garrety
Druid (Naga Aspirant, Crocodile Domain)1/ Monk 1
Medium Nagaji / Humanoid (Reptilian)
Init +2; Senses Perception +9, Low-light Vision
==DEFENSE==
AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+2 dex, +1 natural armor, +3 monk bonus, +1 dodge)
hp 13 (2d8)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +7
Defensive Abilities Armored Scales (PFCaS: DrEG), Resistant (PFCaS: DrEG), AC Bonus (PFCR 57)
==OFFENSE==
Spd 30 ft/x4
Melee Unarmed Strike +4 (1d6+4) 20/x2
Special Attacks Flurry of Blows (PFCR 58), Unarmed Strike (PFCR 59)
==STATISTICS==
Str 18, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 9
BAB +0, CMB +4, CMD +20
Feats Armor Proficiency (LIGHT / MEDIUM) (PFCR 118), Dodge (PFCR 122), Improved Grapple (PFCR 127), Improved Unarmed Strike (PFCR 128), Shield Proficiency (PFCR 133), Stunning Fist (PFCR 135)
Skills Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +9, Sense Motive +7, Stealth +6, Survival +9
SQ Wild Empathy (PFCR 50-51), Nature Bond (Domain Powers - Crocodile Domain ) (PFCR 50)
MC Druid Bonus Languages (PFCR 50), Druid Spells (PFCR 49), Forbidden Spell Alignment (PFCR 41, 49), Monk Stunning Fist (PFCR 59), Nature Sense (PFCR 50)
Traits Ancient Explorer (Campaign: Skull and Shackles) (PFAP: SkSh PG 4-5), Fate's Favored (Faith) (PFUCgn 55)
Languages Common, Druidic, Nagaji, Tien, polyglotte, draconic
Racial Trait Hypnotic Gaze
Naga Aspirant Spell: Mage Armor
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Fluff
Finn is a Mwangi Nagaji who grew up as a fisherman along the Mwangi coast in a fishing village off the Fever Sea in the northern part of the Kaava Lands, worshipping Shimye-Magalla, a combined incarnation of Gozreh and Desna. A happy child who laughed and swam with his brothers and friends, but worked hard to bring food to his plate, he had two major defining moments.
The first is when he earned his name, getting caught in some kelp while clam diving and nearly drowning. His friends pulled him out and swore he'd stopped breathing but after an older wise man pounded on his chest, he coughed up the seawater and began breathing again. They named him Knothin, which means "The Drowned" in his language. He enjoyed a bit of celebrity due to that small miracle, but it was cut short when the second major event happened.
Without warning, their village was raided by a pirate ship out of Smuggler's Shiv in Desperation Bay. Putting most everyone to the sword, the pirates spared very little and burned the village after plundering it. Finn was among the few who were able to swim and in good conditioning and were taken as slaves aboard the ship, chained to oars for a time and later forced to clean the galley, sew sails and do cabin boy type work. The ship was run by a vicious one-eyed half-elf pirate captain and his first mate, a female sorcerer of unknown race who hid her face behind a converted Red Mantis assassin mask (rumored to belong to an assassin who attempted to kill her). They were careless about life, but Finn was able to survive for four years aboard the ship before it was boarded and scuttled by a Sargovan naval vessel. The slaves were freed and dumped in Port Freedom.
Finn survived on the streets for a bit before he took up on a smuggler's ship for a couple years as a bosun's mate. That vessel shipwrecked on an island in the southern shackles where Finn found his true calling when he was rescued by a small clan of merfolk.
Those merfolk helped him set up his life as a hermit and Jesal became one with nature and the sea, swimming with the merfolk as often as possible and once even traveling to their home with the aid of one of their priest's magic. Jesal's reliance on the grace of Gozreh began to dominate his druidic philosophy and his powers emerged a couple years back. It's during this time that the Merfolk took to calling him "Salt" since he spent so much time in the water with them that the ocean salt would encrust itself in the folds of his skin when he dried off, standing out against his dark hue.
Eventually, even on an island news can travel and word came to him that a one-eyed half-elf sailor and his masked consort were seen in the Shackles and deep-seeded thoughts of revenge drove him to a tearful goodbye with his merfolk friends. Realization that his isolation wasn't healthy for him in the long term, Finn found his way off the island and traveled by stowaway to Port Peril.
He's just now headed to the Shackles in pursuit of his former captors aiming to use his familiarity with ships to find work aboard a ship and travel about looking to hear of rumors
Appearance: Finn quick to smile and enjoys people but remembrance of his ancient pain and the loss of his family can bring a cold rage. He's known to turn to smoking natural drugs of the area whenever able, but doesn't drink much, preferring the high of natural herbs.
He wears a garish green vest over his armor which looks like it's made partly from flotsam and jetsam. He wears wide baggy multi-colored striped trousers and generally goes shoeless.
Finn speaks Common with a heavy accent but often blends in other words and sometimes refers to himself in the third person when he gets excited or tired.
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Party role: A rather flexible character as Finn can take to melee or have some backup buffing / blasting spell tks to the archetype.
(haven't played a druid since 3.5 so quite looking forward to it)
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As for myself i participate in a bunch of pbp and even DM ing some so i post at least 2-3 times a day
Thanks for all applications.
I will close recruitment in 12 hours.
If you still want to make any last minute modification or application, now is the time. :)
I'm good to go if I get picked... Good luck to all!
That should give me more than enough time to get her fluff done. Looking forward to decision time!