Alright, here's the discussion thread. If you have questions about how I'm going to run this, please let me know. Also, take some time to think about how your characters might know each other. If there's not pre-existing connections, that's okay, but sometimes it's fun.
Kazadarin checking in.
Notes about Kazadarin for other characters.
: 21 year old ex Lamb.
: Was Lamb from child to 14 (7 years ago).
: Beaten, tortured, and left for dead by Lamm.
I look forward to having a good game with all of you.
Giorgio here! As a player, this is my first PbP game on the Paizo forums, so any help/tips are greatly appreciated. Schedule-wise - I'm an evening-shift nurse working 3 days a week, so while I can post every day, the time I'm able to post will vary depending on what days I'm working.
Notes on Giorgio
22 years old
lost both parents to Lamm's machinations
has been covertly aiding the populace in crime-filled areas (healing, guidance, crime investigations, etc.)
Heya Guys, I'm at work at the moment so can't post much.
I'll update this profile with my new build and background so it all synchs nicely.
Lookiong forward to playing. Thanks for giving me a chance GM.
Checking in for Laijiri.
Depending on how many of you have ears to the ground, she's a new fortune teller and slowly working her way into the ears of the city. Young, she's spread money around looking for Zavi, her sister (discovered to be in Lamm's "care"). Anyone want tentative ties?
GM, any opinion on the Third Trait & Drawback?
Kazadarin has staying in Old Korvosa's Shingles. He has been tracking the Lambs throughout the city trying to follow them to Lamm's hideout.
3rd trait is fine, drawback is fine. Everyone else, if you want a drawback, let me know now. I just want finalized characters before gameplay starts.
Where are we getting the drawbacks from?
I think I'm good with what I've got!
Drawbacks would be off the PFSRD, but they're not required. If you're pleased with your character, that's what's important.
Kaz, I feel like our characters are likely to know *of* each other, but not actually have met yet. That sound appropriate to you?
Gah. This is the first time I'm creating a new alias just for a character concept-- that of "Seer/Psychic". I'm so excited!
Dotting, will comment more soon.
Considering that the Player's Guide indicates Gather Information a class skill under Missing Sibling, what would be an appropriate substitute for it?
They moved the function of Gather Information to Diplomacy. That said, the SRD has updated the text on Missing Sibling as follows:
Missing Sibling: The missing child is a brother or sister. Although everyone else has given up hope, you believe your sibling still lives out there. Your constant search for the missing sibling has developed into great skill at rumor mongering and finding information from others. Diplomacy and Sense Motive are always class skills for you.
Aah.. thanks. I'll have to make a note to check there in cases of conflict.
Ok, got this profile updated. I'll fix the spoilers when I'm on the computer rather than iPad.
Gern works as muscle for his Uncles business dealings. He's a guard, not a heavy, but he has been known to put the fright into those that would cause his uncle grief.
His brother was murdered by Lamm's crew, and he's only just found out it was them. He is very eager to take his vengeance upon them, but needs to be careful not to bring his clan or his uncles business into disrepute.
Once you become his friend, he's as loyal as they come.
Giorgio, sounds good.
Hi guys! Nice to meet you all!
Here's some notes on Litsy:
17 years old
Orphan raised by her uncle, she was a member of his gang of thieves from child to 16.
He was accused of her parent's murder by Gaedren, since he was taking in homeless children, in order to save them from enslaving. He was then forced to leave the town.
While trying to locate Gaedren, Litsy hides herself, and avoids being seen because she is afraid of being beaten up by his thugs.
Giorgio, Kazadarin, our characters might have met when Litsy was a child? What do you think?
Very possible Litsy would have been 10 when Kazadrin was 14 and had his run in with Lamm.
It's entirely possible, and even likely - Giorgio seeks out people in difficult situations like Litsy and her uncle, and helps them however he can.
BTW, I have a PDF of the Guide to Korvosa, if anyone is interested. Here's a sample tidbit, for RP flavor.
Speaking Korvosan
The people of Korvosa universally speak Chelaxian (frequently known as “Common”). Korvosans have, over time, created their own slang unique to the city. In order to help you blend in while exploring Korvosa, make sure to (correctly) use the following phrases.
Chel: Mildly derogatory term for people of Chelish descent. Widely used as a contemptuous dismissal in the rest of the world. In Korvosa, the word has evolved into a hate-filled ethnic slur. Use of this word constitutes a grave affront in the city, and using it against the wrong target likely finds the offender beaten, lynched, or killed.
Dancer: Cutpurse, pickpocket, or other thief who works crowds. Comes from the belief that most thieves are Varisians and most Varisians like to dance. Actual dancing performers are called “performers.”
Empty: A beggar, vagrant, or homeless person. Most Korvosans consider an empty to be someone without meaning or purpose, whose existence doesn’t matter and whose life and death occur without mention.
Fronter: Someone who lives in Bridgefront or is otherwise poor. Not a polite term and frequently used as a mild (sometimes playful) insult among younger aristocrats and nobles. Connotes dirtiness.
Gater: Someone who lives in Northgate. Common term even used by Gaters themselves.
Horser: Highly inflammatory term for a Shoanti or other savage primitive. Holds strong connotations of bestiality.
Imper: A young student of the Acadamae. Older students respectfully receive no nickname, as they wield the power to kill those who insult them.
Moth: A full-blooded Varisian. Because so much of the population in Korvosa descends at least partially from Varisian stock, most people don’t consider it an insult, using it as a nickname for the nomadic people. Full-blooded Varisians differ on their acceptance of the term: some use it themselves while others bristle at its connotations.
Pincher: Someone very poor who scrapes by on only a few copper pinch a month.
Sails: One or more ships.
Solly: Someone who wishes to unionize or form a guild. Short for “solidarity.” A dire insult in Korvosa (even if the recipient does support the formation of guilds), sometimes considered the foulest thing to call a Korvosan.
Solly Slop: Rubbish, excrement. At one time, this referred to the bland porridge of unskilled laborers (the most common agitators for unionizing in the city). Today, Korvosans consider the phrase vulgar and not to be used in public.
Seemed also credible to me!
So, Litsy could have heard of Kaz, as her uncle was concerned with the Little Lamms' fate; maybe they even met once?
As for Giorgio... You're right, they could have met somehow. But does the fact that Litsy and her uncle were thiefs, and had illegal activies, bother the inquisitor?
How does it sounds to you, guys?
I think it depends a lot on the circumstances. If Litsy is stealing from those who can afford to lose a little, just to get by - well, that's just life. Plus, the thieves' guild is the only legal guild allowed in Korvosa. (Weird, but there it is.) If she's taking two coppers from people who only have three, that's more problematic.
I also have the Guide to Korvosa PDF. It's pretty useful, and I loved the section on slang. If you as players want to use it, I'm totally down to throw it into dialogue. The book has a ton of flavor, it fleshes out a lot of the NPCs, and I recommend it. In fact, I think Paizo went so far as to say that the Korvosa CotCT is set in is the one from the Guide to Korvosa.
Sarenrae would probably understand why Litsy was stealing, but she'd disapprove and hope the girl changed her ways. Giorgio might be the "tool", as it were, that she uses to try to get Litsy to change. It's possible that he might have had conversations with her about Sarenrae's mercy and how she should turn toward the light rather than embracing the darkness. Just a thought.
Oh, and here's another pertinent section, given that we'll be interacting with drug dealers...
The Drugs of Korvosa
Despite (or maybe because of) its strong militaristic and highly regimented leanings, Korvosa has a drug problem. Most popular among the wealthy young and the poor of any age (presumably in both cases to escape their lives, if only for a time), Korvosa’s drug trade reaches into most of the city’s wards. The Magistrate of Health estimates one Korvosan in 10 is addicted to one or more of the substances. Those found in possession or under the effects of any of these drugs face up to half a year in jail before they even get a trial (in order to let them overcome their addiction).
Cabble-Weed: This strong sedative frequently puts its users to sleep, sometimes permanently. Cabble-weed plants grow in damp soil, and the people of Abken founded their commune next to a natural patch of the plants growing on the shores of the Yondabakari River. Users mash cabble-weed into a pulp and stir it in boiling water to make a bitter tea.
Shiver: Imported from the jungles of the Mwangi Expanse, dream spiders are the primary source for one of Korvosa’s more exotic drugs—shiver. Often purchased in tiny glass vials, a single gulp of shiver is enough to drop the user into a deep sleep haunted by particularly vivid dreams. In extreme cases, addicts have even been known to bait dream spiders into biting them, a foolish practice at best, and a life-threatening one at worst.
Flayleaf: A weaker but more addictive cousin of cabble-weed, flayleaf is imbibed by smoking its leaves. Flayleaf smoke acts as a hallucinogenic and sedative, and creates an effect similar to drunkenness. Flayleaf users tend to be open to suggestions and other mental manipulations.
Pesh: This strong stimulant also has mild hallucinogenic properties, which together make its users easily agitated and randomly aggressive. Originally imported from Katapesh, pesh first became popular a century ago and remains one of the top drugs in Korvosa. A pesh addict is identifiable by his blood-shot eyes and frequent nosebleeds, as the fine powder is taken by snorting.
Qat: This mild stimulant causes euphoria in those who chew the leaves. Members of the military groups in Korvosa discovered the drug a few decades ago, using it before battle to make themselves fearless (but unruly) warriors. Once military leaders discovered qat, they moved to eradicate its use among the soldiers and marines. Today it is one of the least-used drugs in Korvosa, although many thieves’ guild members are heavily addicted to it.
Thileu Bark: Korvosa exports no more than 50 pounds of this strong and expensive spice a year. The bored youths of Cheliax took to snorting the hot powder up their noses. They claim it causes a hallucinogenic reaction, but their equally bored Korvosan cousins found it only to cause incredible pain and instead use the spice on food.
Sarenrae would probably understand why Litsy was stealing, but she'd disapprove and hope the girl changed her ways. Giorgio might be the "tool", as it were, that she uses to try to get Litsy to change. It's possible that he might have had conversations with her about Sarenrae's mercy and how she should turn toward the light rather than embracing the darkness. Just a thought.
That works well for me - they've met a few times, had some discussions about her life. He's offered her a different way when and if she's ready for it.
Hm. It occurs to me that if Giorgio's running around the Shingles, he should probably have a rank in Acrobatics or Climb. I might look into shifting some skills around, if that's alright.
I might look into shifting some skills around, if that's alright.
I have no problems with changes to crunch, as long as it's before we start rolling dice. Once the dice start flying, you'll need a really strong reason to rebuild a character.
You met, probably a few times in Kazadarin's last year as a Lamb. During that time he was more of a burglar than anything.
It's highly unlikely Gern has met or heard of any of you. However, some of you who have their ear to the ground about Lamm might have heard about Gern asking questions lately.
His brothers death is only a few months old, and Gern has been very systematically working his way to the name of the people responsible in that time. He's not overly intelligent, so its likely he's tipped his hand to someone on the lookout for mention of Lamm and his mob.
Feel free to add some type of connection to Gern through that if you like. It may even be that one of you found out it was Lamm's men who killed Gern's brother, and you were the one who told me about it. I could work that into my background easily enough, and it would go a long way towards setting a strong bond of friendship between the two characters.
Cheers
I'm more than happy to have Giorgio used as a go-between between any characters. I've set him up as a fairly social character; he can get almost anywhere, and is fairly comfortable in most social circles, plus he's well built for finding out things he's not necessarily supposed to.
Almost the opposite of Kazadarin socially.
Laijiri would have likely heard about Gern, in passing.
Giorgio, not so sure.
Alright, there's a few pre-existing connections. If you all want to keep working on them, go for it. I've been working on an intro post for the actual campaign thread, so when you're ready to start actually playing, let me know.
I'm good. Ready to start!
Also fine to me! I'm ready!
Alright, I'll wait a bit for others to check in, and probably open the campaign thread tonight or tomorrow morning.
Good to go here.
"Aye, twill be good ter swing mah axe agin. This scunner, Lamm, is goin' ter feel mah boot right in his nethers."
Alright, so I'm pretty certain I broke the campaign thread. I've sent something asking Paizo's people to help, so hopefully that'll all be sorted out. We'll start whenever it is.
I believe Laijiri is good to go.
Once the broken gets resolved - I, too, will be ready!
Okay, the thread exists now. I'll let you know when it's ready (the mods still have to clean it up from me trying to get it to work).
Seem to have missed quite a bit of discussion, and for that I apologize. Some info on my character is in order.
Cleric of Abadar who is a strong proponent of law. His daughter is missing and he has strong suspicion it has something to do with Lamm. He can be hard at times, but is a generally amicable fellow (LN, skewing more towards LG).
I'm not sure about character connections, but I don't see why he wouldn't know people, at least in passing.
If Aerodus has visited the Sarenrae temple, he might have seen Giorgio as a novice or trainee, there. Religious connections and all that.
Agreed. Though members of separate faiths, there might be some cross exchange on occassion.
Okay. Let's do it!
Aest, with Giorgio's Knowledges (local +5, religion +7), can you tell me what he might know about the card and/or the address written on it?
Knowledge Local
I'll be posting when I get home from work tonight between 12 and 1 Pacific.
No stress. I'd like to see a post a day, and I'll be more strict about it in combat, but as long as the game is moving and everyone is reasonably happy, I'm happy.