The Tragedy of Hero's (Inactive)

Game Master fnord72

Hello,

If you received a pm invite, say hello, feel free to ask any additional questions regarding your characters and we can get this ball rolling soon.

Hello,

Still working on the backstory, but all the crunch and stuff is done on this character

Yo, this guy is far from done but at least I have an avatar. Will be sending the DM a PM in a bit with some stuff.

Hello everyone!
I'll get everything ready for the GM in this profile by tomorrow :)
Also spoilers :)

Well I got the background up and some crunch. Still need to do gear and spells. Sorry if my writing is a little sucky, but I warn you its not short or at least did not feel that way. xD

Edit- DM Fnord how does the leadership feat work with you. I mean in terms of cohort and followers sense my score goes over the pathfinder table, do I use the 3e one?

I will look at the table, and post something that extends it. What are you including for your current score, and what do you have it at?

Well pure crunch and background below for leadership. No matter what its over the current table. xP

Base-26 (lvl+Cha)
Background-32 (lvl+Cha+great renown+fairness+special power+stronghold)

I think that my profile's sheet is finally complete!
Feel free to read Vanshoon's backstory and seek any mistake on the sheet :)
I think especially you, Gelein, should get quite a laugh while reading my background :D

EDIT: Gah! Missing Ophelia, my shadow! :/ Putting her in right now!

Its a good read Vanshoon, but one of my pet peeves is the whole god thing. I really dont see gods meeting people much less (I assume at the time) a unexceptional person, more so when its a god like Asmodeus given his history. Gelein never even got a face to face with him, nor would he want one as he currently is. He does know enough about Asmodeus and Hell. ;)

Anyways its very interesting. I kept thinking of the quote "And thus I clothe my naked villainy / With old odd ends stolen forth from holy writ/And seem a saint when most I play the devil." for some reason. xD

Still working on Gelein, once I get the word on leadership I can detail Ruby's Heart and my cohort. Should have the knowledge DC's up in a bit.

I wonder who else we will be getting and how we will all interact with each other.

Actually, Vanshoon was made some years ago for an adventure in which all the characters had to have ties with Asmodeus one way or the other, a mark or something for him to summon us and make us do his bidding. Also we were all above average adventurers, gifts from the Lord of Hell himself (just extra stat points much like the "epic 25 build points" in force here). He's been the last high level character I played and I missed him.
The god thing might be too much (although to be fair Asmodeus met the evil illusionist who was performing the ritual and was far more powerful, Vanshoon was just there to be a sacrificial soul, blame the illusionist for misreading the pact rules, not Vanshoon!) but then I told to myself: it's a freakin' epic game, where else would you expect to meet god-touched people anyway? :D
So, since I love the character and the concept I submitted the backstory (adapted for Golarion and Pathfinder) in hope of not having to change it and Fnord actually liked it.

<.<

>.>

Oh, and there's really NO link between V for Vendetta and V for Vanshoon!
...
Really, don't look at me that way! O.O

Seriously, Vanshoon was there before that film came out, but oh well, Batman and V are a good (if rough) approximation of Vanshoon anyway :)

I am going to use the table from ELH for leadership.

Now can Asmodeus, or one of his high ranking servants really be known for being fair? Fair is not the same as contractual, frequently the opposite. I would expect a common motto of Asmodeus' disciples to be "life's not fair, go cry to Desna. Note that the bonus is not for fairness, but for fairness and generosity. I did not see any current philanthropic endeavors in your background.

Wouldn't taking your followers off to a deserted island to set up shop fall under aloof?

I leave it to you to determine if you are cruel now, or in the future. So I see you with a +4 to your score, giving you a total of...

well, with half-fiendish as a template, you can't be 20 levels of cleric, so until you get that straightened out, I have you as a cleric 17, and a cha mod of +6, for a total of 17+6+4=27.

You can have a 15th level cohort (cohort is based on level's not CR). And followers of 190/19/10/5/3/2/1.

Please note that your followers will be background and have limited utility the majority of the time. Your cohort will also not always be with you, especially for the introductory piece.

That explains why you used Asmodeus that way. In pathfinder he is different. He never deals with mortals directly, he fundamentally hates them. Even the archdevils only meet him every 13 years. He is more the felt not seen type in Golarion.

Yeah I know I do way to much research. I blame my easy access to the book of the damned vol 1 and other books.

Btw that qoute is from shakesphare, they just used it in the film. But I know what you mean. Granted V's delivery is epic, for a masked guy he has presence you know. xD

I will be out of town over the weekend but will hopefully continue vetting character sheets and backgrounds sunday evening.

I know and see that there are some conflicting backgrounds, especially with Gelein and Vasoon, and I plan on using that within the first few weeks.

Please note that I do like character sheets that look like stat blocks. Look at some of my alts if you would like examples.

With the sheer amount of options available for characters at this level, copying and pasting racial abilities, class abilities, etc. to your profile and dropping them in spoilers will make it very easy for me.

I look forward to gaming with all of you, and I expect this to be fun for all. If I make any glaring errors, feel free to comment in the discussion page and I will modify the story as needed. Sometimes I may choose to keep it as it is since my impression of the world may be slightly different from what is printed.

Since we are all playing epic characters, I don't mind having a character having run into a deity (they can get glimpses of the future or prophecies after all).

Got ninja'ed by the DM xP

Fair and generosity, so taking everyone loyal with you to an island that you will be settling without charge does not count. They could have said no, they gained a new home without harsh rule or even any real investment on their part. That sounds fair and generous to me. Not to mention the temple he raised is the source of divine magic so the sick and injuried of the island are theirs to take care of.

As for aloofness I could understand that, he comes when called he just disagree's with the way Cheliax is run. That train of thought is unhealthy in Cheliax, so it was deal with endless assassins from House Thrune which you cant touch due to your god or put enough distance that your no longer considered a political threat.

Awaiting your PM about the fiendish thing, you did get mine?

I'll turn my sheet into stat blocks like yours sometime during this weekend then. I already copied pretty much everything, so it would be just a matter of reorganizing the stat blocks.
Can't wait to see who else will join us :)

Wait no longer Vanshoon!

Okay, so Hase is an avatar, a background and a collection of handwritten notes at the moment.
Before I post a stat block... with a Sorceror and a Cleric I see we might have a bit of overlap with a witch.
@Gelein: am I right in thinking you're not planning to cover a lot of healing?
@Derric: Witches get some awesome summoning spells, but I'll try to steer clear.
Anything else you'd like me to bear in mind?

Hello, everybody.

I don't know about going to cry to Desna, but you can certainly come cry to her ardent supporter Xara, Trip her feline-elven eidolon, and Fritz, her undetermined race and class cohort.

I am still undecided on what sort of cohort to create for Xara, and thought I could ask here. My current choices are an arcane duelist bard and a healing-centered cleric. I see we already have a full-classed cleric, so maybe the bard. Inspire courage at that level gets very interesting with as many critters as Xara can summon.

If anybody has any other suggestions for a good cohort, my ears are open. Do we perhaps need a basic fighter?

It looks like my leadership score re cohort is:

20 (level)+12 (Charisma)+2 (great renown; as she's bleeping 20th level, if that doesn't count as great renown, what does??)+1 (fairness and generosity; she created a bleeping demiplane just to house refugees from Golarion and all over the multiverse and lets them live in a Utopian Garden of Eden until they're ready to get on with their lives)-2 (has an eidolon) for a score of 33 (possibly 32 if she recruits a cohort of a different alignment, which she might if she goes bard).

For followers, she doesn't lose 2 for having an eidolon, and gains another 2 for having a base of operations (her plane), giving her a score of 37.

I am going for the support role so healing and some offensive spells just because I cant be without claws. But I dont mind sharing that role, you can never have too much healing.

See, arguing points works. you may pump your leadership by one more Gelein.

cohort remains 15 pending other changes, with followers of 220/22/11/6/3/2/1.

Cohorts use these stats, before race mod: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8.
They also get starting cash as an npc of their level, heroic.

I would prefer cohorts of the core/basic classes.

@Xara demiplanes that you create in back ground for others I won't worry about cost any more than Gelein's island and temple.

However, if you plan on using it as a residence or regular stopping place, then you will have to pay for it out of starting cash, and use permanency, which gets expensive, fast.

Your cohort may be level 18, and your followers are 460/46/23/12/6/3/2/1, this is at 33.

I would suggest, strongly, that followers are not calculated, and just added to background as to your general placement, roles, and use of them. When/if they come into play we will look at any specifically at that time.

I'm currently leaning towards the arcane duelist bard, as their ability o enchant their weapons helps me deal with my massively split-loot issue (880,000 gp doesn't go as far when it's split over three characters!!).

In case it effects anything, my cohort will likely be a female elven wizard. I even plan on putting a backstory up for her ;)

Yeah followers, island, and stuff are all background. At least for my guy they are sense that would clean me out easy. Asmodeus temples are not plain things you know. xP

@DM: with demiplanes, if cast to add a feature they are instantaneous. I had interpreted that as
(A) creating a demiplane requires permanency.
(B) expanding a demiplane requires permanency.
(C) altering an already cast demiplane (like adding a gate) does not require permanency.

Do you agree?
Yes, I too am looking at a demiplane, albeit not as ambitious as Xara's.

I did this before and if I was willing to part with the cash I would do it again. Have a instent fortress then using the greater create demiplane option have a portal inside it. That way you can pocket your demiplane and have a fortress to defend/attack from protecting your true hideaway.

Will we be able to take the new prestige classes coming out on the 16th in the Paths of Prestige book when we get there? I'm particularly looking at either the Blackfire Adept/Riftwarden right now.

I will have to wait until their on the pfsrd. So many books so little money. xP

Xara would not willingly use it as a base of operations once things get going, as that would create serious risk to its inhabitants. If she does go there, it will be purely for role-playing fluff, and if, down the road, circumstances arise that require them to use it regularly, I'll take a loot cut to make it permanent (only two castings, and not greater create demiplane, so it wouldn't be too bad). Is that fair?

I totally missed that bit about starting cash for the cohorts. Does that mean I don't have to use my own treasure to give to my cohort!? Sweet! The robe of eyes is back in!!

Cohorts are like NPC's so they have their own everything. Which means you should be careful, a spurned cohort can be dangerous ;)

yes, cohorts get their own loot, but they have restrictions on how much they get, and how much for each category, take a look at the srd on npc loot as guide based on what role the class fills.

I will rule on prestige classes/base classes, new spells, feats, etc when they are released, and generally once they are on the srd.

If the plane is just background then you dont need to pay for it. If you want the demiplane as a personal base/retreat/living quarters, then you would need to pay for it.

Hello Hase and Xara!
It looks like we'll be 5 characters plus 2 cohorts, not counting eidolons, shadows and other class granted companions... that makes for a rather big party!

Derric = Sorcerer
Gelein = Cleric
Vanshoon = Ninja/Shadowdancer
Hase = Witch
Xara = Summoner

I don't expect a lot of overlapping between Derric, Gelein and Hase: Both Hase and Gelein can choose their spells, so their repertory can be very different. Just look at Derric's spell list and prepare different spells :)

Wow, I'm the only non-spellcaster in group (although I have some SLAs), it will be interesting!

I think I'll ditch the rod of absorption to get my plane as a useful feature. It's not a big plane, so only 40,000 to make it permanent. It doesn't do what I first thought it did, anyway.

Leaves me 10,000 for more loot, too.

Yeah, I ditched my greater demiplane and SMIX for my character concept, which means I have an extra 31.5k left now.

Due to a few problems I may have to redesign my character. Dont worry still a cleric 20, just may not be the same god. I am looking at Abadar and Nethys mostly maybe Pharasma.

That would probably make things a lot easier with inter-party relations, too.

Although in my home games, I tend to portray Abadar as a lot more like Asmodeus, for example, than Erastil or Iomedae. Must be the blatant capitalism and mercantilism at all costs thing. Or maybe just because he's the god of lawyers.

I dont see how it was ever an issue. You cant dislike someone for what god they worship otherwise their would only be one god or none due to endless holy wars.

It's more distrust rather than dislike.

But there's a difference between distrusting (or disliking) somebody because they worship the god of justice instead of nature, and disliking somebody because they literally worship the devil. Just like the default when you meet a cleric of Iomedae is to assume they're good and pure (and not just a lawful neutral, "justice at all costs", hard ass), the default when you meet a cleric of Asmodeus is they're evil and sinister. And even when the cleric proves to not be that way himself, there's always still going to be that doubt in mind, waiting for the person's "true colours" to finally show.

Doesn't mean it wouldn't have worked, just that it would be harder to do, and the struggle might not have been the enjoyable "overcoming obstacles" role-playing. It's certainly easier than, for example, having a chaotic neutral cleric of Lamashtu.

I am leaning heavy towards Nethys with Abadar taking a backseat. Pharasma's undead taboo I find too limiting. More so when the chances of dealing with intelligent undead is high at these levels.

Hi all. I'm Fritz. Don't mind me, I'm just hanging about, coming with you folks on your great adventures. If you need me, just ask Xara, I'm sure she doesn't mind sharing me.

Please. Take him. I mean it. We don't mind.

He's all yours...

Boys...

LoL^3 @ Fritz, Trig and Xara

Yeah, roleplaying Vanshoon's struggle to deal with a cleric of Asmodeus in a non-"Illkillyouinyoursleep" fashion would have been interesting to say the least, I'm going to miss that part :)
However I think that a certain crumbled osirian spire might have something to do with Nethys if you want to follow that path and give Vanshoon a headache for his past deeds ^^ I guess that Vanshoon will chuckle for a moment (unseen) thinking about the awkwardness of the situation :D
Yeah, a Cleric of Nethys would certainly be very interesting to deal with!

Some details about Fritz that have come to mind...

He dances and sings. He has lots of training in singing (10 ranks), but for whatever reason, the gods did not bless him with a nice voice, so although he sings technically well (and can power his bardic performances with it), his singing isn't pleasant to the ears. He possesses a feat that, while he's singing, grants all allies within a certain distance an extra 1d6 of sonic damage on their weapon attack rolls, as well as natural weapons (nice boost for the critters and everyone else too - thundering sneak attacks anyone?).

Xara rescued him from somewhere (haven't decided yet). He's a follower of Desna, going wherever the winds take him. Trig is of the opinion that most of those winds come from him anyway, but that's neither here nor there. Trig is jealous of Fritz's connection with Xara (which will only deepen if the two start to realize a romantic attraction which may or may not happen). For Fritz's part, he enjoys tormenting Trig a bit with various canine references and comments about "go hack up a hairball", etc.

There are some interesting fifth and sixth level bard spells that I put on his list. Bard's escape is one, which basically lets him rearrange 9 allies plus himself on the battlefield into any arrangement he wants. The tactical uses of this spell, especially with a character who likes flanks, is staggering, especially since he also has tactical acumen which boosts flanking and positional bonuses by 3 (AC and attack rolls).

He also has brilliant inspiration which is like a fortune hex with a duration of 18 rounds (or until the target rolls a natural 20, whichever happens first). Massively powered spell given the number of attacks high-level characters get. He also has a couple save-or-suck spells at the high level that have partial or short-term effects on a passed save (which most creatures will be doing, as his DCs are pathetic). Also, you arcane casters, have a look at arcane concordance sometime. He's got it. You'll all love Fritz.

Mind letting me know about this spire. Is it from a pass game or module?

It's just what happened in that past adventure of Vanshoon, a homebrew campaign. It's all recorded in Vanshoon's backstory in my profile.

We were searching for this chalice artifact for Asmodeus in Mulhorand, which is the same as Osirion in Pathfinder. The chalice was hidden within the tomb of the first Pharaoh, which was Azghaad the All-Seeing in Osirion and it was protected by a vast assortment of magic, illusions, walls and traps. It seems that Osirion was established by a prophet of Nethys called Azghaad, so you get a possible reason for a cleric of Nethys to be interested in Vanshoon.
Azghaad's spire crumbled to the ground after the artifact was removed from his rest position in the hands of the mummified Pharaoh.
Vanshoon is the only one of that party who was seen (although just for a split second) barely outside the tower as it crumbled. Perhaps a high level cleric or diviner of Nethys could learn that with appropriate divinatory magic targeting that area and that precise instant in the past... Vanshoon didn't benefit from Asmodeus's protection from other deities' intervention since the tower collapse, for he refused the archdevil's last offer to safely teleport away in exchange for new favors on the devil's behalf.

Up to you if you happen to have investigated the fact thoroughfully (then you know that Vanshoon appeared just outside the tower as it was crumbling, before disappearing into the plane of shadows to not be seen again in Osirion), otherwise it's a CD 20 knowledge (local) check for 'rumors' that Vanshoon might have been involved.

Oh he knows and guess what.....he slept with your sisters as revenge. mwhahahahaha

JK but I may or may not play on it. Depends how I make him out to be. But I think it would depend on how Vanshoon went about it. I mean if he said it was soley because Asmodeus had him by the neck so to speak then he would just consider you a tool and so not at fault. If Vanshoon acts like it was a highlight moment and takes pride in what he did then thats another story.

Well, I rebuilt a bit of my character in order to prepare him for taking the Riftwarden prestige class. He now has leadership as a feat with a score of 33 (33 base-2 for familiar+2 for a base) (possibly 35 if you want to consider our characters to have great renown) most of them will be sort of Riftwardens-in-training.

Other changes- lost augment summoning and changed spell focus(conjuration) to spell focus(abjuration).

Whats a riftwarden?

One of the new prestige classes coming out on thursday, basically guardians against people that want to tear open holes in reality.

Let's just say that if Vanshoon could take back that chalice even if just to piss off Asmodeus, he would :) You're right in assuming that Vanshoon (and the rest of the party) was just, basically, had by the neck. Nothing personal against Osirion or Nethys. The other party members were much more... "actively enjoying" it though (especially Bolar and Bartmos), since they were all in the deep end of the alignment pool, so to speak. Vanshoon was, at the time, chaotic neutral and the only non-evil member of the party.
Now, surviving the crumble *after* denying the archdevil, THAT was a highlight moment he takes pride of (silently), because that was his very first moment of freedom and he made it outside of the crumbling tower in one piece (and a dim dozen hit points left if memory serves)!

Yeah Vanshoon will probably like Fritz, although it will be rare for Vanshoon to actually make full attacks, unless he's using Dimensional Dervish or another way to make sure he doesn't get eaten in retaliation afterwards.

"Shadow style demands that I stay hidden to study the enemy for a couple seconds and pinpoint his heart and vitals, before unleashing a single poisonous, deadly, magic eater strike which may also be deployed safely at range to hide afterwards.
Stealth and mobility are key for me, for the shadows are my main shield with wich I dance and I shall not deny them by fighting an enemy face-to-face in a honorable manner. Evil doesn't deserve to be fought with honour."