The Twice Dead Professor's Carrion Crown

Game Master gmpathfinder

I would like to see the GM post fairly frequently, at least twice a week and more if possible. I can probably post as often as 6 days a week, but would prefer closer to 3 or 4.

Like another poster said, I'm not trying to "beat the GM", but to have them facilitate a good story for me and the other players. And of course, give us the opportunity to act out our characters.

For example, Merric is far from a genius, and only has slightly above average wisdom, so you won't see him making complex tactical decisions in the middle of a rage, but he may just switch targets if he sees a companion take a monstrous hit. Of course, if it's someone he doesn't like very much, he may just be too angry to care...

For the game, I would like a higher emphasis on roleplaying and creative solutions, as opposed to pure tactical combat. My character won't be doing much (if any) diplomacy, but I would still like the opportunity to act out his dispositions/motivations.

Plenty of chances for RP, whether or not I'm the one doing it, and really more of a "living story" feel than 6 strangers smashing skulls. Not that Merric minds smashing skulls. He just prefers to do it among friends.

I would much rather see players treating combat as another chance to RP, rather than something to grind through. Obviously, some encounters will be straightforward "kill 'em all", but I would enjoy the chance to see others work their non-combat skills into avoiding (if it makes sense) fights, or solving them creatively.

Another thing I want to see players avoid is extensive metagaming, like in preparation of spells or using magic items. If you know that a certain kind of monster is immune to your abilities, but your character shouldn't, then you go ahead and burn a spell on it (if it makes sense).

Obviously, this isn't going to happen all the time (and too much is just stupid), but I think it adds a lot of flavor to a campaign to have a spellcaster fling what he thinks is going to severely hamper an opponent, only to have him laugh and shrug it off, seemingly with no effect.

As a rule of thumb, I'd like to see stats and powers explained IC, because I feel like it adds a lot to the character. Obviously, with spells it's a little more difficult, but things like Merric's rage or a stat dropped to 7, both deserve a decent explanation, as well as flavor that somehow affects RP. By extension, if you've got 20 in a stat, you had better realize that you're basically a god by mortal standards, when it comes to that stat.

Oh and decent grammar is a must. You don't have to be an English teacher, but at least capitalize your sentences and put periods at the end. No "netspeak".

Kyras was born in Erages, a small fisher village of half-elves in the otherwise elven nation of Kyonin. His life there was quite dull, mostly fishing and practising archery, and he ferquently took part into smuggling operations as a way to alleviate it.

One day a smuggler ship arrived carrying, instead of the usual narcotics or stolen goods, a group of Pathfinders. The pathfinders were seeking to explore the tunnels under the ruins upon which Erages was built, but due to the enmity between Kyonin and the Pathfinder society, they had to be smuggled in and the preparations for the journey to the notoriously dangerous tunnels had to be done in secret.

The group included Aelia Abbascia, a Chelaxian and a devout follower of Shelyn. Kyras became infatuated with her the moment they first met, and as passed on and they learnt to know each other she started to slowly reciprocate these feelings. She found him slightly callous at times and he found her a little stuffy sometimes, but otherwise they were like made for each other.

Whatever dreams of a future together they had did not last for long, though. Information about the operation had reached the ears of people who did not appreciate at the slighest the Pathfinder's actions, and who decided to make an example of the expedition to dissuade further excursions by the society.

That fateful day Kyras was delivering the final batch of supplies to a camp well hidden at the outskirts of the town, only to find it razed down and the expedition dead. He rushed to find Aelia, but all hope was ejected from his soul as he saw her lying on the ground, her chest pierced by an arrow. Driven over the line by his sorrow, he took a dagger from his belt and plunged it into his chest.

His story did not end there, however. Instead of joining the love of his life in death, he got a vision. A vision of an endless ocean, a dagger, and a crying eye. Something that he would normally had dismissed as a hallucination, would it not be that the blood from the self-inflicted wound forming a similar pattern as it flowed. Startled by this, he removed his dagger, which fortunately had not hit any vital parts.

For the next night, he restlessly guarded the body of the person who he had, maybe the . As the sun rose, he realized that he could no more bear being in the land that had stolen his dreams from him, and boarded the next ship crossing the lake Encarthan, one which was heading to the haunted nation of Ustalav.

Kyras himself does not remember much of the months following his arrival in Ustalav, as he was trying to forget his sorrows and drown them into cheap alcohol. The odd vision he had seen haunted him through the whole period, and after he had gotten over the worst, he decided to decrypt it's secrets, and headed to the University of Lepidstadt.

While not a natural scholar, he managed to pass the admittance examination by the sheer willpower that he put on studying. Though his studies progressed only moderatly at best, he managed to attract the attention of Professor Lorrimor with his thought-out questions when the Professor was giving a lecture in Lepidstadt. In the rare occasions that Lorrimor was not travelling through the Inner Sea region, they often had long discussions about the subjects of religion and philosophy. But always when Kyras asked about the nature of his vision, the professor sidestepped the question.

Kyras did not give up the subject, however, and Lorrimor finally gave up shortly before the graduation of Kyras. Identifying his vision as the holy symbol of Naderi, the goddess of romantic tragedy, suicide, and drowning, the professor reluctantly pointed him towards a priest of her that he had interviewed for his research. Shortly after graduating, Kyras headed out to meet the priest.

The priest held that the Lost Maiden was calling Kyras to her service, and asked him to search his soul to confirm this. After a day and a night of quiet contemplation, Kyras too came to this conclusion, and returned the next day to the priest to be formally intiated to the priesthood of Naderi.

When the letter telling about the professor's demise arrived to him, he was travelling through Ustalav, trying to help lovers separated by society's restrictions and administering the last rites of the followers of Naderi to those who have died by their own hand or by drowning.

STR: 15 DEX: 14 CON: 11
INT: 10 WIS: 15 CHA: 16

Feats: Improved Channel
Traits: Teacher's Pet, Sacred Conduit, Ancestral Arms (Alternate racial trait, replaces Adaptability.)

Domains: Souls, Love
Channels positive enegry.
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The primary roles of Kyras are to blast undead with his channeling (later maybe turning them against each other?) and supporting the party with buffs, healing, and other spells.

With his natural charisma, he can also act as a secondary face and use a longbow in a pinch.

Also, I'll be the first to admit that the Sacred Conduit trait is there purely because of the mechanical benefit. If you are going to use channeling offensively, you need every DC boost you can get.

I am currently trying to recreate the Gun Mage from Iron Kingdoms in Pathfinder as an Andoran agent in Ustalav. This character is a down to earth, people's champion type. Without ties to the major players in the area, he works directly for the people.

My inspiration is virtually every Andoran soldier picture in pathfinder - the blue uniform, the eagle imagery, etc. I've found some other pictures out there that are interesting, so I'm not completely set right now.

I'm bouncing back and forth between the Wizard archtype "Spellslinger", the Magus archtype "Myrmidarch", an Eldritch Knight PrC or abandoning the gun and going Arcane Archer. I'm also looking at possible Inquisitors, but that is pretty much last in line.

I have been avoiding the non-magical paths of rogue, ninja, fighter or gunslinger because I think I'll be happier with a caster.

I hope that the game I join will share its focus between roleplaying and mechanics - incorporating both rather than sacrificing one or the other. I also would like to have a DM that accepts my ideas for where I'd like to take the character while staying true to their own vision of the world.

At risk of sounding too black and white, it seems to me that a game that falters and dies due to lack of interest is worse than one that never got started. I want the game to continue, even if I am not a part of it for whatever reason. Everyone involved, both the players and the DM, put a lot of themselves into every character they make, every encounter they run and every game they join. I want to see that hope and faith in our shared hobby rewarded for all involved.

The other players in the games I am currently playing bring exactly what I want to the table - the same love of the game that I have. They are passionate about their characters and I like that their passion helps craft the world that I get to play in. Pen and Paper Roleplaying is not about mechanics, grinding levels or doing repetitive quests - it is about working together to craft a shared vision greater than that crafted by any single individual.

Unusually for an elf, Maraedlara was born in the city of Caliphas, the capital of Ustalav. Her parents were exiled from Kyonin centuries ago, for reasons they took to their grave rather than share with the daughter they doted upon. Making an unhappy home in the foggy, claustrophobic streets of Caliphas, the family found a vocation. The wan, fitful sunlight was poor for growing things, but Maraedlara’s parents had patience and skill lacking in their human neighbours. On the little rooftop terrace of their damp townhouse, they coaxed to life flowers of beauty unknown in Ustalav. To the people of Caliphas, starved of colour and things of nature, the flowers became highly prized, and for almost a hundred years these ‘elfblooms’ graced the parlours of the wealthy.
Then in 4617, drooling flu claimed the lives of the elder Veirerles, leaving Maraedlara an orphan. Although still a child by elven standards, she was older than most of her human customers and in her eyes far cleverer. She continued to grow and sell flowers, burying her loneliness deep down.
Then one day Professor Lorrimor walked into her little shop. The wise old scholar instantly recognised just how young and vulnerable this prideful little elf girl was. He made a point of visiting Maraedlara whenever he was in Caliphas, and over the next few years a friendship grew between them.
Lorrimor cultivated Maraedlara’s love of nature, encouraging her to study the druidic arts with old texts and stories. The elf expanded her garden to grow herbs such as wolfsbane, garlic and other plants harmful to the dark creatures that haunted Ustalav. Through Lorrimor’s contacts, Maraedlara’s emporium became a port of call not only for housewives hoping to brighten their table with flowers, but for adventurers seeking rare plants as protections or spell components.

Maraedlara is not an adventurer, at least not yet. Grieved as she is by news of Lorrimor’s death, she can’t deny the excitement she feels to be closing up shop and leaving Caliphas, the city that has been home all her life. She has been drifting since her parents passing, growing increasingly disillusioned and the flow of adventurers passing through have only heightened her curiosity about the world beyond Caliphas’ world.

Despite a life spent amongst human civilization, Maraedlara retains the aloofness so typical of her race. With the sole exception of Lorrimor, she has never had a friendship with a non-elf, and has barely met any elves excepting her own parents. She firmly believes in her own abilities, and doesn’t admit, even to herself, that those abilities have never really been tested. She is patient and thoughtful, but also indecisive, and the adventure ahead may prove to her just how sheltered her life has been.

What are your expectations from the GM/game?
Assertiveness. There are times when calls have to be made to move the story along or rule calls that need to be made on the fly. Combat can drag out if a GM waits too long for players to post their actions. For PBP campaigns, I greatly prefer when GM's roll initiatives for everyone, so we can get the combat moving along. I like it when the GM groups similar initiatives into "groups" to help keep combat moving along.

What are your expectations from other players?
No matter how dark / brooding your character may be, try to make the character get along well with the other party members.

With family roots reaching back to the distant lands of Tian Xia, this Kitsune is no stranger to the lust and curiosity of seeking the new and exciting.

It had been a fateful night years past when Kiwyn had first crossed paths with the man known as Professor Petros Lorrimor. Admist the trees of Darkmoon Vale, along the Andoshen River, something had been crawled from the Darklands to trouble the logging community of Falcon’s Hallow. Prof Petros stumbled across Kiwyn while investigating the forest near the town and mistaken her for the creature hunting the locals.
A quick exchange between the two left the professor believing her innocence and he let her go. His hunt left him in the path of a small serpentfolk cult. Returning the favor from before, the young Kywin helped the professor escape. She offered additional aid but Prof Petros realized her inexperience and did not want to endanger her further.
Prof Petros dealt with the threat and returned to thank the kitsune. In the following years Kiwyn exchange several correspondents with the professor who encouraged her to pursue her interest in the arcane and eventually to become a wizard.

On her own, Kiwyn realize on her quick mind and nimble feet to survive. Using her blossoming magic skills to aid her where her lack of physical strength fails her.

On the long, lonely road she has traveled her mind sometimes wonders to strange or humorous wonderings. Once she even imagined what kind of furniture she would become if a rival magic-wielder took offense to her and wanted to leave her in a less threatening state. A footstool she decided: small and often overlooked, yet infinitely useful in many ways. And, if one was not careful, could be the cause of serious harm and damage. She added with a mischievous laugh.

(ooc: I’ve played with several groups in different games over the years and I think a good DM should in the end simply be fair and thoughtful. I tried it once myself on a rp-board to only minor success. Sometimes miscommunications happen and the DM may have to mediate or make a judgment call. Not all of the players may like it, but the DM is the final word on the matter and the players in the end must accept that.
Burden of story progression should not lay solely on the DM either. It is up to us as the players to give input and be the story while the DM offers flavor and challenges. We will have to shape the world together.

And I think that little bit of rambling has answered both questions, I hope without and insults to anyone.)

(ooc: As for being a kitsune in these lands. Kiwyn attempts to hide her true form as best she can. If found in her natural from she will attempt to cover it up with an explanation that it is magic she is practicing and change back to her human form as quickly as possible. If her truth is out right discovered, well it will be interesting to see how that pans out since her reaction will have to reflect the circumstances of her outing.)

Garin Veacali- cavalier
Magnauk Hailstraum: barbarian
Stefan: fighter
Fenru – Barbarian
Meric Bonemeal- Barbarian
Adventurer #33 – Axel Kinslayer Fighter
Adalwin Baldomar – inquisitor
Maraedlara Veirerles: Druid
Malkan - Oracle
Gilda Kvartzfolly: Cleric
Old Mammoth: Kyras Cathasaigh - Cleric
Edrik Nobel: Paladin
Irnk Changling paladin
Kor: Zhaal Ruul paladin
Darcy – Rogue
Shel- Rogue
Vivian Deberth- rogue
Caladrel: Alchemist
Vachordi the gassy: Bard
Nylissa: sorcerer
Kaldur Vex: Summoner
Spacefurry: Kiwyn- Kitsune – Wizard
Jakira: Sorcerer
Esme- wizard/gunslinger
Lilian Elendryl – Wizard

Full Name: Zerad Nakal
Race: Changeling
Class: Summoner
Gender: female
Size: 4'10” 110lbs
Age: 17
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Deity: Sarenrae
Location: Ustalav
Languages: Common, Elven
Occupation: none

Strength 10
Dexterity 14
Constitution 12
Intelligence 12
Wisdom 10
Charisma 18

Zerad Nakal has lived alone for several months now, even though she has only recently reached the age of majority. She was raised as an only child in the woods between Tamrivena and Ravengro. Her mother was a druid, and her father was a ranger, and both were very suspicious of the outside world. Zerad later realized that their suspicions might have had to do with their proximity to both Gallowspire and Belkzen, but it could also have had to do with the fact that they weren't her parents.

Zerad's life changed the day her home was attacked. It was sometime after dark, and she was getting ready for bed when a couple of undead creatures burst through the door of the cabin. Her parents fought valiantly, and slew the beasts, but the green hag that entered afterward dispatched them both. Zerad watched the whole thing through the door from the bedroom, and the hag caught her while trying to escape through the window. New undead appeared at each of the rooms exits, and the hag sat across from Zerad and spoke with her as though they were aquaintences. She explained that she was Zerad's real mother, and that it was time for Zerad to embrace her destiny. The hag claimed that Zerad would become a hag herself, and that she had come to see the process along. In an attempt to convince Zerad, she used her magic to morph into a young woman, apparently only a few years older than Zerad. She explained that Zerad didn't need to worry about losing her youth or beauty, as it would always be within her grasp.

Zerad heard very little of it, she was lost within the horror of the moment, and what little she did hear she refused to believe. In truth, she was waiting for the beast to kill her, and hoping against hope that it would be quick and painless. At one point, she found herself missing the mundane terrors she'd experienced only hours before: fears of deep water and spiders, rather than the loss of her parents, the undead, or hideous beasts claiming blood relation to her. Apparently something heard her plea, because no sooner had she imagined the tarantula that had frightened her the day before than a spider identical but Zerad's size appeared behind the hag and attacked her, bowling her over in surprise. Zerad seized the moment, escaping through the front room, grabbing her father's sword as she went and ran from the house, mindlessly slashing at whatever might get in her way. She ran until she was too exhausted to continue, and then found an alcove to hide in as sleep overtook her.

She awoke the next morning hungry, cold and tired, and she realized that she didn't have anything she would need to provide for herself, she barely even knew what she would need, especially since her father's sword had apparenlty been lost in her flailing. She slowly made her way back to the cabin, dread nearly overtaking her, where she found no sign of the hag or its undead servants, though the discovery of her parents' bodies wiped away Zerad's hunger. She spent what was left of the day burying her parents, though she just dumped the other corpses somewhere out of sight, careful to not touch them with bare skin. After eating something she found in the house, Zerad went back to a fitful sleep, fearing that the hag would return. That night she dreamed of the spider she'd seen, and to add to the whimsy of it, it spoke to her. The spider introduced itself as Igorath, a name Zerad found eerily appropriate for an overly large tarantula, and it said it was there to protect her. Igorath told her that she had called him into being, and that he would return the favor by serving her as long as she wished. When she awoke, she found the spider next to her bed, watching over her the way a pet dog would. She was repulsed by the sight of it, though remembering the dream, she pushed aside her revulsion and held out her hand, touching the creature. Over the next few weeks, the pair built a rapport, Igorath would handle the hunting, and Zerad would find whatever edible plants her mother had taught her of, though she remained hesitant to touch Igorath. For whatever it was worth, he seemed to understand.

She met Professor Lorrimor on her first trip to town after what happened. He sensed immediately that she was an out of towner, and offered to help her find her way. He made small talk alon the way, clearly wanting to ask more, but never actually doing it. The way he watched her forehead, he was obviously curious about the mark on it that Zerad had never noticed. They became an odd set of friends, a sheltered girl no older than seventeen, and an old scholar, whenever she was in town for whatever reason, she sought him out to speak with him.

Eventually, she asked Lorrimor of his work, and he mentioned that he was interested in cataloguing the mosters of Ustalav, among other things. It was then that she told him of her parents, an edited version, anyway. She made no mention of the hag, or of Igorath. She even took him to see the corpses she'd disposed of, now too decomposed to be of anhy use, but still. On another occasion she asked the Professor about hags, in as hypothetical a sense as she could muster, she asked him if hags were born human. She had tried to sound as though the question was curiosity, though she couldn't help the way her face flushed when he told her that it had been known to happen. It was not long after that the Professor had passed on, apparently he had made a note of the general location of her cabin when he'd been by there. Zerad was nearly devestated, to lose her parents so suddenly, and then the one friend she'd made, all the while being saddled with the knowledge that she was the child of a monster. She immediately packed her things and headed to Ravengro, not really intending to return. Her immediate assumption was that Lorrimor was killed by the hag, in an effort to keep her isolated, and so she plans on heading to Lorrimor's house to offer her apologies to Kendra for being responsible for the loss of her father, and then move on, possibly to the Hold of Belkzen, so that when she becomes a monster, she will at least be preying on orcs.

Zerad is in a strange place in her head. She thinks, possibly correctly, that she has lost everything that had meaning to her. He is a fine protector and provider, but Igorath is a cold comfort for losing her family. On top of that, she has become fairly paranoid, given that she hasn't seen the hag that killed her parents since that night, despite the beast having an apparent interest in her. Because of this, she has come to believe that she is becoming a hag without any intervention, as though it were some kind of disease of the blood that she can't escape. She is terrified that someone will discover her secret, and at the same time desperate to find someone who can help. In addition, there is the matter of Igorath; she knows nothing of Summoners, Lorrimor dropped hints that he had some idea of what was different about her, but he is no longer available. She has no idea why she can cast spells, or why a very large, intelligent spider is looking out for her. And why a spider? She can still barely muster up the courage to smash one beneath her boot, and yet one is her closest, and now only companion? As a result of all of this, she is understandably shy, and especially hesitant to talk about herself.

Perception +4 (Igorath)
Initiative +2

Saves
-Fortitude +1
-Reflex +2
-Will +2

AC/Flatfoot AC 16/14
Touch AC 12

CMB +0
CMD 12

Hit Points: 9

BAB +0
To Hit (ranged) +2
Speed: 30ft

3 skill points per level

Diplomacy +10 (1 rank +4Cha +3 In Class +2 Illuminator)
Spellcraft +5 (1 rank +1Int +3 In Class)
Use Magic Device +8 (1 rank +4Cha +3 In Class)

Traits:
Illuminator: +2 to diplomacy, and it becomes a class skill.
Subject of Study (Undead): +1 to damage rolls against creatures of this type

Race Abilities:
Natural Armor: +1 Natural Armor Bonus
Claws: 2 claw attacks (1d4)
Darkvision: 60ft
Object of Desire: +1 casting level when using Charm Person and Charm Monster

Class Abilities:
Cantrips
Eidolon: Spider
Life Link: Summoner can sacrifice hit points to keep Eidolon from being damaged
Summon Monster 1: 7 times a day

Feats:
Spell Focus (Conjuration): +1 to difficulty class for all saving throws against selected school

Cantrips Known
Detect Magic, Guidence, Message, Mage Hand

Level 1 (2 per day)
Level 1 Spells Known
Grease, Mage Armor

Light Crossbow 35gp 1d8 19-20/X2 80ft 4lbs P
Bolts (50) 5gp 5lbs

Studded Leather 25gp +3 +5 ACP -1 30ft 20lbs

Spell Components Pouch 5gp 2lbs

Str 14
Dex 14
Con 13
Int 7
Wis 10
Cha 11

Size: Medium
Speed: 50ft

AC/Flatfoot AC: 16/14
Touch AC: 12

BAB: +1
CMB: +3
CMD: 15

Attacks: Bite
To Hit: +3
Damage: 1d6 + 3 (1.5 * Strength bonus)

Saves:
Fortitude +3
Reflex +4
Will +0

Skills
Bonus Class Skills: Acrobatics, Survival, Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana)
4 per level

Perception +4 (1 rank +3 In Class)
Stealth +6 (1 rank +3In Class +2Dex)
Acrobatics +6 (1 rank +3In Class +2Dex)
Survival +4 (1 rank +3In Class)

Feats
Power Attack: -1 to hit for +2 to damage

Abilities
Darkvision: 60ft
Link: share magic item slots, and communication across any distance is a free action
Share Spells: any spell targeting 'you' can be cast on Eidolon at touch range, even if the spell wouldn't affect a creature of the Eidolon's type.

Evolutions
Bite (free)
Limbs (legs) 2 (free)
Limbs (legs) (costs 2EP)
Improved Natural Armor (costs 1EP)

Expectations from GM: I expect a game that takes advantage of thebackstory for the character I built, and offers an equal opportunity for everyone to shine.

Expectations from players: To react to the things that happen as their characters would, not like the Buddy Bears (if you are too young to get the reference, here you go, it's only ten seconds long, they just repeated it to make it five minutes). I'm not looking to derail the game or anything, but there are things that really should raise questions that all too often are glossed over in the interest of party unity.

I started playing rpg 15 years ago with GURPS and AD&D. It is a hobby that I greatly enjoy and I still have my real life party once a week. I usually manage to post at least once a day everyday but sometimes I travel during weekends. About a year ago I started to play in this site and have been part of a couple campaigns.

What are your expectations from the GM/game?
I expect the GM to be fair in his judgment, to manage to post regularly and to advance the plot and keep the pace of the campaign. From the game I just expect it to be fun. I really like horror stories.

What are your expectations from other players?
I expect them to be polite, even when in conflict due to role playing to manage to keep things civilized in the OOC discussion thread. I expect them to post regularly and I would like them to be good roleplayers.

A pale moon only dimly illuminated the menhirs of the Spiral Cromlech. A low gray slab leaned drunkenly in the center of the clearing, one corner dug deep into the fertile soil, it’s opposite number pointing towards the heavens. The young elf girl chained to the slab struggled futilely, her breath coming in choked gasps around a leather gag.

The shadows of the giant monoliths lengthened as the moon set, together seeming to reach out with creeping fingers toward the girl. By the time the shambling figures, half man and half fish, entered the circle, she was barely conscious, exhausted from her struggles and unable to get sufficient breath around the leather strap. Her eyes snapped open however when the first webbed hand caressed her thigh. Looking around the circle at the narrow heads with bulging eyes, the scream that started deep in her throat would continue well after she was found the next morning.

Months later, her husband would return from far Caliphas, bearing a tiny babe in his arms. The result of a bitter miracle, Doctor Trice had saved her, freeing her from her mother’s womb as the elven woman clawed out her own throat. Born two whole months prematurely, the grip of her right hand was exceptionally weak as she clutched the lapel of her father’s coat. Absent-mindedly stroking her fine red hair, he decided to name her Lavinia, after his bride, spirited from their bed on her wedding night.

Lavinia leaned against the low table in the very back of the hall, trying to avoid Professor Lorrimor’s gaze from across the room. Her enthusiasm for the visiting professor’s lecture on aether transference had cooled rapidly just minutes after he took the podium. Sighing in resignation, she wondered if he’d come just to see her. Someone had certainly pointed her out to him as his eyes followed her no matter where she went.

Hurrying out during intermission, she headed for the Brazen Skull, hoping to find at least some solace in a mug of cheap ale. The empty tavern was peaceful for once, with all the students at the lecture auditorium. Kaysia gave her a wondering look but kept wisely silent while delivering a watered ale, on the house. The place would be packed in an hour, drunken students alternately singing or fighting until the early hours of the morning. No matter how drunk or rowdy the place became however, there was always one table in the back, occupied by a young elven girl, that no one approached.

It was well after three in the morning when she left the Skull for home. While not drunk, she certainly was exhausted and so picked her way carefully down the cobblestone streets. Alerted by the sound of low voices from the alley ahead, she allowed her vision to shift into the other spectrum. All color drained from the world around her as objects in the darkness sprang into view. Sticking her head around the corner, she spied a man at the far end, hiding in the darkness.

Another man approached the mouth of the alleyway at the far end, seemingly unaware of the figure lurking in wait. A curse almost escaped her lips when the world around her suddenly slowed, coming almost to a standstill between breaths. She lept into the alley as everything around her slowly resumed motion. Running swiftly to the far end, her book satchel slammed into the knifeman’s head just as he rose to attack his victim. Relieved, she decided to bless her heritage just this once, thankful for the preternatural sense of danger she sometimes received. Her relief was short lived however as she looked up, her eyes meeting those of Professor Lorrimor, the would-be victim.

Lavinia is a pale elf with some notable differences. Like all of her kind, her pupils are large and prominent. In the dark however, they gain a pearly sheen, like oil on a rainy street, as her eyes shift into the darkvision spectrum.

Additionally, she radiates a detectable aura of "otherness" that makes others, both people and animals, uncomfortable. While hard to pin down, it has something to do with her movements, and how they always seem to begin before their evident stimulus. He hand will already be moving before the glass falls from the table or she will step to the side right before a carriage comes barreling through.

Lavinia has the alternate racial abilities of Elven Darkvision and Lightbringer. This gives her darkvision with the same penalties as a drow, but then removes those penalties with Lightbringer. I use this to represent her unnatural heritage and is responsible for the sheen of her eyes.

Lavinia also has a +8 to initiative, which I am representing as a form of "danger sense". She does not necessarily move faster than everyone else, she simply gets a split second head start when something is about to happen.

I would really like to take one of the Oracle curses to represent her heritage and have it grow as she levels. I think that this, more than anything, would illustrate her alien nature. I looked at both the dark tapestry oracle and the aberrant sorcerer, but my vision (as evidenced by the character picture) was a wizard studying forbidden lore in the library, and so I stuck with it.

There is something wrong with Lavinia, and she knows it. Hearing about her from a collegue, Doctor Lorrimor came to Leipstadt to study her but found her distant and unreceptive. Tired of unwelcome attention, she refused his offer, despite saving him from a thug in an alleyway.

Lavinia is distant and finds it very difficult to get to know other people. Too many people have pulled away from her in fright upon discovering her oddities and she does not wish to be hurt again.

Lavinia has begun to hear voices when all is quiet around her. Unable to tell whether these voices are merely her conscience, her better judgement, or some outside influence, she has been afraid of them. As she withdraws further from other people however, she has begun to pay the voices more heed.

The masters of the Dark Tapestry pursue an unknown agenda through an unfathomable plan designed by alien minds. Lavinia is sometimes led to perform actions which she does not understand, but does anyway. As the voices become louder, this behavior will become more pronounced.

My expectations for the DM are to keep play balanced, proceeding at a decent rate, and engaging for all the characters selected. I feel the DM is also responsible for ensuring that all players keep to regular updates and that anyone who becomes unable to do so is replaced or removed in a way that allows the adventure to continue. It is also the responsibility to the DM to set the tone of the campaign and to strive to maintain a balance where the adventure is more than a simple dungeon crawl but also that a month doesn't go by without the sweet sound sound of a metaphorical die hitting a metaphorical table.

I expect the players to work together and co-operate towards the achievement of a common goal. This does not mean everyone always has to agree, in fact the best role play situations often come out of player-player disagreements, but it does mean that if four of five members want to explore the goblin cave, the fifth member shouldn't be adamantly trying to steal from every merchant in town. Also, players are responsible for their own posting rate. If they find that they are, or will be, unable to keep up with the rest of the group, they have a responsibility to say so allowing an alternate to be chosen.

I have been playing D&D 3.5 for about eight years now (off and on as a group schedule would allow) but have only recently discovered Pathfinder and role playing via PBP. It is a format I have enjoyed tremendously in the past and very much look forward to continuing. I am able to post every day, sometimes more, barring unforeseen situations. As many have mentioned above, I would be overjoyed to be considered an alternate if not initially selected, though when not actively participating in a campaign my activity on the forums drops considerably.