Whatever your motivation, whatever your crime, whatever little spark sets you apart from "them", you've been deemed not to belong in the righteous utopia that Talingarde strives to be. It's a hollow lie and you know it. In fact, perhaps the very cirme you committed was in trying to expose their hypocrisies and their own crimes. They aren't righteous, they're self-righteous, and for not fitting their vision you have been sentenced to a swift and merciful death, perhaps the salt mines if you're lucky. Or unlucky, perhaps. The axe gives you a freedom that the tight shackles dug into your wrists make you long for.
But before you can know its cleaving liberation, you must toil away three more days within this horrible cell. Damp, dismal, and almost oppressive in its bleak greyness. Your bindings are too tight, and the your arm burns with the runic F that was branded into your arm upon arrival. That's why they call the prison Branderscar, too lacking in imagination to think of anything better. Its rigid walls have never once given way to a prisoner, each who occupied this cell before you met with their fate hopelessly. There is no escape from Branderscar, and you've now three days before you in which to accept your fate and meet your death honourably. Or, if you would prefer, kicking and screaming obscenities up toward the sky in one last act of defiance.
Lurking within the murky shadows of the future though, is a third option. A sort of freedom you can't even fathom in this awful prison. Though you don't yet know it, fate is conspiring to give you not only another chance at life, but the opportunity for vengeance. For power. To burn down everything the zealous worshippers of Mitra have ever strode toward and rebuild something upon its ashes. A difficult path, and one fraught with danger and its own twisted needs, but rewards nonetheless await those willing to walk the way of the wicked.
I'm looking to start up a Way of the Wicked game using gestalt rules. For those not familiar with it, Way of the Wicked is an AP written by Fire Mountain Games that sees you playing a villainous character rising up against the righteous and Good nation of Talingarde. Your character is, to be blunt, evil, in some capacity. I will detail more about which manner of evil I'm looking for below, but being evil is not an excuse for mindless game-derailing violence or stealing from the party; your villain has to have some manner of principles, if nothing else. Since I wish to run a fairly roleplay-heavy version with a lot of focus on the characters, these villains ought to be fleshed out and compelling.
Gestalt opens up a lot of room for high powered games, yes, but you will not be facing the original versions of the enemies listed in the book. Any characters with class levels will likewise be gestalt as well, and where class levels are not suitable solutions for balancing enemies, other, tougher monsters will take their place. You are trying to dismantle a powerful kingdom after all, and a feeling of desperation and like the deck is stacked against you is vital to how I want this to be done, tonally, so don't expect to breeze through anything simply because of the gestalt rules.
What is Talingarde?
Talingarde is the most virtuous, peaceful, noble nation in the world today. This land is ruled by King Markadian V called the Brave of House Darius. He has only one heir – the beautiful princess Bellinda. This benevolent monarchy is heavily intertwined with the Church of Mitra, the Shining Lord. You are from Talingarde. This is your home. You have lived here your entire life. And if they gave you half a chance, you would have your revenge on all of them.
Who is Mitra?
Mitra, the so-called Shining Lord, is the god of the sun, bravery, honor, justice, charity and other such pusillanimous rubbish. The Church of Mitra is the preeminent religion of Talingarde these days. The Knights of the Alerion, the elite warriors of Talingarde, are a Mitran order. The monks of St. Macarius, who travel the land healing the sick and the helping the needy, are also a Mitran order. The House of Darius, the royal family of Talingarde, are devout followers of Mitra. It wasn’t always this way. Before the Darians took over, Talingarde worshipped an entire pantheon of deities. Preeminent among those deities was Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, Lord of Ambition and Order. Now it is forbidden to worship Asmodeus. To do so is to be condemned. The Mitrans destroyed all the Asmodean temples and burned his books and priests. There are no followers of Asmodeus anymore in Talingarde – at least none you know of. Devout Mitrans will not say the name Asmodeus. He is simply “The Fallen” or “The Enemy”.
How did they catch me?
You tell me. You must pick a crime (there is a list provided below) that you were condemned for. They are only two requirements – you got caught and you really did it. It’s not surprising that the Talireans (the people of Talingarde) caught you, though. Talingarde is a fiercely lawful and good society. Crime (especially heinous crime like yours) is not tolerated.
1) You will start at 1st level in two classes, as noted in the gestalt rules
2) 25 point buy
3) All core races are allowed, as well as Aasimar, Catfolk, Changeling, Dhampir, Fetchling, Ifrit, Kitsune, Orc, Oread, Sylph, Tiefling, and Undine.
3.1) Aasimar and Tieflings may roll on the table for alternate class features. Aesthetic additions may be taken without rolling in whichever number you'd like, to make your characters individual and fit whatever you'd like them to.
3.2) For Aasimar specifically, I insist that any players looking to play one consider the divine heritage that comes with the race, and perhaps how to tie that in thematically to their character.
4) All classes are allowed, and all archetypes except for Synthesist Summoner, which especially in a gestalt game just seems like too much. Unchained versions of core classes are also on the table.
4.1) Antipaladins are Lawful Evil, and any class features dealing with chaos are adjusted to law according.
4.2) Aside from Antipaladin, all alignment restrictions are lifted.
4.3) Characters who choose a deity must choose a Lawful Evil one. Asmodeus is the easiest, but if not, said character should be another Devil who, concievably, is answering to the Prince of Darkness. This is very important, as oaths will need to be sworn in-game to Asmodeus, and while anyone under his purview ought to be fine, a NE deity wouldn't like it nearly as much, and it could cause problems.
5) Content from all Paizo books are allowed. For Unchained specifically, we will not be using any variant rules beyond classes, largely due to not wanting to make the book a requirement for those intersted in playing.
6) Third-party content is allowed on a case by case basis, but restricted only to archetypes, spells, feats, and items.
7) Two traits, one of which must be a crime trait taken from the list further down. You may take a drawback to gain a third feat.
8) No starting gold or equipment; you begin with nothing but the prison rags on your back. Prepared casters do not begin with spellbooks. Any class with an animal companion at first level has to note in their backstory whether said companion was slain, captured, or escaped, and will have to be replaced or found accordingly.
9) All prepared casting classes begin play with a day's worth of spells prepared.
10) Within the campaign, there will be opportunities for casters to become liches, as well as a feat chain offered beginning at level one and running through until ninth that will slowly allow your character to become a vampire. Should there be interest, I will post these feats for players to see, should they wish to take them.
11) All characters must be LE or NE. No CE exceptions.
Besides simply choosing a crime, you should also consider how the crime was done. Was this a well planned criminal enterprise or a crime of passion? Did you do it alone or did you have accomplices? Was this the first time you did this crime or are you a repeat offender? Answering these questions will help flesh out your character’s background.
This has been said before, but it bears repeating. Your character actually perpetrated this crime. You may have done it for what seemed like noble reasons. You may have gotten entangled in this criminal enterprise unwillingly. But there is no doubt that you are guilty. You have not been sentenced to the worse prison in Talingarde unjustly. You are here because you deserve to be.
Arson
You have willfully started a fire that destroyed property. To be sent to Branderscar, you didn’t start just a minor little trash fire. Your act of arson threatened a major town, city, church or castle and likely cost someone their life. You’ll be punished for your crime by facing the fire yourself.
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: Whenever you score a critical hit with a fire attack, you receive a +2 fire damage bonus to your damage roll. This bonus is a trait bonus.
Attempted Murder
You tried to kill someone and botched the job. To be sent to Branderscar Prison, you did not try to kill just anyone. You likely assaulted someone of great importance and prominence.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus to Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you.
Blasphemy
Either you have defamed the great god Mitra or you have been found guilty of worshipping one of the forbidden deities (who preeminent among them is Asmodeus).
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: +2 trait bonus to Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (religion) is always a class skill for you.
Consorting with the Dark Powers (Witchcraft)
You have been found guilty of summoning an evil outsider. Likely you were captured by the famed witch hunter Sir Balin of Karfeld. The last thing he said to you was, “May Mitra have mercy upon your wretched, damned soul.” If only you could get a chance at revenge!
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (planes) and Knowledge (arcana) checks, and one of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.
Desecration
You have violated one of the churchs, cathedrals or holy shrines of the great god Mitra. To be sent to Branderscar this was no minor act of vandalism. Instead you have done something flagrant and spectacular to dishonor the Shining Lord.
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: You receive +1 trait bonus on all saving throws against divine spells.
Desertion
You have deserted from the Talirean military and been recaptured. To get sent to Branderscar this was not some minor or routine dereliction of duty. Instead, you abandoned your post during a time of crisis — perhaps battle or while defending the Watch Wall. Regardless of the exact circumstances, your laziness and cowardness must have caused loss of life.
Punishment: Death by hanging
Benefit: You receive one bonus skill point per level that must be spent on the Profession (Soldier) skill. Profession (Soldier) is always a class skill for you.
Dueling unto Death
You have engaged in a duel to the death and mortally wounded an opponent. The opponent was honorable enough to say nothing before he expired. Alas that his family or companions was nowhere near so honorable. Dueling was once common in Talingarde before the House of Darius came to power. The House of Barca all but encouraged duels of honor. Now, dueling of any sort is punished severely. Dueling to the death is a sure way to be sent to Branderscar Prison.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus to Fortitude saves
Extortion
You have defrauded money from someone by holding information of their wrongdoing over their heads. To end up in Branderscar, this was no minor act of merely threatening to expose someone. Instead you ave attempted extortion against someone of great prominence and for exorbitant stakes.
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You receive a +2 trait bonus to Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you.
Forgery
You have forged documents issued either by the crown or by the Church of Mitra. Alas, that your forgery while competent was not entirely undetectable. To be sent to Branderscar, this was no minor finagling of paperwork. This forged document could have cost lives, undermined the reputation of the Church or endangered the security of the realm.
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You gain a +3 trait bonus to Linguistics skill checks to commit forgery and Linguistics is always a class skill for you.
Fraud
You tried to bilk someone out of their cash. To end up in Brandescar Prison, this was no petty con job or penny ante racket. Instead, you brazenly tried to defraud someone important of a huge sum of money. And it almost worked too!
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You receive a +2 trait bonus to Bluff checks and Bluff is always a class kill for you.
Grave Robbery
It is forbidden by sacred law to dishonor a corpse after it is been sealed in its tomb by a clergy of the Mitran faith. Some may not honor this ban: necromancers, golem crafters, self-styled scientists, and alchemists delving into the forbidden secrets of life and death. These ghouls can expect no mercy from the Talirean Magistrates. And by sending you to Branderscar Prison, you have received none.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to confirm critical hits.
Heresy
You have denied the supremacy of Mitra and been condemned for it. For this to be a crime, you were not content to keep your heresy to yourself. You tried to sway others. Likely you were captured by the famed witch hunter Sir Balin of Karfeld. The last thing he said to you was: “Mitra may forgive you yet for your lies. Talingarde will not.” If only you could get a chance at revenge!
Punishment: Death by burning.
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus on all saving throws against divine spells.
High Theft
You had a foolproof plan to steal some great treasure. Alas, the scheme had a fatal flaw and went horribly awry. To be sent to Branderscar prison, this was no ordinary robbery attempt. You tried to steal something of great value or religious significance.
Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Reflex saves.
High Treason
You have willfully worked to bring down the current Monarch of Talingarde — the beloved King Markadian V called the Brave of House Darius. To be successfully tried for High Treason you have done more than merely dislike the king, you did something tangible to undermine his rule. Alas, that you failed at your plot and are now headed to Branderscar Prison. Treason is the only crime that is still punished by the gruesome ritual of being drawn and quartered. Your stay at Branderscar will be brief.
Punishment: Death by drawing and quartering
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Will saves.
Kidnapping
You have abducted someone perhaps to ransom them or do unspeakable things to them. Unfortunately, you were caught and your victim was rescued (if they weren’t rescued — you would be guilty of murder instead). To be sent to Branderscar Prison, you must have abducted someone of great importance or in a particularly gruesome manner.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to both Disarm and Grapple attempts.
Murder
You have killed without just cause and been condemned for it. To be sent to Branderscar Prison, this was no typical killing but a particularly savage and unforgiveable act. You may also have killed someone with powerful friends. Note: You are not allowed to have killed someone in the royal family of Talingarde. You may have tried (his would instead be High Treason — see above) but ultimately they are too well protected.
Punishment: Death by beheading Benefit: You deal 1 additional point of damage when flanking a foe. This additional damage is a trait bonus.
Piracy
You have been caught in the act of piracy on the high seas. This is a rare crime these days since Markadian I called the Victorious burned the last major pirate fleet to threaten these isles. Still the crime is punished harshly. Likely you are the sole survivor of your ship.
Punishment: Death by hanging
Benefit: You may select either Bluff or Intimidate. The selected skill receives a +2 trait bonus and is always a class skill for you.
Sedition
You have attempted to covertly stir up rebellion against your rightful sovereign. This differs from high treason in that you attempted to convince others to make war against Talingarde instead of taking direct action yourself. A subtle difference to be sure. But it is the difference between receiving the swift justice of the axe instead of the slow suffering upon the rack.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Bluff checks and Bluff is always a class skill for you. Further if you ever take the Leadership feat, you gain a +1 trait bonus to your Leadership score.
Slave-Taking
Slavery is illegal in Talingarde and a very rare crime. Still, once in a great while, slavers from the mainland will foolishly make an incursion into Talirean protected territories. When they are captured alive they are always made an example of.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to both Disarm and Grapple attempts.
Slave Trading
Slavery is legal in other parts of the world and it can be tempting to the most decadent of Talingarde’s nobility to acquire a “souvenir” when traveling abroad or to purchase the object of their desire from a less reputable merchant. However you ended up trading slaves in Talingarde, you were caught red handed and now you will lose more than simply your freedom.
Punishment: Death by beheading
Benefit: You receive one bonus skill point per level that must be spent on the Appraise skill. The Appraise skill is always a class skill for you.
1) Provide a written backstory for your character, including the explanation of their crime and how they were caught. You can give it as much length as you want, although remember that I'm looking to run a roleplay-heavy game, and characters with more depth to them are more likely to catch my eye.
2) Explain your character's personality, and as above, be as in-depth as you'd like.
3) Detail a few goals your character would have if given the chance to get out and work against Talingarde. These can be related to your backstory in some way, or merely where they think they should fit into a new, Asmodeus-worshipping society that they've helped build. As there can be only one or two rulers, perhaps have a backup plan if that doesn't pan out.
4) It's of the utmost importance that your character be a compelling villain in some way. I don't want a reckless, sociopath with no history or purpose like The Joker. Give me villains with depth and complexity, who have some reason for the horrible things they do or some code of honour that guides their actions. The most compelling of villains are the ones who have a reason beyond "yep, I'm evil" or have some kind line that they won't cross. Restraint and standards are important, because this isn't meant to be a destructive power fantasy of rape and pillaging.
5) No rapists. This game will deal with mature content, but rape will not be among that. And please, no creepy mention of children, either. We can be mature without having to be f~~%ed up.
6) Your character must be a team player, if only to further their own needs. You'll have very little in the way of allies or resources compared to the kingdom of Talingarde, and so working together is a must. No stealing from the party, no pitching in-character fits (or, even worse, out-of-character fits), no super immature behavior. Arguments should best be resolved through roleplay without inter-party murdering. And also very important is that you will have to swear oaths of loyalty to an NPC, and so your character should not be someone who would rather die than bow. They don't have to like it, but they have to at least begrudgingly prefer living to not.
7) Detail at least in brief your plan for the character on a gameplay level. Will they take prestige classes? Multiclass? What do they offer on a gameplay level in terms of party roles and what they do?
I'm looking for probably four players who can post at least once per weekday and at least once on weekends, although more is definitely nice. Life happens, but if you have plans that will keep you from posting for a few days, please warn about them in advance so we can know to go on without you if it comes to that. I have no problem skipping somebody if I have to. The game will be played off-grid and entirely on a narrative basis, so if your character is hardcore built around precise positioning and where pieces are relative to one another, there may be a couple issues there, but I'll describe rooms and arrangements to the best of my ability. Let's say for now, the deadline is the night of Saturday the 11th. I'll extent it a day or two if it's needed, depending on how much interest this gets and such.
Dot
I would love to play a
Lawful Evil Tiefling Devil-Spawn (Hellspawn) CLERIC of Asmodeus / Fighter [That is unless Psioics is OK]
I have her made with one class,
Ill strip out items and add gestalt side
Crime - Blasphemy
Either you have defamed the great god Mitra or you have been found guilty of worshipping one of the forbidden deities (who preeminent among them is Asmodeus).
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: +2 trait bonus to Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (religion) is always a class skill for you.
GM Qs
1:Psionics?
2:Templates, can we use them? If yes, do they take one of both sides of the gestalt?
= You gain damage reduction 2/cold iron.
Xanos is a Necromancer who used to be in another Way of the Wicked game that sadly ended too soon. He is one of my favorite characters of all time and I would love to reprise him.
His background is all listed in his alias. I'll need a little time to take him back to 1st level and Gestalt him.
I wanted to get my name in the hat now and give you a chance to check out his background and give feedback. His concept requires some GM adjudication. Hopefully it's an idea that you'll like.
dot.
May revive my summoner character from another way of the wicked. Charismatic. Suave. Stylish.
@Rosa: Psionics are off the table, and since you're starting at first level I'd probably go with "no" on the matter of templates.
@Xanos: It's late, so I will be reading it in the morning at some point, and will get back to you on how I feel about it. In the event that whatever is there requiring approval doesn't do it for me, do you think you'll try to go for another character, or will it be a take-it-or-leave-it sort of thing? It won't effect my decision either way, I'm just curious.
cool, Thanks GM, so as stated she is a LE Cleric L1/Fighter L1.
She has no items but rags, I think she is done.
Rosa Luminass LN Cleric/Fighter of Asmodeus.
Crime: Sedition
Sex - Female
Race - Tiefling Devil-Spawn (Hellspawn)
Classes - Cleric (Asmodeus)[1] / Fighter 1
Alignment - LE
Age - Unknown (Most of her life she was a mindless slave.)
Hight 7'4" (Size Mid)
Wight - 160kg
Face: Other [Semi Fixed Expression]
Eyes - Sold Silver metallic Orbs
Teeth: Metallic
Hair - White metallic
Ears: Pointed, Elf like
Horns: Metallic
Build - Unnaturally Heavy
Skin - Fine Metallic Steel Scales
Arms: Over-sized limb [Long]
Legs: Metallic Cloven feet
Legs: Other [Long]
Tail: other [Metallic]
Other: Inhuman voice
Other: profane birthmark [Asmodeus See traits]
Other: Unnatural Temperature [Cold as steel]
Rosa is striking in looks, other worldly odd looks, disturbing looks. Her skin is metallic white scales, fine white metallic sliver hair that always seems to be moving all the time. Her cold metallic sold silver eyes seem to look past you, where who can say. She is very tall (7'4"), age wise she looks around 30, She has metallic horns and a tail that flits about. Rosa walks with grace and pride, and always keeps herself clean and well kept. Her Clothing is of a Cleric of Asmodeus, Black, red and silver. She will never pass of any thing but Hell Spawn and dos not try to.
Rosa dos not hide who and what she is, she is not in any way a Tiefling who lives in Shame. As a LE Cleric of Asmodeus Rose is forever bound by law and she shows the world this. She can be cold, hard, unfeeling, but not cruel with intent to be so, Law is all to her, evil is just what she dos enforcing it. She takes no joy from what she dos as a Hound of hell. She hunts down and beings back the souls of the guilty, the law barkers. But as a new hound she has yet to gain in power. Her mind is sharp, her wits fast, her will like steel. Do not try to plead with her, or look to her good side, she has none. She can be however very diplomatic, and works well with others if they fight for law or to stop Chaos.
Will you allow the playtest from Occult Adventures, to be changed to the release version once the book is out later this month?
EDIT: The character would be a Mesmerist|Cavalier and would use the Daring Champion archetype for the Cavalier and possibly the Cult Master archetype for the Mesmerist, which was released via ENWorld during Paizocon.
The character would have a prominent name, his/her great uncle being a personal friend of the king, making the fall and the arrest all just a bit worse.
Sorry crime should have been Blasphemy
Would Gestalt this character with Slayer. Can have him up in a day or two.
count me in. I'll recrunch this guy and add gestalt. not sure what yet though - maybe wizard or sorceror.
I've been wanting to play this for so long now, but my character doesn't fit into those crime traits. He was a guard at the castle, the lover of the princess who was unjustly thrown in jail by her father when he found out about them. At least that's the way he sees it. In reality he was more of a drunken lout who attempted to force himself on her and got his fool ass kicked. He is very delusional about the whole thing and willing to bring Talingarde to it's knees to be with her again.
Dot, dot, dot.
I have a lovely idea for a Scion of Humanity Angelkin Aasimar that's a Daring Champion Cavalier/Destined-Blood Sorcerer.
The apple has fallen far away from the tree for Kasanar. He is of royal blood and of excellent training. Yet he will never sit on the throne no matter his merits and his abilities. His fool of a princess cousin will rule and not him. PREPOSTEROUS!
Sedition as the crime of choice.
"It's time for new blood on the throne. Long have we suffered under the yolk of misrule. It's time for someone of vision to take us into a new age!"
Falling Angels happen all the time, and that celestial blood has weakened of over the ages.
That's a weird one, can i reroll?
Edit: Saw Cuàn has cavalier too. Willing to change to a anti-paladin if that is needed.
@Cuan: If you don't mind having your character potentially tweaked depending on if anything in the class gets changed in its final release, sure.
@Korak: That hook and motivation run way too afoul of my whole "no rape" thing, sorry.
@Boss Zog: I'll allow one reroll for Tieflings and Aasimar, but only in the event they get a pretty dumb one like this with no real application in the game.
edit: You know what, if you already saw this, nvm. You don't like the character and I don't really like building gestalt. Bye and have a good game.
Thank you, oh wicked one!
Dumb, but better!?
Who sings a ten minute long song?
20th level Bards do, Zog. But I guess between them, you can choose which narrowly useful ability you'd rather have.
I am considering a gestalt druid barbarian.
GM What is your understanding of raging and shapeshifting. Is it possible to shapeshift if raging?
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GM a really good image of Rosa, one I will be using
Rosa remembers a time of rooms and play, in the house of her farther, there nana would look after her and tell her story’s of the world outside. Rosa knew she could not go out, it was a bad thing and if ever her father found her close to a door or shaded window, he was be very angry. Life was sunbeams for shuttered windows, play and sleep. The servants had a party for her, and nana gave her a new dress, rosa had just put it on when her Farther game. He told nana he needed rosa to come to his work shop and that she had to stay, nana was very upset, but Rosa went with her Farther. The room was big and rosa looked at all the books and bottles. A strange Patten had been made in the middle of the work area floor. Some thing was there, a monster, Rosa was not scared she had seen her father with Monsters before.
Her Father looked at the Monster
"Take her, I tell her to you, but the bargin is made, she must not die in the hells."
"The deal is done, the enermys of our master come this night, none in this house hold will live, but I will take her, to serve my lord, and she will live."
Her father came to her, he picked her up and carried her to the monster.
"Rosa, I have sold you to may lord, his to do as he feel it, its this or death tonight."
“You come with me now”
Rosa looked at her Farther who just nodded, Rosa held her hand out, the Monster greened teeth, She did not complain or cry, she had been trained never to do such. She did as told.
“The deal is done, you have want you wanted “
There was a flash and Rosa was in a hot place, all around Monsters walked and worked, The came over grabbed her and with out a word placed a metal collar around her neck.
“You is slave now, you work here, carry and do fast or pain”
He placed a drinking jug in her hands and then her mind fogged over.
Time passed, she worked with others like her did, In a great tent made of skin and bone. Sleep, eat work, if she was slow they crushed under foot, only to awake the next day in the blood pits, Her body whole once more, to be sent back to work carrying food and drink to the Monsters.
The tent moved, as its owner the lord of hell willed and she with it, she never once looked outside the tent, she knew only work, pain and sleep.
Then came the time of a fight, another slave, a new one was being slow, he would not move more quickly or let her past, so with one swing she smashed he head in and walked over his body to the tables. The Monsters seem to think this was funny, one of them picked Rosa up in its clawed hand,
“Fine one this, she has fire in her, you wast such fire in slave, place her in the army she will do well.”
With that he broke her neck. When she came to she was in a blood pit she had never seen before, it was a cell and standing over it was a Monster holding large knifes. There was others around her,
“worms you are mine, so heed me well, lean to fight and die well and I may let you live again, you will fight and you will die, each time as our lord wills and you will do so no matter what”
with that he throw the Knifes into the pit.
"Last one standing gets out".
Rosa did not win that day or the next, but soon she did and in doing so joined the ranks of hells army. There she became fodder to fight and die in Hells endless wars.
Time passed, then came to time of the sword.
She and others had been sent to frontally attack a Devil,
“You will charge at it all of you and keep it distracted while and agent of our master deals with it, most if not all of you will be sent back to the blood pits and death, this is what you are meant to do, Now go and die has our lord wills”
They ran over the hill and down to the waiting Devil, they died, its grate hammer smashing them while it tail flicked from side to side. Rosa was hit and thrown next to a rock, there she waited for death.
But as she lay dying she had time to see a shape move up behind the Devil. It was now eating some of her fellow dead unaware of the thing behind. The Shape held in its hands a large black and red sword, Then it moved to smite the Devil, but somehow it did gave its place away, the devil move so fast she could not see it, spinning it held in its hand a small bird.
“Do you think you could get me like that hell hound”
The small thing In its hands screamed and the one with the sword stopped dead.
Why is he not moving? why do's the one with the sword not strike the Devil?
Rose thought, and then she could see, he had become stone.
“Silly little hell hound”
the devil said,
“he should know better than to send the likes of you, such and insult,”
then its head high it screamed
“if he wants ME! He can come himself”
with one move of its tail it smashed Stone form.
Rosa closed her eyes as the rubble and stone of the thing fell around her, she could hear the Devil had gone back to its meal. When she opened her eyes again, the pain was grater, but she could also see that the hounds sword had fallen by her side. She looked at it, it was a work of art, the runes on it seemed to flow and shift, so pretty, slowly she moved her hand to touch them, then a voice in her head.
“Arr, now who do we have here, weak and small but there is room for improvement, you are one with a soul, but life yet, you must do”
They found her 2 days later, Still holding the Sword in the Back of the Dead Devil. They went to throw her back into the blood pits but the sword spoke.
"This one is mine now, Make her whole once more and send her for Cleric Training, she is to be sent back!!!"
This is how Rosa's life as a Cleric of Hell Started, Her time on the prime has been hard but if her masters will she shall prevail.
The followers of Asmodeus where few in Talingarde hidden away, she had made her way there and talking her time, had infiltrated, to her home town. There she had seen what the followers of the accursed zealous worshippers of Mitra had done. Her home Noble house now was just an over grown pile of stones. Her hate burned then. But under it was the old catacombs, there she has started a new temple to her lord and master. Followers came, soon she had control of the town. It became a dark placed where the passing Traveller or Caravan would go missing. It was one such missing Cleric of Mitra his slut maid that lead to her down fall. Travailing incognito for a tryst, Her follows took them and made fine scarifies of them. Only after the truth of who they where came out. The Church sent investigates and soon she and her congregation where found. Her followers had been burned already. She they took and wanted to make an example of here in prison Branderscar. No matter, she would just endup back in Hell, but she will have failed and that is what mattered. She racked her mind to seek a way out.
Oh, definitely dotting
Definitely dotting. Time to get the idea factory churning.
Dotting this thread. Going to play a Sword Saint Samurai/Fighter. I will roll up a character that should be done by tomorrow or wednesday.
hmmm... kitsune conman/mindbender (sorc/rogue) or aasimar monk/inquisitor? hard choice
dot...
I would be willing to try for another character. Honestly, I have no idea what to Gestalt Xanos with anyway, so if you decide you would rather have another application from me, I have a pretty neat idea for a Antipaladin/Witch.
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This sounds great!
I have not stated her out yet, since I like to have a grasp on the character's story first.
Shryn is a Fetchling Monk/Slayer or Monk/Ranger. She “came on hard times” some years ago and has been doing everything necessary to get by since: including a deal with the Prince of Darkness himself, but she won’t talk about that. For now, survival is key.
Shryn is guilty of many of the crimes listed above, but she is caught for murder and slave taking.
I will write more backstory after I get the stats on paper. For now, here's an excerpt. :)
Shryn's midnight skin and coal black eyes drink in the moonlight, reflecting not so much as a glimmer from her position on the rooftops.
Where are you Ralik? She fingers the tip of her knife impatiently.
Five years ago, Ralik had set fire to her home to draw her father out in the dead of night. She stumbled around her yard, sleep clinging to her eyes like frost clings to branches at the onset of spring. What was happening? Why was it so warm? Her mother screamed, shocking her from her stupor.
She stood dumbly in the shallow snow. So much red… Her mother’s voice was hoarse. Was she shouting?
Strong men tossed her little brothers in the back of a wagon. Her mother’s shouting earned a sharp blow to the base of her skull. She crumpled then was thrown in with her brothers. He’s taking them. They’re coming at me.
”Run.” Her mother’s shouts finally clawed into her conscious mind. She ran.
A soft clink of chain snaps Shryn back to the present. Sloppy Ralik. A smart slaver would bind cloth around the chains… Shryn straightens ever so slightly: her body a taut bow string straining to be loosed.
A stout man with a greasy moustache stalks onto the abandoned street. After a careful sweep of the nearby alleys, he waves behind him. Four miserable forms shuffle forward bound hand and foot pushed by a shirtless brute.
Two more feet… Shryn leaped off the roof.
The big man falls, a thick quarrel sprouting from his muscle-bound neck. Shryn straightens her shadowy figure to its full height. ”Ralik.” She hissed. ”I have been waiting for…” He’s running? S**~!
Shryn tears after the fleeing man, but quickly loses him in the jumbled, twisting maze of alleys. Cursing loudly, she makes her way back to the huddled slaves. wretched creatures…
”You all belong to me now. I will sell you quickly and cheaply as I am in a hurry. I realize your treatment will suffer as a result. Perhaps you yet have time to bargain for a better lot in this life. Asmodeus is ever willing to make deals.” Shryn smiles wickedly at the uncomfortable fidgeting. ”Come now? What have you to lose?”
”STAND FAST!” the shout rends the silence like a scythe through summer wheat.
Perfect… Shryn thinks.
GM, would you allow me to get the Racial Heritage feat and say Frost Giant?
Been walking around with the idea of a giant-blooded Brawler for a while now and I'm debating whether I'd want to submit that character or the mesmerist/cavalier I mentioned earlier.
@Xanos: Unfortunately he's kind of removed from the "you were born here" connection the game wants that I kind of agree with thematically, sorry.
@Seranov: Goblins are a no-go, not human-ey enough.
@Cuan: I'd say it's allowed on the condition that you show me what having giants blood would open up for you in terms of options and stuff, and that I approve a player having those.
@Big OM: I don't see anything about Wildshape that would have it be disqualified by Rage, although obviously when shifted you won't have access to any abilities of the form you take that Rage would disallow.
@ICN: I'll stick those up in a spoiler a little later, then. Not at home at the moment.
It would open up 4 feats, one of which I'll leave out as it is completely useless because I won't have the rock throwing ability.
The remaining feats are:
Born of Frost
Icy Stare
Sure on Ice
In addition it would open up 2 spells:
Ice Slick
Magic Boulder
Though technically they don't require the caster to be a Frost Giant
All other feats require either large size (so would only be active while the character magically grows in size) or the Giant subtype (which I can't get)
It looks like Occult playtest is allowed as long as we don't mind changes as the classes are finalized. Provided that is the case, I am going to create a Pyrokineticist Monk. Originally I was thinking sorcerer or Wizard with a pension for fire but this seems like less of 2 classes meshed together and more of a cohesive concept.
Hmmmm, wonder what crime a pyrokineticist would commit.....
I might have to look at the playtest myself. I'm having a hard time finding a satisfying pairing with summoner. Rogue or Slayer would work since he used to be a competent swordsman before but I don't need either since I can build a competent swordsman with summoner alone.
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Well, I cannot help but dot this... I've got several ideas for WotW characters (some of them even sensible!), so I'll need to brainstorm a bit to narrow them down.
Seriously considering reviving Sozia - a previous WotW character of mine - with a new coat of crunch (and gestalt, obviously), and a more polished backstory...
@TarkXT - One thing my summoner always seemed to lack was direct a good blast option, for when you just needed or wanted to kill something quick. Either that or some good debuff abilities to help weaken enemies.
No problem. I'll go with my other idea. Give me a day or two to get the character created.
@Cuan: Those all look fine as far as players having them goes, so I'll give it the green light.
As promised, here is the feat chain the AP provides for becoming a vampire. Although The Bitten doesn't require you to take it at creation, I am; if you want to pursue the feat chain, then you will have to work it into your backstory in some way and have that be an element to your character. They don't have to know what happened and "vampire" doesn't have to be their sole gimmick--and in fact a one-dimensional "I'm a vamp yo" is kind of bland--but you have to explain how they were bitten, preferrably very, very shortly before they were captured. I'll expect you to be roleplaying out the negative physical side-effects listed in the trait descriptions as well. As with the whole gestalt thing, expect there to be repurcussions to taking these as a trade-off for the power they give, as your weaknesses will not be ignored.
You have been bitten by a vampire and infected with the curse of undeath. As you sicken, your senses heighten and you become profoundly aware that every day, you are changing into something both more and less than mortal. You have only begun your transformation into the living dead.
Prerequisites: You must be bitten by a vampire.
Benefits: You gain darkvision 30 ft. and the alertness feat, however your Constitution score is lowered by two permanently.
The Dying
You are dying. You can feel it in very core of your being. Your mortal blood is failing and the vampiric curse is overtaking you. Soon, you will die and rise again as a vampire.
Prerequisites: The Bitten, 3rd level
Benefits: Your natural armor improves +2, your darkvision improves to 60 ft., you gain a +2 racial bonus to Perception and you gain the toughness feat. However your Constitution score is again lowered by two permanently, you now cast no shadow and have no
reflection in a mirror. Further, in full daylight you are sickened.
The Risen
Vampirism has overtaken you and you have died. However after three days in the ground you have risen from your own death. You are now a fledgling vampire. However, you are still unsure of your powers and only begun to understand the full reprecussions of this dark gift. Still, you are fast as lightning and full of fury. You an barely restrain your thirst for living blood.
Prerequisites: The Bitten, The Dying, 5th level
Benefits: You gain the feats Dodge, Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes. Your Dex score is improved by +2. You are now an undead and have no Constitution score. You gain resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10 in addition to all the normal defensive abilities granted by being an undead. You also gain the special attack Blood Drain (as per the vampire template). However, you must sleep in a coffin every night, you gain the vampiric weaknesses to daylight (this replaces being sickened by daylight) and running water, and if you ever go more than twenty four hours without feeding on living blood you become sickened until you feed. If you are sickened from lack of food and encounter a living creature with blood in their veins, you must make a DC 12 Will save or immediately try to drain their blood. If you succeed at such a save you do not have to check again for one hour. If reduced to zero hit points, you fall dead, indistinguishable from a normal corpse. You will remain this way until either you are healed by negative energy or fed blood enough to heal you.
The Initiated
You have been a vampire long enough that you are beginning to be able to control your condition. You need to feed less frequently and you have begun to control your form turning into mist or climbing like a spider.
Prerequisites: The Bitten, The Dying, The Risen, 7th level
Benefits: You gain the feat Combat Reflexes. You gain a +4 racial bonus to Bluff, Perception, Sense Motive and Stealth Checks (the Perception bonus replaces the bonus from the Dying feat). You gain the gaseous form and spider climb special qualities of a vampire (see the vampire template). If reduced to zero hit points You are still sickened if you do not feed but now you need only feed every three days. However, you now recoil from mirrors and strongly presented holy symbols.
True Vampirism
You have mastered your condition of vampirism and are now a true vampire in every sense.
Prerequisites: The Bitten, the Dying, the Risen, The Initiated, 9th level
Benefits: You gain the full benefit and weaknesses of the vampire template.
Loup Blanc here posting interest. This is a character I made for another gestalted Way of the Wicked, a dhampir antipaladin/swashbuckler. Take a look and see if you like the backstory and such. I'll change his stats to reflect the new build, and possibly see about grabbing the first of the vampire feats rather than going Knight of the Sepulcher.
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Hm, I'm actually starting to think about making a Half-orc Sanctified Slayer Inquisitor with the Heresy Inquisition/Primalist Untouchable Rager Bloodrager with either the Abberant or Arcane Bloodline.
Inquisitor's Solo Tactics and solid spellcasting with the magic defenses and facebeating prowess of the Bloodrager would be really fun.
Well now, this is interesting. I've got a backstory in mind—thinking Tiefling Bolt Ace Gunslinger/Warpriest of lesser devil serving Asmodeus. Will write things up at some point.
Unfortunately, all the domains I'm interested in belong to archdevils instead of regular gods, and these all have only 3-4 domains listed. If I want a bit more domain variety, could I also pull a domain from Asmodeus's list?
@ICN: They don't stack.
@thunderbeard: Sure. Due to reasons I won't spoil that isn't too much of a stretch anyway.
Would you be comfortable with me playing Grumblejack?
I have a neat idea on how to build him as an Abyssal Bloodrager/Scarred Witchdoctor.
I am picturing him without any sort of magic at first, but very fascinated by it.
I'm perfectly fine with him starting wounded, crippled, cursed or otherwise reduced in power.
What do you think?
RPG Superstar 2013
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I'd like to throw my helmet in the ring. I can play essentially anything, but if I'm getting to play an evil character, I'd like to play someone more devoted to Famine than to Asmodeus. Whether it turns out the two have synergy during that adventure, or it just helps to break up the hegemony, I don't care. I'll roleplay responsibly and be aware of the people around me.
I am leaning toward a bone oracle/necromancer, but I'm going to peruse some books and see what looks good. I'll definitely try to be unique.
Rosa's aim is simple from part Devil to Unique Devil. "The mother of Hounds"
I have an idea for an Aasimar Antipaladin//Bard that I've always wanted to use in a Way of the Wicked campaign. The brighest light has the farthest to fall.
yes yes come join the faith, just sign here...